Here’s a simple recipe that you can use to make your own healthy breakfast cereal. You can use organic and/or vegetarian ingredients if you wish, and substitute other goodies to suit your taste. Plus — with the cost of organic rolled oats at about $1 a pound — you can save tons of money by making your own!
Here’s the basic recipe for my favorite granola blend. I call it Oatmeal Cookie Granola and your kitchen will smell just like homemade oatmeal raisin cookies while you’re baking it!
This granola makes a satisfying, filling breakfast served with milk and is also great sprinkled over yogurt.
Oatmeal Cookie Granola
4 cups organic rolled oats (the old-fashioned kind, not the instant or quick-cook type)
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup chopped, blanched almonds
3 tablespoons butter (or substitute canola oil for the vegan version)
3 tablespoons canola oil
2/3 cup honey (or substitute maple syrup or packed brown sugar for the vegan version)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Grease a large cookie sheet and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and spread on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice during the baking process. Cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container. Makes about 5 cups, or 10 servings.
Feel free to adjust this recipe to suit your own tastes. You might like to experiment with other dried fruits (dried cherries are a personal favorite) like dates, currants, chopped apricots, pineapple, craisins, dried apples, banana chips, coconut, etc. as well as nuts and seeds such as pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, ground flax seed, pepitas, etc.
If you like crunchy clusters in your granola, add 2 tablespoons of water to the mixture and squeeze the clusters together with your hands prior to baking.
About Eliza Cross
Eliza Cross is the author of 17 books, including Small Bites and 101 Things To Do With Bacon. She shares ideas to simplify cooking, gardening, time and money. She is also the owner of Cross Media, Inc. and founder of the BENSA Bacon Lovers Society.
sound yummy! thank you!
Hi there, I just discovered your website today via Little House in the Suburbs via Mother Earth News 🙂 I love your blog posts. I actually wanted to make granola this week and had it in my meal plan, but then when I stumbled across your recipe, I decided to make it then and there. It’s yummy! My little 6 year old loves it and ate some tonight after being sick all day and not eating anything. Thanks for the great recipe. I’m going to try the pitas next!
This sure looks good. I’ll give it a try. Love your website.
Wow! Great Blog in here.. Lovin’ the simple recipe as well as easy to make with those ingredients listed above. Looks delicious not oly that it can provide some good effect to the body because f its content.
This is the kind foos or recipe that i want to eat or even try.. Nice! thanks for the this!.. 😀
Great granola recipe, much lower in fat than many recipes I have tried over the years, thanks!
Cool….i just love learning new things, thanks for the good instruction that i have found here.
I’ve been making my own yogurt for years, but never knew about straining it. I have just followed your steps to straining it and wow! Love it. Thank you.
The granola is yummy! I won’t be paying the high price tag anymore at the store for ready-made! Thank you for sharing.
Can you use coconut oil instead of canola?
Absolutely – coconut oil is a great choice!
How do you get it to get a little crunchier? LOL