I really do like to make things from scratch.  I have only made granola a couple of times, though.  I don’t know why I don’t make it more often.  Maybe it’s because when my family finds out there is homemade granola in the house, 10 cups of it disappears in about 3 days. Okay, maybe that is a slight exageration…..but then again, maybe not.

It is an easy process and really does cost a lot less than buying it.  Plus, you have the added advantage of being able to put whatever you want into it.

The raw mix

I started with 10 cups of rolled oats.  From there you can add whatever you want.  I just put in what I had on hand: slivered almonds, pine nuts, sesame seeds, and unsweetened shredded coconut.  Stir it all up well in a large bowl.

Honey, maple syrup, molasses and oil

Granola is sweet.  There is no getting around this, but that’s why we like it so much.  I wanted to use several different sweeteners just to give it some depth of flavor.  I used honey, molasses and both dark and light brown sugars.  I also used some grade B maple syrup that I had left over from another recipe.  There wasn’t enough to really give it a maple flavor but it was a good way to use it up.  I think putting more in sometime would be excellent, though.

For the oil, you can use whatever you want: canola, vegetable or safflower will do.  I used coconut, though, because I love the flavor and I believe it to be better for us.

Heat the sweeteners and oil on the stove.  Add salt, cinnamon and vanilla.  Heat this long enough that the sugar dissolves but don’t boil it.  Just a note here, this is not a good time to stir absent mindedly while perusing Facebook on your phone.  I almost made taffy.

Pour the syrup over the dry ingredients and stir it up really, really well.  You don’t want any hidden dry areas.  Spread this mixture out evenly onto 5 cookie sheets with sides.  I found the ones that worked the best were a flexible jellyroll pan and a stoneware pan.  The thinner you can spread it the easier it will be to get off the pan when it’s done.

Bake at 325 degrees.

I baked it for 20 minutes, then stirred it all up and baked for another 12 minutes – 2 to allow the oven to get back to temperature and then 10 at temp.

Allow the granola to cool completely!  If you put it in airtight containers while it is still warm at all, it will get soggy and might even mold.

Sure, it looks like a lot, but it will be gone in just days.  :o)

Granola

• 10 C. rolled oats
• 1 C. wheat germ
• 1 – 2 C. unsweetened, shredded coconut
• 1 C. sesame seeds
• nuts (a variety is great, but you can also leave them out if there is an allergy) to taste
• 1 1/2 C. brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 C. honey
• 1/2 C. molasses
• 1 1/2 C. oil
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 Tbl. vanilla

Enjoy!