Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups of old-fashioned oats
- ½ cup coconut oil (vegetable or light olive oil can be substituted)
- ½ cup real maple syrup (honey or corn syrup be substituted)
- 1 t. vanilla extract (almond or orange extract can be substituted)
- 1 t. ground cinnamon
- 1 t. kosher salt
- 2 cups nuts of your choice, coarsely chopped *
- 1 ½ cups dried fruit of your choice **
Optional additions ***
*(I used pecans and almonds. Any combination of walnuts, cashews, peanuts, pistachios, or pepitas, etc. will also work.)
**(I used apricots, raisins, cherries, cranberries and blueberries. Any combination of apples, dates, peaches, berries, mango, banana, papaya, etc. will also work.)
*** (After the granola is completely cooled, you can stir in optional ingredients such as: ¼ cup flaked or shredded coconut, ¼ cup chocolate or butterscotch chips, 2 t. orange or lemon zest)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large metal baking pan with parchment paper and set aside. Melt coconut oil in a saucepan over low heat and set aside.
- Pour oats, nuts, salt, and cinnamon into a large bowl. Stir to combine.
- Pour melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract over the oat/nut mixture. Stir thoroughly, making sure the liquids are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
- Spread the uncooked granola onto the prepared baking pan in an even layer. Place baking sheet in a preheated oven.
- Bake granola for 25 minutes, until golden brown, stirring halfway through the baking. Remove the pan from oven and allow granola to cool for at least one hour.
- Using the back of a wooaden spoon or spatula, break up the granola, which will have crisped as it cools. Stir dried fruit and any optional additions you’ve chosen into the cooled granola.
- Serve granola or place in an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place for up to two months. For longer storage, place granola in a plastic zipper bag and freeze.