We’ve been experimenting with a homemade granola for quite some time now. We aren’t huge breakfast people, but also tend to get grumpy when we don’t eat anything before noon. So we’ve thought up a few simple breakfasts for the weekday. Yogurt with this homemade granola is one of our favorites. You may also enjoy these homemade granola bars or this simple recipe for honey butter!
How to Make Granola at Home
We like store-bought granola, but it can be expensive and often has too much sugar added for our liking. This granola recipe is our solution. It’s much cheaper than what we can buy at the store (especially since we almost always have old fashioned oats, honey and vanilla on hand). It’s incredibly versatile so while we’ve added almonds, you can add whatever you have in the pantry — pecans would be amazing! The other thing we love about this granola recipe is that we use honey. It’s clean and tastes better than regular sugar. (We love using a pure local honey). We don’t add a ton of honey, either. Instead, we like the granola to be lightly sweetened, not sugary. For the fat, melted butter is delicious, but extra-virgin olive oil, coconut oil, or nut oils would also be wonderful. Simply toss butter or oil, honey, and vanilla extract with rolled oats and sliced almonds then spread out onto a baking sheet. You’ll need to bake the granola anywhere between 20 and 30 minutes. While it bakes, give the granola a good stir a few times. When done, the granola will be crunchy and golden brown. Once cool, enjoy with yogurt, milk, or alone. It even keeps for up to 2 weeks! Recipe updated, originally posted October 2012. Since posting this in 2012, we have tweaked the recipe to be more clear. – Adam and Joanne 3/4 cup (75 grams) sliced almonds 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (substitute with melted coconut oil or butter) 3 tablespoons pure honey 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Pinch of sea salt 2Combine oats and sliced almonds in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, stir olive oil, honey, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt then toss with the oats and nuts until well coated. 3Spread into one layer on baking sheet, and then bake, stirring every 8 to 10 minutes, until golden brown; 20 to 30 minutes. Towards the end of the baking time, check your granola every few minutes to prevent it from over-browning. 4Transfer to a cooling rack and let the granola cool completely. Store cooled granola in an airtight container up to two weeks.
