Homemade Granola Recipe

My typical breakfast is greek yogurt with honey and a handful of granola or nuts (paired with a strong cup of coffee, of course!). I love how granola can be enjoyed with yogurt or milk but can also double as an easy on-the-go snack. Making your own granola is super easy and gives you the ability to add any kind of flavors you like! Here is my basic granola recipe along with a few favorite add-ins. Basic Granola, makes 3-4 small servings.

Needed: 2 cups oats (old fashioned, not the quick cooking kind), 1 1/2 cups nuts/seeds of your choice, 1/3 cup oil (I like to use olive oil), 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg, a pinch of ginger, 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/4 cup dried fruit or other additions you like.

In a bowl combine the oats and nuts/seeds. Pour in oil and honey (or maple syrup) and stir to combine. Add in seasonings and vanilla and mix well. Spread out on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper and bake at 350 F for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 10 to make sure all pieces bake evenly. Add in dried fruit during the last 10 minutes of baking. For the granola pictured above I used almonds slivers and dried blueberriesFor this granola I added sliced almonds. To make chunky granola simply don’t mix during the baking process. Once you remove your granola from the oven break it up into small chunks for a different kind of texture. This is great for snacking granola; like for camping or carrying around in your purse.

What? You don’t carry granola in your purse? Oh, yeah. Me neither….For this granola I added walnuts and coconut flakes. I love the sweet and chewy addition of coconut flakes, but they can burn easily. Be sure not to add coconut flakes until the last 5-6 minutes of cooking.Store your granola in an air tight container or zip lock back for up to two weeks. Enjoy! xo. Emma

Note: If you are enjoying this as part of the Weekday Weekend Challenge be sure to check any dried fruit you include for added sugars as many dried fruits contain this (but not all, so just read the ingredients list to see!)