Granola is the best make-ahead breakfast. It’s full of nuts and whole grains and healthy stuff, with a hint of maple and cinnamon. Pair it with some plain yogurt, milk, or a smoothie. It’s so easy to make! Originally posted October 16, 2014.
Table of Contents
Last week we decorated the house for Halloween with Charlotte for our family night. We finally took down the Valentine’s Day hearts.
Waaaaait! Come back!!
Try not to hate me. Can’t we all just give me a pat on the back for decorating for Valentine’s Day 8 months ago? Every time I see those hearts (pink and red construction paper ones, by the way, hole-punched onto twine), I think to myself, huh, I should probably take those down. But honestly, they are kind of out of sight unless you are looking up, and I just forgot.
That is, until the realtor had to take pictures of our house. Oh, did I forget to tell you that the house we rent was on the market? That’s because I was too depressed to talk about it. We love our house. But, it’s not for sale anymore, so woohoo!
So the realtor comes over a few weeks ago to take pictures, right? I totally whipped our house into shape, if I do say so myself. There were only a few awkward moments, like when the realtor tried to make my dishtowels more presentable (they are old flour sacks that my grandmother embroidered when she was in isolation for tuberculosis when she was 11…they’re sentimental, okay? And kind of ugly, if we’re being honest.)
I didn’t even think about our heart-garland until I saw the photos up online. Turns out when you stand back and take a photo of the whole living room, the hearts are the focal point. “Here, buy this house! It will fill you with love! And maybe even some Valentine confetti!”
Maybe it was enough to deter potential buyers? Hallelujah. Here’s hoping I take our window monsters down before Christmas:
You’ll Love this Pecan Granola with Maple
When you hear the word granola, do you think of a long-haired backpacking hippie type at REI drinking wheatgrass juice, or a crunchy, oaty, sweet, delicious, healthy breakfast? Or maybe both…yeah, maybe both.
Granola is such an easy make-ahead breakfast. There are infinite varieties, but this one is full of nuts, seeds, whole grains, and a hint of maple and cinnamon. You can stash it in your pantry for months or toss a container in your purse for snack emergencies (your toddler’s or your own). For breakfast you can combine it with some plain yogurt, milk, or a smoothie, and you’re good to go. I like making my kids hot oatmeal, but if it’s already 90 degrees outside or it is just too early for cooking, granola is a total lifesaver.
Maple Granola Recipe Ingredients
Here’s a quick shopping list to help you gather your ingredients. See the recipe card below for the full ingredients and instructions!
- Rolled oats (also called old fashioned oats)
- Wheat germ
- Oat bran
- Salted sunflower seeds
- Sliced almonds
- Salted pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)
- Pecans
- Olive oil
- Maple syrup (the real stuff, not pancake syrup!)
- Honey
- Cinnamon
- Ground cardamom
- Ground cloves
- Ground nutmeg
- Vanilla (or vanilla bean paste)
- Dried cherries
- Dried cranberries
How to make Granola Maple Pecan with Cherries
Here’s a quick overview of how to make this granola; it’s simple, but scroll down to the recipe card below for complete instructions.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Combine the oats, wheat germ, oat bran, sunflower seeds, almonds, pepitas, and pecans.
- Combine oil, maple syrup, honey, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Stir in the vanilla.
- Pour some of the liquid over the oat mixture and stir. Add the rest gradually until it is all incorporated.
- Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with foil or parchment paper. Divide the granola between the pans and spread evenly.
- Bake, stirring halfway through.
- Let the granola cool. Sprinkle the cherries and cranberries over the granola and mix in.
Homemade Granola Tips
Just make sure you use a rimmed baking sheet or you will end up with burned granola all over the bottom of your oven from stirring. Not that I would know.
Homemade Granola Recipe Substitutions and Variations
Granola is so adaptable it’s ridiculous. You could literally replace almost any ingredient that you wanted. Except maybe the oats…but prove me wrong! Use any combination of nuts that you like. Hazelnuts or cashews would be delicious. If you can’t find oat bran, add a few more shakes of wheat germ, or vice versa. (I found both of those products in the grocery store right by the oats, btw.) You can use pretty much any ratio of maple and honey. Use melted coconut oil instead of olive oil. The possibilities are endless.
Ways to use Maple Granola
This feels like an “open mouth, insert granola” kind of moment. Ha! You can definitely munch on a handful anytime, or get more creative, like this:
- Put it on top of yogurt (with or without fresh fruit).
- Pour some milk on top and eat it as cereal (I mean, it is cereal, right?).
- Add it to a smoothie bowl if you want to feel like an Instagram influencer staying in an overwater bungalow in Bali.
- Sprinkle it on ice cream. Crunchy + creamy = perfect combo.
- Use it as a topping on a salad. Hear me out!! Baby spinach, fresh fruit (like berries), creamy poppyseed dressing or raspberry vinaigrette, and a generous sprinkling of this granola…so good.
- Top your oatmeal with it. Who says you can’t eat two kinds of oats in the same bowl?
- Make apple “nachos” by drizzling thinly sliced apples with warm peanut butter and then sprinkling with granola.
How to store Maple Pecan Granola
Granola is the perfect thing to make a huge batch of. It lasts in a ziplock or a tupperware in the pantry for 6 months! And if you want it to last even longer, you can put it in the freezer and it’ll last 9 months. It’s so great to have on hand for a healthy yogurt topping or quick snack.
Maple Pecan Granola Recipe FAQs
Do you love those nice big granola clusters? Treasure behold!!
Here are three things you can do to get your granola to stick together.
1. Let your granola cool completely on the pan before putting it in another container.
2. Add an egg white to the mixture. You can whisk it up with a fork so it’s nice and frothy and then mix it into the dry ingredients after combining them in step 2.
3. Don’t forget the wheat germ! Wheat germ helps bind the other ingredients together. This recipe includes it for taste and health reasons; this is a hidden bonus.
Yes! Granola is full of fiber, vitamins, and healthy fats from whole grains, nuts, and seeds, and even a small serving can help you feel full for a long time. It does have sugar from the maple syrup and honey and a little fat from the oil, but in moderation it’s a great addition to your diet.
Homemade granola is NOT crunchy the second it comes out of the oven. It needs to cool completely on the pan before it’s crunchy. You can definitely sneak it off the pan warm (I know I can’t resist) but it may still be a little soft.
If your granola is cool, but it isn’t crunchy, you may not have baked it for long enough. If you’re concerned about the granola burning, simply lower the oven temperature (as low as 250 is fine!) and bake it for longer, remembering to stir after 15 minutes.
Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram
Maple Pecan Granola
Ingredients
Dry:
- 8 cups rolled oats
- 1 & 1/2 cups wheat germ
- 1 & 1/2 cups oat bran
- 1 cup salted sunflower seeds
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- 1 cup salted pepitas, pumkin seeds
- 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped
Wet:
- 1 cup olive oil
- 3/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla, or vanilla bean paste
- 1 & 1/2 cups dried cherries
- 1 & 1/2 cups dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In the largest bowl you have, combine the oats, wheat germ, oat bran, sunflower seeds, almonds, pepitas, and pecans.
- In a saucepan, combine oil, maple syrup, honey, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Wait about a minute and then stir in the vanilla (If you do it right away some of it will burn off).
- Slowly pour some of the liquid over the oat mixture and stir. Add the rest in a few increments until it is all incorporated.
- Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with foil or parchment paper. Divide the granola between the pans and spread evenly.
- Bake at 350 for about 12 minutes, then stir the pans and bake for another 10-12 minutes, until it’s just starting to brown. (If you are baking both pans at once, rotate the top and bottom pans when you stir.)
- Let the granola cool. Sprinkle the cherries and cranberries over the granola and mix in.
- Store in an airtight container.
I made this two days ago and trying to control myself not to eat the whole thing! It is soooooo good! I halved the recipe because just me.
See, there’s your problem Tanya. Never half a granola recipe. Otherwise it’s gone in a day. Haha! Just kidding. Thanks for the review!
This granola is so ridiculously yummy! I subbed a few things…couldn’t find pepitas so I threw some coconut in. The recipe was easy to follow! Thanks for a successful and yummy first granola making experience!
That’s awesome Cynetta! So glad you liked it and were able to substitute some things. Hard to go wrong with granola :) Thanks for commenting!
They put up the house for sale and took it back off that fast? I need more details! I will not bring up the Valentine’s hearts!
If they ever try to come back to take pictures, those window monsters will DEFINITELY save you from potential home invaders.
I love this granola! I’ve never made homemade granola before, but now…I’ve got a ton of nuts to use up so I might just have to give it a try! :)
Hmmmm where did you get extra nuts?? :)
Those window monsters are amazing! And what a funny story about the Valentine’s decorations. Love it! This granola looks amazing. Love pecans in my granola!
Thanks Liz! When I first read your comment I read it as “What a scary story” and I was like yeah tell me about it. haha!
LOOOOOOOVE dried cranberries! oh and pecans. Thank you for this :) also, what lense and camera do you use? I’m always in love with your photos.
Aw Kathleen you are so sweet! Thank you! I use a Canon Rebel T3. Just the lens that comes with it. Here is the link.
Those window monsters are so cute! I’m glad you don’t have to leave you house! Looks like what some might call “laziness” was really just a well-executed way to save you guys from having to move! ;)
Right? There’s a silver lining to laziness turns out. Thanks Julia!
I wish I had some of this before, I downed an oatmeal from McDonalds this morning, which I later found out had 32 grams of sugar. Gahhh. So much for healthy breakfast eating.
Ugh. McDonalds. Always comes back to bite…yet I can’t stop. At least on road trips :)
House false alarm! YAY!
Also… the CHERRIES in this granola. So pretty! So tasty!
I know, that’s what makes it for me Carla! I love the cherries I could eat them all day. :) Thanks!!
It’s been far far too long since I’ve made granola! I love making it at home – and this flavor sounds delicious! Have a wonderful weekend!
I don’t make it nearly enough Ashley! When I make it, I binge, then forget about it for months. I need to just have it all the time! :)
I feel like hearts are appropriate to keep up year-round. They never go out of style, right? I love making and adapting granola. It’s my favorite snack. This recipe is gorgeous.
I know, all year my sister in law kept trying to get me to add blue hearts for 4th of July, and green ones on St. Patrick’s day. Haha. Thanks Jennie!!
I have a confession. I still have snowman out in our basement. By now I figure I’m just ahead of the season instead of behind right?! Might as well leave em up! Love this fall granola!
At first I thought you meant you had just put it up, and I was like OH YEAH bring on the Christmas. But I’m cool with last year’s residual’s too. Obviously I’m not one to judge :)
Would it be ok if I piled this stuff on top of vanilla ice cream because that’s exactly what I feel like doing! Love this twist on granola. Pinned!
Oh my gosh Justine it is so good!!! Because yes I have already tried it. haha.
And that is why I hate decorating in the first place. Taking it down!!
Glad I’m not alone Dorothy!!
I am happy you get to stay in your house. And happy to have this granola recipe to try! Thanks for the baking sheet tip. :) Also, I’ve got a few decorating tips that might prevent your house from being sold, should you ever have another scare like that.
Thanks Julie! Yes bring on the don’t-buy-me decorating tips! Does it involve maiming my house? :)
No maiming is required. Start by heading to the thrift store and getting a giant yellow 3D sunflower to hang on the wall and accost people the moment they enter the house…. It took our house a year to sell after we moved out, in spite of such well-meaning “staging” from an anonymous friend.
HA! Yep. Think that’d do it. :)