DIY Granola
Enjoy your crunch exactly as you like it!
By Erin Covey-Smith
Granola is a beloved pantry staple in many households, and though bulk bins and grocery shelves offer many options, making your own custom granola is a fun, easy process that allows you to enjoy your crunch exactly as you like it – and saves money to boot! Bring your own bags/containers to shop the bulk bins, and you can keep packaging out of landfills as well.
This granola “recipe” is more of a formula with endless variations that I developed one holiday season when trying to come up with a healthier homemade treat I could give to family and friends. It was such a hit, I’ve made it every year since, and it is always appreciated! It is distinct from store-bought and even from other homemade recipes in that it has no oil or sugar in it, being moistened as well as sweetened with fruit juice. This makes for an extra crunchy cereal, with the flavor carried by spices and dried fruit.
Erin’s homemade granola recipe
Think of the ratios in terms of cups for the dry ingredients and add-ins and in terms of tablespoons for the spices (e.g., if 5 parts oats = 5 cups, then 3 parts cinnamon would equal 3 tablespoons).
Dry ingredients
5 parts rolled oats
2 parts sunflower seeds
2 parts pumpkin seeds
1 part ground flax seeds and/or chia seeds (this
helps stick it together into clumps)
Spices
3 parts cinnamon
1 part allspice or pumpkin pie spice
a few pinches of salt
Liquid
Apple juice
Add-ins:
1 part dried crystallized ginger
3 parts dried apples
2 parts dried cranberries or raisins
Instructions
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix all your dry ingredients and spices in a large Pyrex baking dish – or mix in a bowl and spread evenly on a few cookie sheets. Add enough apple juice so that everything is moist but there is no extra liquid sitting in the bottom of the dish.
Roast the granola in the oven, stirring it around with a spoon every so often. It is done when all of the liquid is evaporated and there is no moisture left. The best test is to crumble some of the larger chunks between your fingers. Be patient! It can take 1-2 hours to dry thoroughly (avoid the temptation to turn up the oven – you don’t want to over-toast your oats and nuts/seeds).
When the dry ingredients are cooked, let them cool while you finely chop your add-ins. Then stir them into the oat mix, and voila! Granola!
Store your crunchy yum in glass jars or Pyrex storage containers in a cool, dry place. It will last several months – except it won’t because you are sure to eat it before then!
Get creative with flavor and spice combinations
The possibilities and variations on this formula are practically endless. Swap some of the oats for other grains like spelt flakes or a whole-grain cereal blend. Swap out some of the seeds, or add extra, with nuts like almonds or walnuts. Add or swap any form of dried fruit. If you want some extra sweetness – and some more sticky clumps – use a little less juice and add some maple syrup or honey instead. You can also use any juice you prefer: orange, cranberry or apple cider are all good options. And of course, you can vary the spices to your heart’s delight.
Here are some other favorite combinations:
Chopped Dates + Peanuts + Walnuts + Orange Juice
Desiccated coconut + Dried Apricots + Cardamom
Dried Cherries + Almonds + Ginger
Cacao Nibs + Banana Chips + Raisins + Cloves (go easy – cloves are potent)
Variations for special diets
Soaked granola
Love granola but find it sits heavy in your tummy? Soaking oats with something acidic first and then cooking them on a very low temperature makes them easier to digest and makes it easier to absorb their nutrients (learn more at westonaprice.org).
For every 5 parts of oats, add 4 parts of warm water and one part kefir or yogurt – or use 4 ¾ parts water and ¼ part lemon juice. Let this mixture sit for 24-36 hours. Then proceed as with the regular recipe but do not add the extra liquid. Use 1/2 part honey or maple syrup instead.
Dry your tummy-friendly granola in a 200 degree oven, or use a dehydrator if you have one. It will take up to or even more than 12 hours to dry completely.
“Paleo-nola”
Granola goes grain free! Oats may seem key to granola, but if it goes crunch and is a delicious and healthy breakfast or snack go-to, you’ll never miss the grains. The formula here looks a little different, but the variations are just as endless.
Dry ingredients:
5 parts coconut flakes
3 parts nuts and seeds of choice
1 part chia and or flax seed
Wet ingredients:
1 part honey or maple syrup
1 part melted coconut oil
Proceed as with the original recipe, adding your desired spices before cooking and your dried fruits after. Because of the oil and liquid sweetener in this recipe, it will not dry out like the original, and it will cook much faster (about half an hour). Keep an eye on it, and when the coconut and nuts are golden brown, pull it out and let it cool. The oil will solidify at room temperature.
