There are two camps for granola: loose and sprinkleable (that should be a word) or chunky. I’m firmly in the latter camp, which is what inspired this original recipe. The key? Not stirring or disturbing the granola during the cooking or cooling process. It produces a sheet pan sized granola bar. When broken into large chunks and mixed with dried fruit and seeds, it’s the perfect whole-food cereal, topping for plant-based yogurt or sweet crunchy snack any time of day ( I pack big chunks for kindergarten snacks).
Ingredients:
- 3 cups whole rolled oats
- 1 cup whole buckwheat groats (you can omit and use 4 cups oats instead, but I like the puffed cereal-like texture they add)
- 2 cups raw, whole nuts (chopped nuts will burn)
- Salt to taste
- 1 or 2 TBSP pumpkin pie spice (or any combo of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, all spice)
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup Dash of vanilla
- 1-2 TBSP molasses (optional, but adds a nice color)
- 1 cup dried fruit (coconut “smiles", dried cherries, dried blueberries and dried currents are all more unexpected and flavorful than raisins)
- Handful of pumpkin or sunflower seeds
Directions:
Oven to 340 degrees Line baking sheet with parchment paper
- Combine honey or maple, vanilla (and molasses if using) and coconut oil in a pot over medium heat until mixture is combined and starts to bubble.
- Mix oats, buckwheat, salt and spices in a large bowl
- Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients and stir to combine
- Spread onto parchment paper
- Bake for 15 mins
- Rotate pan, but don't touch the granola!
- Bake for 10-15 mins (you want golden, but not too dark)
- Put pan on drying rack to cool
- Once cool, you can break up the granola and add the dried fruit and seeds
- You can store in a glass jar in the pantry, but it keeps crunchiest if you roll it up with the parchment paper (helps absorb some moisture), place in a large Ziploc and store in the freezer.
