Granola. A Basic Recipe

Granola is a mixture of oats, nuts, and seeds baked until golden and crunchy. Once baked, you can add your favorite dried fruits. Traditionally, granola is served with milk for breakfast, but many people also enjoy it with yogurt or simply as a healthy snack 

Here is my favorite basic granola recipe, along with a few helpful tips.

The foundation of granola consists of four main ingredients:

1. Quick oats

2. Nuts and seeds. This time I used my favorite nuts — hazelnuts. Feel free to substitute them with any other nuts and add seeds if you like

3. A sweetener. Honey is most commonly used, but it can be replaced with agave syrup or, for a lighter option, unsweetened applesauce. My personal favorite is maple syrup

4. Oil. I use coconut oil, but any neutral vegetable oil will work

*Dried fruits should be added only after baking; otherwise, they can become hard

*Store granola in an airtight container. Make sure it has cooled completely before storing

The key is to keep the proportions right.

Ingredients

• 1 cup nuts (or a mixture of nuts and seeds; I used hazelnuts)

• 4 cups quick oats

• 1/3 cup maple syrup (or honey or agave syrup)

• 3 tbsp coconut oil (or vegetable oil)

• dried cranberries (or any dried fruit of your choice)

Steps

1. Bring the maple syrup and coconut oil to a simmer, then remove from the heat

2. Combine the oats and nuts in a large bowl

3. Pour the syrup mixture over the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly

4. Spread the mixture evenly on a baking sheet

5. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 25–30 minutes

6. Stir the granola 2–3 times during baking to ensure even browning

7. Once the granola is golden brown, remove it from the oven

8. Add the dried cranberries and mix well

9. Let it cool completely. As it cools, the granola will become crisp and crunchy