I recently brought home a brown bag full of granola that I purchased from a bakery. It was amazing! It was crispy, crunchy, with just the right amount of sweet, cinnamon and nuttiness that I enjoy. I absolutely love it for breakfast with vanilla Greek yogurt and berries. The whole family has been gobbling it down, too. It’s also a great snack. I don’t always enjoy yogurt by itself – so with a few extra ingredients it’s really a treat.
So, I decided to see if I could replicate the store version. I used almost all of the same ingredients (with the exception of no brown sugar). I was pleased to find that I could find pumpkin seeds at our local Fareway store. All the other ingredients I had on hand. I got in a granola kick a few years back, and kinda forgot all about it. I realized that it is so simple to make, and it leaves your home filled with a lovely vanilla cinnamon smell – yes!
I stored it in mason jars – mason jars are just plain fun and a great way for keeping that clean organized look. This recipe made enough that I gave some away. I used the smaller pint sized mason jars and tied a ribbon around the top. Easy, simple, and an easy homemade gift. Enjoy!
Homemade Granola
Ingredients
- 4 c. rolled oats
- 1 c. coconut unsweetened
- 1/2 c. dried cranberries or dried apples, raisins, pineapple
- 1/3 c. chopped pecans or almonds
- 1/3 c. pumpkin seeds
- dash of salt
- 1 T. cinnamon
- 1 1/2 t. vanilla
- 1/4 c. honey or maple syrup, agave
- 1/4 c. coconut oil or canola
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
- Combine dry ingredients (excluding dry fruit): oats, coconut, nuts, seeds, salt, cinnamon.
- Combine wet ingredients: vanilla, honey, coconut oil. Adjust taste to taste - if needed
- Spread on baking sheet for 35 - 40 minutes, tossing twice.
- Stir in dried fruit after baking, and let cool. Store in an airtight container - mason jar works great.
