Eating From the Ground Up

the new granola

by

About a year ago, I put up my granola recipe for everyone to see. Honestly, that recipe was part of the reason that I started this blog, so that I could stop writing it down on the backs of dirty napkins and old shopping lists for people who NEEDED it. People feel passionate about breakfast, and I totally understand that.

But I have to tell you something.

I make granola every week. And like any recipe that lives in my kitchen with that much frequency, it’s changed a little bit. I think it’s better. And a little bit simpler, if that could even be possible. So, for those of you that make the old granola, don’t worry- you don’t have to change it if you don’t want to. But this is the new evolved granola, dairy free (and cheaper), and a little bit drier.
So there you have it.

A word on storage. This recipe makes a lot of granola. We eat it all in a week or maybe a week and a half. We eat it for breakfast, we eat it for dessert, and Joey grabs panicked handfuls of it when he gets home from work and gets the news that dinner is not ready right now.
Granola will keep in a jar for 2-3 weeks. I suggest making it in this huge quantity because it’s just as easy to make a lot as it is to make a little. But if it’s too much for you, fill a few ziplock bags and throw them in the freezer. Then take them out as you need them.


The New Granola

8 1/2 cups rolled oats (2 lbs)
3/4 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
2 cups sliced almonds (you can also use blanched almonds or coarsely chop them yourself, depending on your preference)
1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
1 1/2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
3/4 cup canola oil
1 cup maple syrup (reduce t0 3/4 cup if you don’t want it sweet)
1 1/2 Tablespoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Combine all of the dry ingredients in your largest bowl. Stir stir stir.

Whisk together the wet ingredients in a large measuring cup or small bowl. Make sure that they become a nice, uniform syrup. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

Stir stir stir until everything is coated and there are no hidden pockets of syrup or dry oats in your bowl.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Spread the granola in an even layer on each tray.

Go check to make sure that your oven is preheated. The trays should both be in the upper 2/3 of the oven.

Put the granola into the oven. Set your timer for 30 minutes. Clean up the kitchen. When the timer beeps, shuffle the granola around a bit, and switch the trays. Set the timer again for 30 minutes. Go off and do something else. When the timer beeps, again shuffle and switch. Set timer one last time for 30 minutes. This time, do something really lovely for yourself. After all, you’ve just made your own granola. When the timer beeps (it’s been in there for an hour and a half, just so we can be clear), turn the oven off. Leave the granola in the oven! Leave it in there for up to six hours, depending on your day. It will harden and crisp up as the oven cools. If you must have raisins or other dried fruit in your granola, add it each time you eat it. That way the raisins won’t get hard. Store in an airtight jar.

Comments

  1. Mira and I are SO going to make granola now! This looks delicious. I am starting to think about learning how to make stuff that usually you just buy…granola is a perfect example. But just tonight, Soren and I were musing about the idea of making our own Chai. You wouldn't happen to know an amazing recipe for that, now, would you?
    xo

  2. Ooooh, man. I've got a great chai recipe! It's from Moosewood Celebrates (one of my favorite cookbooks)and it makes me happy. But before I include it here, I just wanna say that this granola recipe addendum is awesome, because it's more streamlined than the last one, and because it leaves out that evaporated milk stuff. Thanks for that, A! Anyway, here's the chai recipe I love, for any who care to try it…

    BEST CHAI EVER (in my humble opinion)–serves 6

    5 c water
    1/3 to 1/2 c chopped fresh ginger root (unpeeled is fine)
    1 tsp. cardamom seeds
    3 whole cinnamon sticks
    4 tea bags/4 tsp. loose black tea
    4 c milk
    1/2 c sugar

    In a large covered pot, bring all ingredients except the milk and sugar to a boil. Reduce heat, uncover and simmer 10-15 mins. Add milk and sugar and return to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 5 more mins. Strain and serve.

    Cheers!

  4. I made a whole ton of this..added a few of my favorite granola add ins…and packed if up in my with my vacuum sealer, made cute little labels with reference to your blog page and Voila! Instant xmas presents that are 100X better than some crap no one really needs. So if you find a bunch of strangers lurking about you can thank (or blame) me.
    Thanks Alana!

  5. Got this granola in the oven right now. Will be enjoying it on our trek to the Bisti Badlands Saturday. There will be stories and photos later! xo

  8. Alana, First, I love your website. Very inspiring. I started making my own yogurt about a month ago and am addicted! Was buying store granola and thought “I can make my own” , and found your recipe. Sooo good. Do you know the calorie count? Thanks. Debi K.

    • Thank you, Debi! So glad the yogurt has become a hit. And I’m sorry- I don’t have nutritional information for the recipes, but I think there are some online tools for figuring those things out.

  9. If you want chunks in your granola, this is what you do:

    Spread it on your pan and press down with the back of a spatula.
    Do not shuffle it while it cooks, it shouldn’t burn!
    Leave it in the oven to crisp as Alana explains.
    When you try and take it out of the pan, it will stick together in massive chunks!
    I like to leave it as together as possible. Not only will this give you cereal type granola, but granola bars as well!

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