Big Batch Almond Vanilla Granola
Make over 4 pounds of Almond Vanilla Granola, ideal for holiday gifting. Simple, customizable recipe using basic pantry ingredients.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lb Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
- 2 C Sliced Almonds
- ⅔ C Chopped Walnuts or Pecans
- ½ C Chia Seeds
- 1 C Brown Sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ⅔ C Honey
- ⅔ C Neutral Oil
- 1 ⅓ tablespoon Cinnamon
- 2 ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300F. Spray two half sheet pans with non-stick cooking spray.Mix together the oats, brown sugar, salt and any nuts and/or seeds you're using.
- Add the oil and honey to a saucepan. Warm until easily pourable, which shouldn't take long. Whisk in your dried spices and flavor extracts, if using.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the mixed dry ingredients. Use your hands to mix super thoroughly, which should take a solid 2-3 minutes - about the length of one song. The oats should be well coated and stick together slightly.TIP: If you're grossed out at the thought of using your hands or if you have nail polish on, pull on some disposable gloves. Be sure to remove any bracelets or watches before starting, as they can get pretty sticky.
- Lightly spray two half-sheet pans with non-stick cooking oil. Line with parchment if you want. Divvy the granola up between the two sheet trays, being as even as possible. Spread into a single layer.
- Pop both sheets into the preheated oven. Set the first timer for 12 minutes. Remove the trays from the oven and stir thoroughly. Flatten back out into a single layer. Return to the oven, switching racks. Repeat two more times.You will need to bake the granola for 3 sets of 12 minutes each, for a total of 36 minutes. Rotate the trays each time, switching which one is on top or on bottom.
- After the third bake, remove the trays from the oven and allow to cool enough to handle. Pour the baked granola back into your mixing bowl. Add the dried fruit and toss to combine. Enjoy!
Notes
The best thing about homemade granola is that you can make it EXACTLY the way you like. Need it to be vegan? No problem! Hate raisins? Leave 'em out! Here's a list of different ways to customize this tasty, giftable treat:
- Rolled Oats - Also known as old-fashioned oats, this is the only ingredient that I recommend you stick to. Quick oats just don't have the right bite and steel-cut oats are too hard. If you are allergic to gluten, be sure to purchase certified gluten-free oats; while the oats themselves don't have naturally occurring gluten, food processing facilities often do.
- Dried Fruits - There are tons of options here, so go bananas. (Sorry, couldn't help myself.) Try the tried and true: raisins, golden raisins (aka sultanas), or dried cranberries. If you wanna play with other dried fruits, I love apricots, blueberries, pineapple, mango (especially the chile lime kind!), figs, dates, bananas, coconut flakes... I'm sure there are some I'm forgetting, but you get the idea. Oh, and freeze dried fruits will also work just fine, though they end up getting more chewy than crunchy. Just chop anything that is larger than a dried cranberry.
- Nuts & Seeds - Again, the sky is the limit here, folks. I used chopped pecans, sliced almonds and chia seeds, but you can feel free to use any nut and/or any seed. Peanuts, cashews, pecans, pistachios, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, pepitas, hemp hearts, or flax seed are all perfectly delicious options. Chop when necessary.
- Sweeteners - You can tweak this to your liking, so long as you stick to the liquid and dry sugar ratio presented. For liquid sweeteners, maple syrup, honey, date syrup or agave (or any sugar-free option) all work. For dry, coconut or palm sugar, regular white sugar, stevia blends or other cup-for-cup sugar substitutes are all welcome.
- Other Flavorings - Dried spices are a quick way to add a ton of flavor. I used cinnamon, but think of all the other options: nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, clove, star anise, fennel seed, dried lavender, cocoa powder, powdered peanut butter, instant espresso... the list goes on. As far as extracts go, vanilla, almond, lemon, maple, butter, or coffee are all on the table.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.33CupCalories: 153kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 4gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 56mgPotassium: 120mgFiber: 3gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 2IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 41mgIron: 1mg
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