Secret Ingredient Crispy Granola
This granola recipe is my favorite. It is crunchy and infinitely variable.
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats (not quick oats) 6.75 oz/195 g
- 1 cup crisped rice 1.75 oz/50 g
- 2 cups chopped or slivered nuts 8.75 oz/250 g See note
- 1 cup coconut, sweetened, unsweetened or a combination See note
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds 1 oz/32 g
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar 1.75 oz/50 g See note
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil 2 oz/59 ml
- 1/4 cup maple syrup 2 oz/59 ml
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 250°F/ 120°C. Put the racks just above and just below the middle - in other words, not too close to the top or bottom of the oven.
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In the large bowl, combine and mix well the oats, crisped rice, nuts, coconut, brown sugar and cinnamon.
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In a small bowl or a liquid measuring cup, combine the oil, maple syrup, and salt. (If using coconut oil for part of the oil, you need to heat it to liquify it.) Mix them well.
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Pour the liquid into the dry ingredients and mix until all of the dry ingredients are coated. Divide the granola between the two sheet pans and smooth it out so that each pan has a thin layer of granola.
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Bake the granola for 1 hour (60 minutes) to 1 hour and 15 minutes (75 minutes), stirring the granola approximately every 15 minutes and turning the pans front to back. About halfway through, switch the position of the pans, to put the one on top below and vice versa.
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When the granola is golden brown, remove from the oven and let it cool in the pans. Once cooled, store in airtight container(s).
Recipe Notes
I like to use at least three types of chopped and slivered nuts, to get variety in taste and form. Cashews, almonds, and pistachios are my favorites, but feel free to experiment.
If you use coconut oil (melted) for part of the oil, the granola will crisp up even more.