Nuts and Honey Granola
There are three homemade items my kids would love for me to keep stocked in the kitchen every week: hummus, chicken salad and granola. All three recipes were passed down to me from my mom, and I feel as though I’ve mastered each one over the years having made them so often for my own family.
Today we’re talking about homemade granola. I was spending $6-$8 per bag at the store for naturally sweetened granola with minimal ingredients. If you’re purchasing 1-2 bags per week, it can become quite expensive. With as much as my family loves these baked oats, it’s far more economical and healthier to make my own at home. And it’s super simple! This recipe takes just 30 minutes to make from the time you drop that first cup-full of oats into your mixing bowl until you take the granola out of the oven. While you can add them to your liking, this particular recipe doesn’t even require the use of dried fruits like cherries, dates or raisins. If you have a sensitivity to gluten, I’ve used gluten-free rolled oats many times, and the results are still delicious.
Like many American families of five, I buy the rolled oats, almonds and walnuts in bulk at Costco. They last forever in my pantry, which is the opposite of how long the granola lasts in this household. The minute the granola comes out of the oven, there are 3 little pairs of hands reaching for a bite. I love that it’s sweetened with honey, and the cinnamon brings that distinctive aroma and warming spice that makes your entire home smell inviting.
We enjoy this granola for breakfast with yogurt, as a snack on its own, or topped over a small scoop of ice cream for dessert. The granola will keep for 2-4 weeks stored in an air tight container or tupperware. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Nuts and Honey Granola
Ingredients
- 4 cups old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup almonds, roughly chopped
- 1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon (I recommend Penzey’s Vietnamese Cinnamon for it’s intense flavor)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Note: I use one half sheet pan (roughly 18”x13”), which is large enough to hold the entire bowl of granola. You could also use two smaller sheet pans and divide the granola mixture between the two for baking.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the rolled oats, almonds, walnuts and cinnamon.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the vanilla, honey, oil and salt until thoroughly combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the rolled oats and stir to combine.
- Spread the granola mixture onto the parchment lined sheet pan and spread it out in a thin layer. (I use the back of a wooden spoon.)
- Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes then stir the oats around the pan and flatten again in a thin layer.
- Bake for an additional 8-10 minutes until the granola is a golden brown and the nuts are lightly toasted.
- Remove from the oven and let it set until cool.
- Break the granola into large pieces and store in an airtight container or tupperware.
