Down to Earth Granola
My kids love this granola and I have been known to give it as a gift. I took the original recipe and tripled it so be aware, this makes a lot but I promise it will not go to waste! The original recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens, April 2002.
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My kids love this granola and I have been known to give it as a gift. I took the original recipe and tripled it so be aware, this makes a lot but I promise it will not go to waste! The original recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens, April 2002.
- Carbohydrate 40.8593020933144 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 13.6863567697074 g
- Fiber 5.74217583515473 g
- Protein 9.21457176972129 g
- Saturated Fat 1.2938704616179 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (70g)
- Sodium 3.86240117058099 mg
- Sugar 35.1171262581596 g
- Trans Fat 0.7759267189673 g
- Calories 313 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a bowl mix the oats, almonds, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon. In a saucepan warm the oil and honey. Whisk or stir in vanilla. Carefully pour liquid over oat mixture. Stir gently with a wooden spoon.
- Spread granola in a 15x10x1 baking pan. Bake 40 minutes, stirring carefully every 10 minutes. (Since I trippled this recipe it may take longer. I just keep baking and stirring until it is all a nice golden brown) Allow to cool on the pan. Stir in raisins or dried cranberries. Seal granola in an airtight container or bag. Store at room temperature for one week or in freezer for 3 months.
Home bakers often crowd baking sheets when roasting large batches of grain, which traps steam and yields a soft, soggy product instead of crisp clusters. Achieving uniform crunch across twelve cups of oats requires spreading the mixture evenly in a shallow 15x10x1-inch pan and roasting at a moderate 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Because sugars burn easily when paired with honey, regular agitation is mandatory during the forty-minute bake time.
Adapting Fats and Sweeteners
Modifying the liquid binder alters both the shelf stability and the texture of the finished cereal. Substituting maple syrup for honey requires monitoring the oven closely because maple sugar caramelizes at lower temperatures and risks bitter scorching. When swapping out the cooking oil, use neutral oils with high smoke points like canola or grapeseed; unrefined cold-pressed oils introduce unwanted flavors that overpower the cinnamon and toasted almonds. Add dried fruits such as raisins or cranberries strictly after the pan cools completely, otherwise residual heat causes the fruit to harden into dense, chewy pellets.
- Bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for forty minutes total.
- Stir every ten minutes to ensure even browning across all edges.
- Store cooled granola at room temperature for up to one week or freeze in sealed bags for three months.
