This granola recipe evolved from this one, which is really lovely, but a bit sweeter and more luxurious than I would choose to eat every day. I would view that one as more of a muesli topper these days.
The great thing about granola is it’s very hard to mess up, and you can play with it as much as you like. If you love dried fruit then you can add more, such as chopped dates/dried apricots/banana chips etc. If you’re not keen on fruit then you could omit it altogether. In this recipe I’ve specified almonds, pecans and pistachios, but walnuts, hazelnuts, macadamia and brazils would all be good alternatives. Just make sure your nuts and seeds are fresh and within date, as they can take on a rancid flavour once they get older, which will spoil the whole batch of granola. I always taste to check mine before using them, even if they’re freshly purchased.
And lastly, this probably won’t taste terribly sweet compared to shop-bought granola if that’s what you’re used to. It’s predominantly my kids eating this, and I try not to give them too much sugar, so I have really scaled it back to the bare minimum. I think the honey makes it just sweet enough, along with the dried fruit, but if you have a sweet tooth then add a tablespoon of soft light brown sugar when you mix the dry ingredients.
- 120g rolled oats (jumbo are nice if you have them, otherwise regular)
- 20g pumpkin seeds
- 20g sunflower seeds
- 30g whole almonds, roughly chopped (you don’t have to chop them, but I prefer them smaller)
- 30g pecans, roughly chopped
- 15g pistachios (raw, not roasted/salted)
- 20g desiccated coconut
- Pinch salt (don’t skimp on this, it brings out the flavour in all the other ingredients)
- 30g coconut oil or olive oil
- 40g runny honey (replace this with maple syrup if you’re vegan)
- 20g raisins
- 20g dried sour cherries or cranberries
- Heat the oven to 170’c/150’c fan/gas mark 3/4.
- In a mixing bowl combine the oats, nuts, seeds, salt and desiccated coconut. Mix to combine. Gently heat the honey with the oil (I do this in a microwave but you could use a pan on the hob) then pour it over the dry mixture and stir until everything is dampened, there should be no dry mix remaining. (If you need to add a further drizzle of oil to ensure everything is wetted then do, but it shouldn’t be necessary.)
- Spread it evenly over a baking sheet (you will need to use two sheets if you make a larger batch, this needs plenty of room to crisp up)
- Bake in the pre-heated oven for 20 minutes, then stir it, turning it all over to ensure even browning, and bake for a further 10 minutes, or until golden brown all over.
- Allow to cool, then mix in the dried fruit, and store in an airtight container. It keeps for a good week or so.
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A really nice addition to this, if you have any, is freeze-dried berries. Just add them once it’s completely cool, along with (or instead of) the dried fruit.
I like to eat mine with natural yoghurt and fresh seasonal fruit, or stewed fruit in the winter.
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