Ingredients
- Rolled Oats: The heart of our granola, providing a chewy and wholesome base. Opt for old-fashioned rolled oats for the best texture and nutritional benefits.
- Raw Almonds: Adds a wonderful crunch, nutty flavor, and healthy fats. You can use whole almonds, slivered, or chopped, depending on your preference for texture.
- Liquid Honey: Our natural sweetener and binding agent, lending a beautiful golden hue and delicious sweetness. Choose a good quality honey for the best flavor.
- Coconut Oil: Adds richness, helps with clustering, and contributes a subtle coconut flavor. You can use refined coconut oil if you prefer a neutral taste.
- Ground Cinnamon: A warm and comforting spice that complements the honey and almonds perfectly. It also adds a lovely aroma to your granola.
- Salt: Enhances the sweetness and balances all the flavors. A pinch of salt is crucial for bringing out the best in your granola.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds a touch of warmth and depth of flavor, rounding out the overall taste profile. Use pure vanilla extract for the most authentic flavor.
Instructions
- Preheat Your Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Begin by preheating your oven to 300°F (150°C). This lower temperature ensures the granola toasts slowly and evenly without burning. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Parchment paper prevents the granola from sticking and makes cleanup a breeze.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the rolled oats, raw almonds, ground cinnamon, and salt. Toss everything together until well combined. This ensures that the spices and salt are evenly distributed throughout the oat mixture, leading to a more balanced flavor in the final granola.
- Melt Wet Ingredients: In a separate, microwave-safe bowl or a saucepan, combine the coconut oil and honey. If using a microwave, heat in short intervals (about 30 seconds at a time), stirring in between, until the coconut oil is completely melted and the honey is warmed. If using a saucepan, heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until melted and combined. Once melted, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Warming the honey and coconut oil helps them mix together smoothly and coat the dry ingredients more effectively.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Pour the warm honey-coconut oil mixture over the dry ingredients in the large bowl. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to stir everything together thoroughly until the oats and almonds are evenly coated. Ensure that every oat and almond is glistening with the honey mixture. This step is crucial for achieving those delightful granola clusters.
- Spread on Baking Sheet: Spread the granola mixture in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. For larger clusters, gently press the granola down slightly with the back of a spatula. Try to avoid stirring during baking to encourage cluster formation. An even layer ensures that the granola bakes uniformly.
- Bake and Rotate: Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the granola is lightly golden brown and fragrant. To ensure even baking, rotate the baking sheet halfway through the baking time. Keep a close eye on the granola, especially towards the end of baking, as it can burn quickly.
- Cool Completely and Break into Clusters: Once baked, remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the granola cool completely on the baking sheet. Do not stir or touch it while it cools! This is the key to achieving those perfect clusters. As it cools, the honey will harden and bind the oats together. Once completely cooled, break the granola into clusters of your desired size using your hands or a spatula.
- Store Properly: Store the cooled granola clusters in an airtight container at room temperature. Properly stored granola will stay fresh and crunchy for up to 2-3 weeks. Glass jars or airtight plastic containers work well.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: one normal portion
- Calories: 180
- Fat: 10g