Easy Homemade Granola

Why mess with a good thing? I always use this as an excuse not to try something new. We have been eating the same granola for over a year. We really like it, so why change? Well, because you might just find a really fabulous new granola. I have to say that I made a lot of changes to this recipe, so if you want the original baked recipe I would buy the cookbook. We don’t really like dried fruit in our granola, so I didn’t add any. The core honey mixture is really great. I was afraid it would be really sweet, but in the end I thought it had a really nice flavor. The texture is exactly what I like in a granola, little chunks that are just slightly chewy. I will probably make a few changes next time, maybe add some coconut and wheat germ to the mix. If you want to add some raisins the original recipe says to add them after the mixture has cooled completely. Here’s to trying something new…

Easy Homemade Granola
adapted from Baked New Frontiers in Baking
4 cups rolled oats
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
½ cup honey
½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup almonds slivered
½ cup hazelnuts coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line baking pan with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, toss the oats with the cinnamon and salt.In a medium bowl, stir together the oil, honey, brown sugar, and vanilla.
Whisk until completely combined.
Pour the honey mixture over the oats mixture and use your hands or stand mixer with paddle attachment on lowest speed to combine them. Mix until all the oats are covered with the honey mixture.
Pour mixture into the baking pan. Spread it out evenly, leaving a few clumps here and there for texture. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and us a metal spatula to lift and turn the granola. Sprinkle the almonds over the granola and return to the oven.
Bake for 5 minutes, then remove from the oven and turn the granola again. Sprinkle hazelnuts over the granola and return to oven.
Bake for 10 minutes then remove from oven. Let cool completely. Transfer to an airtight container. Granola will keep for 1 week.