Looking for a healthy breakfast cereal? Looking for a handmade gift? Homemade granola fits both bills! Store bought granola can be expensive and often unhealthy, but making a large batch at home can save you some money as well as allowing you to customize the ingredients.
We made two different granola recipes in the past few weeks. Both are really good and when put in a pretty jar make a great holiday gift.
The first recipe is taken from a new favorite cook book of mine, FEEDING THE WHOLE FAMILY
MAPLE BUTTER NUT GRANOLA
Makes 8 cups
Pre-heat 325
3 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 Tablespoon nut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients
In a small pan melt buter, add maple syrup, and nut butter and stir to blend. Remove from heat and add extracts
Slowly pour wet over dry ingredients. Fold and evenly coat dry ingredients
Spread on cookie sheet or shallow pan and bake until dry and golden-45 to 60 minutes, turning every 15 to 20 minutes so that it toasts evenly.
I added some of this to a bowl of pomegranate seeds and literally thought I had died and gone to heaven!!! No milk necessary.
The next day I added dry coconut and a banana to my bowl of granola/pomegranate. Equally delicious!
The kids had theirs parfait style. (In a tall glass, layered with frozen fruit and almond or coconut milk)
The second recipe is from the files of Abby, who swears she doesn’t know where she got this recipe.
MIX AND MATCH APPLESAUCE GRANOLA
3 1/2 cups rolled oats
2 cups puffed rice cereal
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
pinch ground cardamom (don’t skip this!!)
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup plain applesauce
1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
up to 1 1/2 cups chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, cashews, macadamia nuts, pumpkin seeds…..)
up to 1 cup chopped dried fruit (cranberries, raisins, apricots, cherries, blueberries, raspberries…….)
Pre-heat 325 and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (or two smaller ones)
In a large bowl combine oats, cereal and spices. In another bowl, whisk together sugar, applesauce, maple syrup, and vanilla.
Pour wet over dry, adding nuts and stir to combine.
Spread on baking sheet in an even layer
Bake 30 minutes, turning over and baking 15 more minutes or until golden brown
This recipe was great for snacking. It was more clumpy than the first recipe. The cardamom really gives this one a warm taste.
You can find some cute glass containers at the grocery or the thrift store. Add a pretty label with the recipe and you have a wonderful handmade inexpensive gift that anyone would love to receive!
Thanks for sharing these. Any idea how long the granola would stay fresh in a jar?
Yum! I got the recipe from my friend Mechelle, but I have no idea where she got it. I’ll have to ask her if I remember for proper credit. OTOH, it would be so funny if you got sued for this.
Baking Bites! Teh recipe came from BakingBites.com.
Thanks for the recipes. I have been making granola every week for as long as I can remember..my recipe comes from the More-with-less cookbook, but I am always up for trying something new!