Ingredient: mixed dry fruit

Decent quality shop-bought granola can be quite pricey. It’s surprisingly inexpensive to make at home. It’s easiest to bake the granola in the evening so that you can leave it to cool naturally in the oven overnight. That ensures a  granola that is super-crunchy and will stay that way for at least a few weeks. The boys like it with milk, but it’s also delicious served with fresh fruit and some yogurt (click here to make your own homemade yoghurt).  It’s also great sprinkled atop overnight soaked muesli (recipe coming soon).

The original inspiration for this recipe came from America Test Kitchen’s Almond Granola, but I have cut the oil and used a wider variety of nuts and fruit. To ring a change, I occasionally also add cinnamon.

A tip – measure the oil first and then the maple syrup. Easier to get the syrup out of the cup.

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Maple Syrup Granola

This makes a crunchy free-flowing granola. If you prefer bigger clusters, you will need to increase the quantity of oil in the recipe. I use simple cup measurements here, as accuracy isn’t important, and it’s just faster and easier. You can use any cup, as long as you use the same cup for all the measurements.

Course

Breakfast

Prep Time

15 Min

Cook Time

1 Hour

Servings

Cups

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup preferably Grade B as it has a stronger flavour
• 1/3 cup coconut sugar or rapadura you can substitute brown sugar
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil or coconut oil, if you like the flavour
• 4 teaspoons vanilla extract (make your own)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 5 cups rolled oats preferably jumbo and definitely not instant or quick cook
• 2 cups mixed nuts use at least ½ cup whole raw almonds and any combination of cashews, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, whatever you like
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds optional
• 1/3 cup coconut flakes optional
• 1 cup mixed dry fruit use any mixture of raisins, dried apricots, dried figs, currants, cranberries & roughly chop the larger fruit like apricots & figs

Course Breakfast Prep Time 15 Min Cook Time 1 Hour Servings Cups Ingredients 1/3 cup pure maple syrup preferably Grade B as it has a stronger flavour 1/3 cup coconut sugar or rapadura you can substitute brown sugar 1/3 cup vegetable oil or coconut oil, if you like the flavour 4 teaspoons vanilla extract (make your own) 1/2 teaspoon salt 5 cups rolled oats preferably jumbo and definitely not instant or quick cook 2 cups mixed nuts use at least ½ cup whole raw almonds and any combination of cashews, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, whatever you like 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds 1/2 cup sunflower seeds 2 tablespoons sesame seeds optional 1/3 cup coconut flakes optional 1 cup mixed dry fruit use any mixture of raisins, dried apricots, dried figs, currants, cranberries & roughly chop the larger fruit like apricots & figs

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 140C fan (or 160 conventional). (I prefer the fan setting as it dries out the granola better).
2. Prepare a baking tray with baking paper or a liner (I use reusable baking sheets which can be wiped or rinsed and reused). I use the standard UK oven trays, as you need a large surface area to spread out the granola evenly.
3. Place the oats, seeds, nuts and coconut flakes (if using) in a large mixing bowl.
4. Place maple syrup, sugar and vanilla in a small bowl or jug. Add oil and microwave for 30 seconds on high to warm through. Mix well and whisk in to combine everything.
5. Pour into the bowl with the oats mixture and mix well until the oats are thoroughly coated.

   
6. Transfer the oat mixture to prepared baking tray and spread across evenly and put in the middle shelf of the oven to bake.
7. Bake until lightly browned, 50-55 minutes, mixing the granola once halfway through baking. Turn off oven.
8. Remove granola from oven and stir through the dry fruits and place the tray back in the switched off oven to cool, preferably overnight.

   
9. Once cool, store in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks.

Recipe Notes

Click here to make your own vanilla extract.  

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