Maple Cinnamon Granola

While this recipe is not Whole30 or Paleo this Maple Cinnamon Granola is still gluten free, refined sugar free, dairy free and darn delicious! I wanted a healthier granola for David that wasn't filled with GMO's, refined sugars and processed junk. He absolutely loves this and I will be making this for him from now on! The best part is you can make this with steel cut oats or rolled oats. It also makes a huge batch! This Ball jar pictured is 64 ounces! enough to feed an entire family and then some! You may like my grain free granola too.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Replacing highly processed, sugar filled store bought granola with homemade Maple Cinnamon Granola will not only fill your home with the most amazing smells but it is healthier and so much better for you and your family!

Ingredients You Will Need

Organic rolled oats: Rolled oats are made from oats which have been cleaned, de-hulled, lightly roasted, steamed and flaked.

Pecans: Pecans are a species of hickory native to the Southern United States. Pecans have a distinctly sweet and buttery flavor.

Slivered almonds: Slivered almonds add a delightful crunch to salads, and their mild flavor complements the other ingredients, making them a popular choice over other nuts for added texture.

Raw sunflower seeds: Sunflower seeds are a small, white seed with a tender texture and a mild nutty flavor. They come from the flower heads of the sunflower plant.

Shredded coconut: Shredded coconut are a dried version of coconut flakes.

Cinnamon: Cinnamon powder is much finer than ground cinnamon and easier to mix into recipes whereas ground cinnamon has a coarser texture and can add a bit of crunch to dishes.

Himalayan salt: Himalayan salt is a rock salt that comes from Pakistan. It is hand mined and minimally processed to contain its natural mineral content. It contains minerals and trace elements that are not found in regular table salt.

Maple syrup: Pure maple syrup lends natural sweetness to these bars without the addition of more highly processed refined sugars.

Coconut oil: Coconut oil is made by pressing fresh coconut meat or dried coconut meat called copra. Virgin coconut oil uses fresh while refined coconut oil typically uses copra. I always use refined coconut oil as it has a milder scent and flavor but a higher smoke point.

Vanilla extract: Vanilla extract is commonly used to bring out a rich subtle flavor in savory foods without overpowering other ingredients.

Instructions

Prepare the oven and pan: Preheat oven to 300˚F. Line a large rimmed pan with parchment paper.

Combine the dry ingredients: In a large bowl combine oats, nuts coconut, cinnamon and salt.

Combine the wet ingredients: In a small bowl combine maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla.

Mix it up: Pour over dry mixture and toss to coat.

Pour onto baking sheet: Spread granola onto pan and spread out as evenly as possible, pressing down with a spatula.

Bake the granola: Bake 25 minutes, remove, toss, press down again and bake another 15 minutes.

Cool: Remove and allow to cool a bit then place pan in refrigerator for about an hour. Then remove, break apart and store in large glass jar.

Enjoy!

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Type of oats: Using rolled oats will produce more clusters in this Maple Cinnamon Granola than steel oats.

Parchment paper: Crinkle your paper in a ball then spread it out on the pan to keep it from sliding around!

Allow to dry: Let the granola dry out overnight on the pan before placing in a glass jar to ensure a crispy, crunchy granola!

Recipe Variations

Walnuts: You can swap walnuts for the pecans or any other kind of nut you enjoy!

Salt: Don't have pink Himalayan salt, you can use regular salt.

Raisins or cranberries: Add some raisins or dried cranberries to the Maple Cinnamon Granola for a little added texture and tang.

Storage Tips

Maple Cinnamon Granola can be stored in a glass ball jar and keeps well in the pantry for several weeks.

FAQs About Maple Cinnamon Granola

What is granola made of?

It is a toasted mixture of rolled oats, nuts, and a sweetener like sugar, honey or maple syrup.

What else can I mix with granola?

Seeds, flaxseed, chia seeds, pepitas or sesame seeds are all delicious in granola.

Is granola healthy?

Granola is usually considered a healthy breakfast option yet some ingredients such as chocolate, oils and syrups may be high in added sugars and fats.