Homemade Nutty Granola
There is nothing like homemade Granola. I love this recipe because it packs in a lot of good healthy ingredients and is low in sugar and oil.
There is nothing like homemade Granola. I love this recipe because it packs in a lot of good healthy ingredients and is low in sugar and oil.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup pecans chopped
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1/2 cup applesauce unsweetened, organic
- 3 cups rolled oats not instant
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 1/4 cup flax seeds
- 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
- 2 tablespoons wheat germ
- Carbohydrate 32.1831127232208 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 11.2757818771615 g
- Fiber 5.16360215710616 g
- Protein 5.71029484384735 g
- Saturated Fat 1.18817495330098 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (55g)
- Sodium 6.11931250308636 mg
- Sugar 27.0195105661147 g
- Trans Fat 0.704333833421363 g
- Calories 244 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
- In a small saucepan, warm brown sugar, the applesauce, honey, vanilla extract, salt, cinnamon and oil over low heat.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients except dried cranberries.
- Add the applesauce mixture to the oat mixture, stirring until everything is evenly coated.
- Spread the mixture onto two baking sheets. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the granola is a golden brown color.
- Allow to cool completely and add the dried cranberries. Store in an airtight container.
Store-bought cereal often relies on heavy oil coatings and excessive refined syrups to maintain crispness, whereas this formulation uses unsweetened applesauce to bind the grains while keeping total fat low. Testing this method revealed a critical vulnerability: stirring every ten minutes during the thirty-minute bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit is non-negotiable for even color development. Neglecting this cadence leaves the center edges burnt while the core remains soft and unpalatable.
The Danger of Premature Sweetness
Adding dried fruit before the baking cycle concludes causes the sugar in the fruit to caramelize aggressively and harden into unchewable bits. Fold the cranberries exclusively after the pans cool completely on the counter. Humidity destroys the crunch quickly, meaning airtight glass jars equipped with rubber gaskets are mandatory for storage extending past forty-eight hours.Transforming Yesterday's Batch
When the mixture loses its initial snap after three days, spread the clusters thinly across a baking sheet and refresh them in a 325-degree oven for exactly five minutes. Doubling the batch requires splitting the contents across four distinct rimmed baking sheets rather than crowding two pans, because overcrowding traps steam and prevents proper browning.
