Granola

Easy Granola

There is nothing better than homemade granola. It makes a great topping for yogurt, a healthy snack for the kids, or a base for other goodies like cookies. If you find it takes you awhile to get through a batch you can freeze half the granola to use later.

Homemade Granola

4 cups regular rolled oats
1 1/2 cups sliced almonds
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup cooking oil
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon real vanilla
1 1/2 cup dried fruit of your choice.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, stir together oats, almonds, sugar, and cinnamon.
In a small pan heat oil and honey until warm. Stir in vanilla. Pour honey mix over oats and stir gently until mixed well.
Spread mixture evenly over a jelly roll pan or large rimmed cookie sheet.Bake for 45 minutes stirring a couple times.
After baking, stir in the dried fruit and cool completely. Transfer to an airtight container for storage. If its going to be around for more than a week store in the refrigerator or freezer.


You can customize this recipe by changing the nuts, adding a few tablespoons of flax seeds or even some coconut if that's what you like. Play with it and make it your own.

Granola Cookies

Granola Cookies

A friend stopped by for coffee and tucked into these yesterday and was truly amazed at how good they were. Apparently she had bad experiences with oatmeal cookies and couldn't get them to come out right. My secret is using my own granola instead of rolled oats. It adds a bit of texture and crunch and has all sorts of healthy goodies tucked in like flax seed and wheat germ..

Granola Cookies
1 cup butter or margarine
2/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
2 cups flour
3 cups granola
1 cup chocolate or carob chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cream together the sugars and the butter. Add eggs. Use mixer to add in flour and baking soda. Stir in granola.Stir in the chocolate chips.
Drop by heaping tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for about 11 minutes until lightly browned. Everyone's oven is different so start peeking on the first sheet at 10 minutes.
I get 30 cookies form this recipe.

You can substitute granola cereal if you don't have any homemade granola around. Chocolate chips can be swapped out for dried cranberries or raisins as well.( I've used chopped dried apricots, too)
I keep a  batch of dough in my freezer, shaped into logs and wrapped in wax paper to bake off in cookie emergencies.