Granola Love


I love hearty, wheaty, healthy, yummy baked goods. My husband teases me about some of the muffins that I love most which he calls the “Dirt and Stick Muffins”. “Not true!” I retort! “They are hearty and moist and amazing”. Another one of my favorite things is Homemade Granola. I love the way the house smells when it is baking, I love the process of it and I love the result- jellyroll pans full of oaty nutty goodness to eat and share.
They sell homemade granola at some local cafes and it has a high price tag! So, I see this as the perfect homemade/gourmet/special treat to share with others. I made a few batches this weekend to give to my kids’ teachers at church, because next week is “promotion Sunday”, the week they move up to their new classes. I made it and bagged it up and handed them each a sack of Granola Love and Gratitude for the significant investment they have made in my kids’ lives.

My mom got this recipe from her longtime friend, Charlotte, and we have been making it ever since. It is fun because you can tweak it as you like. I have added coconut and wheat germ before baking and have used different dried fruits. In the summer when the fresh fruit is so great, I sometimes omit the fruit, so we can put fresh berries with it when we pile it on top of our yogurt. A breakfast of champions.

Granola
4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 ½ cups sliced almonds
½ cup packed light brown sugar
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ cup cooking oil
¼ cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups dried fruit (dried cranberries and/or raisins)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a bowl, mix the oats, almonds, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon. In a saucepan warm the oil and honey. Whisk or stir in vanilla. Carefully pour liquid over oat mixture. Stir gently with a wooden spoon; finish mixing by hand. (this is the fun part)

Spread granola in a 15 x 10 x 1 inch baking pan. Bake 40 minutes or until toasted, stirring carefully every 10 minutes. Transfer granola-filled pan to rack; cool completely. Stir in dried fruit. Seal in airtight container or freezer plastic bags. Store at room temp for 1 week or in freezer for 3 months.
I usually double the recipe while I’m at it and have a bunch to freeze for later or give away.

16 thoughts on “Granola Love”

  1. karin says:
    Reply

    As you know, I LOVE this granola, too! BUT, the last time I made it I burned it and the whole house smelled like burnt cookies. I tried to make my family eat it anyway and they completely rejected it. It ended in the garbage and I just haven't made it again…hmmm…maybe I need to head to the store and get the ingredients because you are right, it is so yummy! Thanks for sharing.

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  2. Allison says:
    Reply

    Julie. YOu have a BLOG!!! I just turned to becca in shock 🙂
    Good for you. I just had to respond on the granola because it has blessed my soul many times before.
    I look forward to reading.

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  3. Amy J says:
    Reply

    I was searching high and low for this recipe tonight and finally gave up. And your granola recipe is here!

    Lucky readers—-this is the best granola you will ever eat. I, too, have been blessed to eat many a scoop of it!

    Love you. Love the granola.

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  4. Julie Hunt says:
    Reply

    A couple of people have shared with me that they have burned a batch…so take heed! You really need to know your oven and watch those last 10 minutes because it can turn quickly. You may need only 30 minutes or 35 minutes of total cook time. The key, when you are checking it is reaching the toasted look, not the crunchiness…that will come when you cool it.

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  6. Julie Hunt says:
    Reply

    “Old-fashioned rolled oats” is the official name for plain ole' oats-not instant or flavored or fancified….you know the ones in the large cylinder on the cereal aisle- Quaker or store brand even! Hope you enjoy! Let us know.

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  10. Julie Hunt says:
    Reply

    Nut allergy…sad! I say leave them out. It will be just fine. I have written on the recipe that you can add wheat germ and/ or coconut…so I think just experiment and see what tastes good to you. Will you let us know so that all the others in that situation can hear?

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  11. Amy says:
    Reply

    So here is my question…how do you keep from eating it all while you wait for it to cool?? My house smells amazing and my granola is delicious! I can't wait for breakfast! Literally…I'm having trouble stepping away from the pan…Thanks Julie!

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  12. patsy says:
    Reply

    Julie, thanks so much for hosting the “Costner Baby” shower and for allowing “Nana Costner” to participate. You all are a great group of girls. Alyson is so fortunate. Would love to be a part of your Bible Study sometime. The food was great. Thanks for sharing the granola recipe.

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  13. Lea G says:
    Reply

    I had been wanting to make granola and looked at numerous recipes, but this one won! I made this on Labor Day, with some minor adjustments. I used 1/2 cup of hazelnuts instead of almonds, added 1 cup of coconut, and used 1 cup of apricots as my dried fruit. I also used Golden Eagle Table Syrup instead of honey. It's a honey/molasses combo made in my hometown so I'm kind of partial to it for cooking.
    I agree with the lady that said her house smelled amazing and she couldn't stop eating it. I'm readily giving it away and froze half of it to make myself stop eating it. One friend texted me to say it was “Slap Yo Mama” good.
    This is now a staple in my life and probably what my friends will get for Christmas :).

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  15. Rika says:
    Reply

    Julie Hunt….I'm making so many of the recipes from your blog this year that are now officially my “favorites”,that I'm praying you'll put them all in a book! 🙂

    And you can be sure that I would buy many, many copies, giving them out as gifts to all my friends, along with a sampling of this AWESOME granola (which, BTW, our dear Capri made and sent to me!)

    Thanks for blogging…and making the best recipes!

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