your best homemade granola recipe

[cassoulady]

Hi all, I am looking for a great granola recipe. I have never made granola and always buy it and am sure homemade is better ( and cheaper too). No dietary restrictions so anything will do. I look forward to your ideas!

[HillJ]

http://locallemons.com/local_lemons/2...

This one from food blogger, Local Lemons. The use of dried figs in this version really sets it apart.

[laliz]

I've made this many many times and have given it as gifts. It is wonderful. From the Beverly Hills Polo Lounge.

Polo Lounge Granola

Ingredients :
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup apple juice
1/2 cup oil
6 cup oatmeal
3/4 cup shelled sunflower seeds
3/4 cup sesame seeds
1 1/2 cup pecan pieces
1 1/2 cup sliced almonds
3/4 cup pine nuts
1 cup shredded coconut
3/4 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup lecithin
salt
1 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
1/2 cup brown sugar - (packed)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Method :
• Heat the oven to 300 degrees.
• Combine the honey, corn syrup, apple juice and oil in large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat.
• Combine the oatmeal, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pecans, almonds, pine nuts, coconut, wheat germ, lecithin, a dash of salt, the dry milk, brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Add to the hot liquid in the saucepan and stir with a wooden spoon until combined.
• Spread the granola mixture on 2 baking sheets and bake, stirring with a wooden spoon every 10 minutes, until the cereal is lightly browned and crunchy, about 40 minutes. Cool, then store in airtight containers.
• This recipe yields 24 half-cup servings.

________________________________________

[Procrastibaker]

You will not go wrong with this granola. I've made it million times with a million different combinations. One favorite is to sub in candied ginger and pecans. I've had so many compliments on this granola and it always makes me feel a little bad because it's sooo easy-- it's the recipe, not me! I think flax seed and/or wheat germ could also be added to up the fiber/nutritional value. And I have occasionally cut the white sugar in half.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

[PAO]

I've used Procrastibaker's recipe often as well, since it doesn't have coconut, which is high in cholesterol. Again, as with most granola recipes, the nuts and fruit you put in are highly variable.

[Katie Nell]

My favorite is my grandma's peanut butter granola that I've posted before: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/4659...

[PAO]

Does it matter whether the peanut butter is the regular commercial kind (Skippy, Jiff, etc) or a natural brand where you have to stir the oil in?

[Katie Nell]

I don't think I've ever tried it with natural peanut butter, but I'm not certain. I would try it- I like to live on the edge!

[waver]

I posted a similar question a a while back, tried a few out and the one linked below was the tastiest but not low cal. In fact I no longer make it as we couldn't resist snacking on it all day long. Bittman's was good too in the simple/healthy category.

http://www.travelerslunchbox.com/jour...

[dianana]

Brooke's Granola
I make this a couple times a month, it's hands down the best granola I've ever had. My friend Brooke tweaked and tweaked her recipe to come up with this. And yes, I have her permission to tell the world.
4 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cup nuts (cashews, pecans, walnuts, almonds)
1/4 - 1/2 c brown sugar, to taste
1/2 t salt
1/4 t cinnamon, or more to taste
1/4 cup oil (canola, sunflower)
1/4 cup honey
1 t vanilla
1 1/2 cups dried fruit

1. Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees. combine first 5 dry ingredients in a
shallow pan - I use a big deep dish pizza pan, works perfectly.
2. In a small sauce pan measure in oil - measure in honey using the
same measuring cup so it comes out clean. melt oil and honey together
over medium-high heat, whisking to incorporate (it will form an
emulsion, kinda). Turn off heat and whisk in vanilla (it'll bubble
like crazy, I was amused)
3. Pour over dry mixture and mix together - I use my hands or a flat
wooden spoon, those two work the best for me. Make sure it's all
mostly coated and evenly distributed
4. Bake at 300 degrees for 10 minutes, stir to distribute melty sugar
and honey mixture. Repeat 3-4 more times until toasty and golden brown.
5. Remove from oven and stir in dried fruit. let cool for at least 30
minutes, tossing every once in awhile - it'll be soft when it comes
out of the oven, crisps as it cools.

[veggielover]

I like Mark Bittman's recipe for granola, no extra oil, very easy..I use whatever nuts, seeds and dried fruit that I have around. I use the minimal amount of honey or maple syrup. Here is the link:

http://bitten.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/...

[Eddie H.]

Bittman's recipe is my standby, too. Versatile according to what you have on hand, healthy, easy, and tasty. I love it with almonds, dates, and honey.

http://culinarystudio.blogspot.com

[RosemaryHoney]

I've made lots of granolas, but my favorite is based on Alton Brown's recipe, because it's easy, with no fuss ingredients, and tastes excellent.

Preheat oven to 225.

Mix together in a large bowl:
3c old fashioned oats
1c slivered almonds
1c shredded coconut (I use unsweetened)
1/2c brown sugar
1/2c pepitas (roasted pumpkin seeds)
1/4c golden flax seeds
1T cinnamon
2t salt
1-2c dried fruit and other nuts, to taste (I use everything from dried cherries to sesame seeds to raisins to pecans...really whatever I'm in the mood for or what's on hand)

Mix together in measuring cup:
1/4c maple syrup (or golden syrup or honey)
1/4c vegetable oil

Pour syrup mixture over oat mixture and stir well until everything looks coated. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet and bake 1.5 hours, turning every 15-30 minutes or so. Enjoy!!

[MollyGee]

Alton Brown's is always the granola recipe I use, too. I vary the nuts, seeds and dried fruit also. I like it with sunflower seeds, almonds, cashews and raisins.

[DebL]

From "The Tassajara Bread Book":

10 c of mixed dry ingredients (about half or a bit more rolled oats)
1/2 c honey
1/2 c oil
Water enough to mix it all together
Optional: a pinch of salt

Mix everything together and spread into a cookie sheet or half sheet pan. Bake at 250 for about 1 hour until golden and crunchy. You can add more honey if you like your granola sweeter, up to 1 c. Add dried fruit of your choice to taste.

I typically add 1/2 c sesame seed, 1/2 c wheat germ, 1 c broken raw cashews, 1 c roasted unsalted peanuts, 1 c slivered almonds to 6 c rolled oats.

Don't use steel-cut oats unless you like oat-flavored gravel in your granola!

[modthyrth]

If you're looking for a super-healthy version, simply mix up:

4 cups rolled oats
1 cup powdered fat free milk
1/2 cup cream of wheat (dry)
Then wet down with enough sugar-free flavored syrup (like you'd put in coffee--my favorite brand by FAR is Monin) to make it clump up.

Bake around 300, stirring every 15 minutes until the clumps look golden and dry. Let cool completely before storing in a bag. I like to mix in freeze-dried fruit after I'm done cooking the granola. It's not particularly low calorie, but the calories that are there are hearty, filling, have tons of fiber, and are good for you.

(This was a CORE ww recipe back when there was a CORE plan. I've been pregnant since shortly before they changed the plans, so I have no clue where it would fall now.)

[janniecooks]

another poster put up the same query today, posting same response to you that I posted to that poster:

here's a couple of threads to get you started:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/505811
http://www.chow.com/home_cooking_digest/5277
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/281477
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/437809
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/465919
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/407462

and here's a link to the other thread posted today asking for granola recipes:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/602574

[dijon]

rolled oats, the brn sugar, honey, vanilla and oil are the main ingredients. I think the secret ingredient is sesame seeds. I dislike coconut so I don't use it. slivered almonds are very good. I think toasting at 350 is required for browning and carmelization of the nuts and other ingredients, at lower temps it just doesn't happen and it is not nearly as good. You do need to watch it a little closer for burning than you would at lower temps. The biggest problem is that it is so addictive it disappears way too fast.

[Sarah]

Ina Garten has one that sounds fabulous -- you can find it on FoodTV.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/in...

[Niki in Dayton]

I use the recipe from USA Weekend, which is very similar to PAOs recipe from Sunset Magazine, although the cook time/temps are different. Key things to remember are to use old-fashioned rolled oats (the quick cooking type don't work) and to bake the granola low and slow. Here's the link: www.usaweekend.com/06_issues/060226/0...

[cassoulady]

niki, do you think Steel cut oats would work?

[Niki in Dayton]

Yes, I've made it with steel cut oats and loved it! I vary the fruits and nuts depending upon what I've got handy and who I'm making it for (I'm now the granola supplier for my in-laws, and they have various preferences). My personal favorite has slivered almonds, dried cherries, and chopped dried apricots.

[MMRuth]

Why don't the quick cooking kind work? I have some McCann's Irish quick cook oats that I'd love to use up. Thanks!

[bear]

McCann's is my go-to for granola and I've never had a problem.

If you are in need of a recipe, Ina Garten's is very good. I use it as a base, but cook at 300-325 instead of 350, and stir often. I also wait about 15 minutes to add the nuts so that they don't burn.

The recipe seems to have an error. It says to mix the cherries in at the beginning...don't add any fruit until the granola has finished cooking...it will burn and be inedible! Lots of dried fruit works well in this recipe.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/in...

[MMRuth]

Thanks - I just made a batch using her recipes as a guide, along with another one. I think mine did get a little browner than it should. I used old fashioned rolled oats, blanched slivered almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, some coconut, honey, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, sea salt and vegetable oil. I then add some raisins and chopped dried figs and apricots. We'll see if my husband likes it - I don't really eat it, but thought it was silly for him to spend ten dollars on these little bags of granola!

[cuccubear]

I've had good success with her recipe as well. I also add wheat germ, and lower the temperature too.

[Niki in Dayton]

Here's what the lady on the USA weekend site says about the difference between regular and quick: For the best results, reach for old-fashioned (not quick) oats, which will bake into crisp, golden granola. Cereal made with quick oats clusters better, but the texture is powdery, not crisp, and it tastes of raw starch.

That said, I've never actually tried making granola with quick oats. I keep old-fashioned in the house, so used those. And I've read this thread with interest, because I never tried any other recipes after finding this one. This made the kind of granola that I like, so I didn't look any further....

[MMRuth]

Thanks - I might give the quick ones a try next time, thuogh raw starch taste doesn't sound appealing. My granola did not clump up at all - not sure why.

[Caitlin McGrath]

I have never had my homemade granola clump, but the poster gordeaux offered a tip on getting clumps, summarized here http://www.chow.com/home_cooking_dige... (click on the thread linked at the bottom for gordeaux's more detailed descripyion).

[Niki in Dayton]

I get plenty of clumps; as instructed in the recipe I posted the link to, the key is to squeeze small handfuls of granola together before baking it (after adding the liquids). One's hands get quite sticky, but it works well. My husband sometimes helps make granola, and his hands are bigger than mine; his clumps are too big for my preference so I'm continually reminding him "SMALL handfuls, dear, SMALL handfuls" ;-)

[modthyrth]

I think adding in the 1/2 cup of cream of wheat does wonders for clumping.

[PAO]

From a Sunset Magazine cookbook:

MEDFORD OATS

8 cups regular rolled oats
1-1/2 C. wheat germ
1-1/2 C firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large package (8 oz) shredded coconut
1-1/2 C. roasted salted cashews

1/2 C. vegetable oil
2 t. vanilla
¾ C. honey

1-1/2 C. dry fruit, chopped as needed (optional)

In large bowl, stir together oats, wheat germ, sugar, coconut, and cashews. Set aside.
In small pan over medium heat, combine oil, honey, and vanilla. Cook, stirring, until bubbly. Pour over oat mixture and mix thoroughly.

Grease two 10x15 (or larger) rimmed baking pans (or use silicon or parchment). Spread mixture evenly in pans. Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees for 15-20 minutes, stirring two or three times, or until coconut is lightly browned.

Stir granola in pans several times while cooling (otherwise it clumps). Let cool thoroughly, then stir in dried fruit if using. Store in airtight container.

Yield: 16 cups.

Notes: This makes a lot. I typically makes ¾’s of the recipe. When I’ve made the full recipe, it has taken longer—up to 40 minutes—to bake. It may depend on your oven, the size of pans, etc. So you may have to experiment with times. When I bake two pans at a time, I switch the pans midway through the baking.

Other nuts or shelled sunflower seeds can be used. Whole, roasted, salted almonds are good, as are pecans and walnuts. Dates, raisins, dried cherries, dried cranberries, etc. can be used for the fruit in any combination. Dates, however, tend to be moister than other dried fruit and can make the granola less crisp.

[cassoulady]

thanks! I will try this!