I love making homemade granola. A few basic and inexpensive ingredients come together for a crispity crunchity wonder, and every time I make it I add different mix-ins, changing it up slightly. I love recipes like this, where once you understand the basic makeup, you can adjust it however you want.

Rolled oats, a sweet syrup like honey or maple, a bit of fat like vegetable oil or butter, a pinch of salt, and a joyful handful of shredded coconut.

That’s the basic makeup, and then it’s a free-for-all from there.

Sometimes I add warm spices like cinnamon, clove and ginger. Sometimes I add nuts like walnuts or pecans or almonds. Sometimes I add dried fruit like raisins, dried apple, cranberries, chopped dates…. Sky’s the limit. If you’ve got that sweet, fatty flavorful oat mixture, the flavor of the day can change! Autumn spices and pecans, summer dried papaya and mango with almonds, classic walnuts and cranberries. A handful of raisins because that’s what’s in the pantry…. You can even toss in some flax or sesame seeds…Get the idea? Add any nut, seed, or any dried fruit, it can’t hurt. And the best part—or at least one of the many best parts—it fills your home with the most warm and mouthwatering aroma as it toasts in the oven. Another best part: it keeps for WEEKS in an airtight container, AND you can even re-toast it in the oven if it gets a little stale. The gift that keeps on giving. Try it and tell me your favorite mix!

Ingredients:

8 cups rolled oats
2 cups shredded coconut
3/4 cup neutral oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 TBSP vanilla extract
1 tsp salt

Optional:

spice mix:
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1/4 tsp cloves
1 cup dried fruit
1 cup nuts
1/4 cup seeds

Directions:

Preheat oven 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Whisk together maple syrup, honey, brown sugar, salt, oil and vanilla extract. If using spices, whisk those in now. Pour sweet mixture over rolled oats and stir until all of the oats are evenly saturated. Toss in any nuts or seeds you are using.
Pour the oat mixture out on both sheet pans and evenly spread it all out.
Bake for 30 minutes, then stir and bake for 15 more minutes. Once all the granola is toasted, remove from oven and let cool. Toss in dried fruit. Done! Store in an airtight container.