Granola is a snack food and breakfast food consisting of rolled oats, nuts, honey, other sweeteners such as brown sugar, and sometimes puffed rice, usually baked until it is crisp toasted golden brown. During the baking process, the mixture is stirred to maintain a loose breakfast cereal consistency.
The granola type was created in the United States by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s for hikers to take on their hikes. The granola was made into a form to carry in an oatmeal packet.
The ingredients are the same as in popular cereal and may include rolled oats, honey, nuts, brown sugar, seeds or other sweets, and other sweeteners. In some places, ingredients vary. In the US, granola typically is baked, but in other countries, it may be made into the shape of a ball, placed in an oatmeal bowl, or made into a porridge.
During the baking process, the mixture is stirred to maintain a loose breakfast cereal consistency. Dried fruit, such as raisins and dates, and confections such as chocolate are sometimes added.
PrintMakes 7 servings
- Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 145g rolled oats
- 90g mixed seeds
- 90g pecan nuts, roughly chopped
- 90g coconut chips
- 110g unsweetened apple sauce
- 45g coconut oil, melted
- 50g honey
- Pinch of salt
- 100g raisins
- 100g dried apricots, roughly chopped
- 70g yoghurt, per serving
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 160°C. Combine the rolled oats, mixed seeds, pecan nuts and coconut chips in a large bowl. Stir together the apple sauce, coconut oil, honey and salt in a separate bowl then pour over the dry ingredients and toss to coat.
Tip everything into a large roasting tray then pat down the ingredients to form an even layer. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp. Remove from the oven, stir through the dried fruit and leave to cool.
Notes
To make this nut-free, swap the pecans for the same amount of seeds.
Kept in an airtight container, the granola will last up to 3 weeks.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
Granola can be made from ingredients of different types. For example, if rolled oats, brown sugar, coconut, rolled oats, sunflower seeds, and puffed rice are used, it is called “oatmeal granola” or “oatmeal blancmange.” When peanuts are used, it is called “nut granola” or “peanut blancmange.” Nuts in granola can be almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews, pistachios, macadamia nuts, or pecans.
The flavor of granola depends on the proportion of dry to wet ingredients, the nuts’ age, and the types of dried fruits and nuts used. Also, other flavoring ingredients such as cinnamon and spices or pectin are often added for thickness and to provide a binding agent.
Granola can be consumed as a hot cereal, served as a dessert, used as a topping for baked goods, and used in ice cream and other desserts.