Homemade granola is actually very easy to make. I was intimidated at first to make it at home even though there are a lot of recipes out there claiming it works.
I did a bit of research and combined a few recipes I found into this one. Unlike some of my other first time tries at baking new recipes, this one actually worked! My kids love granola, they eat yogurt and granola at least 5 days out of 7 for breakfast. I often throw fresh berries or fruit into the mixture for them as well which makes them like it all the better.
Originally I bought my granola at the store but when the price is $8-13/lb and I have a family of 5, all who likes granola, that price was not reasonable for us. Consequently, I decided to make my own. Buying all the materials and making it myself, my granola is probably closer to $2/lb. Much more reasonable. For a family of 5, I usually make a double batch every week and a half. I usually use a large roasting pan such as my Cuisinart’s classic enameled cast Iron 14-Inch roasting pan.
You should think of this recipe as a guideline. If you don’t like coconut, take it out, allergic to almonds, same. Throw in different nuts, dried berries, pretty much whatever you like. If you need more, double the recipe, if you don’t have honey use only maple syrup and vice versa. The baseline of this recipe is the oats, salt, oil, egg whites ratio and baking it until it is golden brown. The rest is up to you. Have fun and enjoy.
Maple Granola
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon ground
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup coconut flakes small flakes, unsweetened
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds optional
- 1/4 cup flax seeds optional
- 3 Tbs canola oil
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1 egg white
- 1/2 cup honey
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 325F.
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Mix the dry ingredients in a baking pan or roasting pan with a wooden spoon.
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Mix the vanilla, maple syrup, egg white, and honey into a small bowl.
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Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix thoroughly until the oats and nuts are coated evenly.
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Flatten the mixture into an even thickness in the pan. Ideally, you want the mixture no more than an inch thick and in a dish where you can stir the mixture part way through baking without it spilling over the edges.
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Bake the mixture for about 45 minutes. Check every 15-20 minutes and stir the mixture so it cooks evenly. It is done when it is golden brown like toast and the mixture is not releasing moisture when you open the oven to check on it.
