I will share my most significant and basic granola recipe with you today. Although biased, it is the best, and I don’t use that word lightly.
This granola is great for breakfast or a quick snack. It also keeps well, making it a wonderful homemade gift. You will want to avoid repurchasing store-bought granola after trying homemade granola. It’s a vast improvement!
This granola recipe uses whole grains, unrefined oil, and natural sweetener, making it a far healthier alternative to traditional granola. Granola that has just been prepared and is filled with delicious and nutritious ingredients is simply unbeatable.
Additionally, making homemade granola is simple. Are only one bowl and several staple pantry goods required and prepared to produce some?
Once you have my basic recipe, you may experiment with the additions and seasonings to create your custom granola.
By the way, freezing this granola will keep the flavor of newly baked food. Wait a few minutes for it to reach room temperature before consuming it.
Healthy Granola Ingredients
Oats
Whole-grain, hearty old-fashioned oats maintain their shape when baking. If you need to make gluten-free granola, use certified gluten-free oats.
Seeds and Nuts
I combined pecans and pepitas (green pumpkin seeds) for this batch. Omega-3-rich walnuts, whole or slivered almonds, cashews, peanuts, pistachios, macadamia nuts, and sunflower seeds are further alternatives.
Unrefined Oil
This granola is crisp and delicious, thanks to the oil. Unrefined coconut oil, which is delectable and yields the ideal texture, is what I favor.
If you prefer your granola to be a bit more savory, you can substitute extra-virgin olive oil. However, olive oil is a better option if you watch how much-saturated fat you consume!
Natural Sweetener
I adore making my granola with real maple syrup. Honey also works well. Additionally, these natural sweeteners give your granola an extra-delicious flavor boost compared to sugar.
Salt and Spice
Make sure to skimp on the salt if you want tasty granola! Your tastes won’t sing if you use too little. I prefer to use fine-grain sea salt in this recipe, although ordinary salt would also work.
To give this batch a mellow, warming spice, I added cinnamon. Other choices include pumpkin spice blends and ground ginger.
Dried Fruit
Dried fruit adds added sweetness, a chewy texture, and a fruity flavor that is impossible to resist. This batch included dried cranberries. Additionally, I adore raisins, chopped dried apricots, and sour dry cherries.
Optional Mix-Ins
Before baking, add up to 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon zest to the mixture for a citrus flavor boost. I especially enjoy adding orange zest.
Once the granola has completely cooled, you may stir in the chocolate chunks.
Unsweetened coconut flakes can be added if desired halfway through baking to achieve ideally toasted results.
Chunky Granola Tips
Some of you, like myself, enjoy your granola in large chunks. So my advice for getting the best clumping is as follows:
- The oats in the pan should be slightly crowded so they can adhere to one another but not too crowded to toast unevenly. For this granola recipe, a standard half-sheet pan is advised. The correct size and rimmed edges ensure that no granola spills out.
- Line the pan with parchment paper to ensure that the sweetener adheres to the oats rather than the pan.
- After tossing the ingredients halfway through baking, carefully press down on the granola with the back of a spatula for maximum clumping. The pan should then be placed back in the oven to complete baking.
- Just until it appears faintly golden on top, bake the granola as instructed. Although it may not yet appear finished, it will continue to crisp up as it cools. Granola that is overbaked appears to have the sugar bonds broken.
- The granola should then be completely cool before being broken up. Even overnight, I’ve left it covered on the pan.
Despite using all those methods, I periodically produce a batch of granola that isn’t as clumpy as my other batches for reasons I can’t explain. But it’s always delicious!
Learn more: Dangerous Side Effects of Eating Too Many Eggs
