Making homemade granola can seem daunting, but once I started making my own, I realized how easy it is. After experimenting with new ingredients and testing different flavors, I’ve landed on my favorite combination: my clustery coconut cinnamon granola.
The recipe is extremely flexible. Feel free to swap out the pecans for another nut or seed. If you're not a coconut fan, you could omit the coconut and more nuts. You could even replace the chocolate with dried fruit — the options are endless!
Making my own granola has saved me so much money because pre-packaged granola at the grocery store is surprisingly expensive. Once you stock up on a few items like flax meal, chia seeds, etc., you'll have enough to make multiple batches of granola. With every batch, you can either switch things up to try something different or stick with the recipe you love most. This clustery coconut cinnamon granola is my all-time favorite. The mix of nuts, pumpkin seeds, tons of coconut and chocolate make an incredibly tasty combination.
Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups of rolled oats
- 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar
- 1/4 flax meal
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 2 tbsp hot water
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Optional: 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, coconut, pecans, pumpkin seeds, coconut sugar, flax meal, cinnamon, salt, and chia seeds until well combined.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the melted coconut oil, maple syrup, hot water, and vanilla. (Note: if you keep your maple syrup in the fridge like I do, make sure to let it come to room temperature first, so it does not make the coconut oil re-solidify.)
4. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients and make sure everything is evenly distributed.
5. Spread the mixture out evenly on the pre-lined baking sheet and make sure it is in one large rectangle. This will help ensure that you get big clusters once the granola is cooled, which in my opinion is the best part!
6. Bake for 14 minutes, and then rotate the tray and bake for another 14 minutes or until golden brown. Take the granola out of the oven and let it cool. If desired, add chocolate chips after the granola has cooled for about 10 minutes by spreading the chocolate chips over the top of the granola. Then, allow it to cool completely.
7. Break the granola up into big clusters and store in an airtight container.
If you make this recipe, you’ll realize how quick and easy it is to make delicious homemade granola. Then, you can put your own spin on the recipe to try something new and add a little variety into your breakfast and snacking routine.