Baked Bakery Granola

I absolutely love granola. I have granola pretty much every morning for breakfast. Although I have my own particular formula for granola that I like because I know that it is especially healthy. However, I am not against trying new things. 

This recipe results in a very delicious granola. I feel almost like I am eating a decadent granola rather than a healthy granola. When I compared it to my own recipe I noticed an increase in the brown sugar used which really amped up a difference in flavor. This is definitely more rich. It is really very, very good!

Granola itself is easy to make and the homemade version trumps the store bought products any day. If you like granola I encourage you to make it at home. You absolutely will NOT be disappointed. You will probably never buy granola again actually. The depth of flavor and crunch is something that can't be reproduced by manufacturing companies. Do it yourself.

Baked Bakery Granola

adapted from "Baked A New Frontier in Baking" by Matt Lewis & Renato Poliafito

Print Recipe

2 cups rolled oats

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

3 Tb plus 1 tsp vegetable oil

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup whole almonds

1/3 cup whole hazelnuts

1/3 cup golden raisins

1/3 cup dried cherries

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a baking sheet 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 oat mixture and use your hands to combine them: gather up some of the mixture in each hand, and make a fist. Repeat until all of the oats are coated with the honey mixture.

Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread it out evenly, but leave a few lumps here and there for texture. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and use a metal spatula to lift and flip the granola. Sprinkle the almonds over the granola and return the baking sheet to the oven. Bake for 5 minutes, then remove from the oven and use a metal spatula to lift and flip the granola. Sprinkle the hazelnuts over the granola and return the baking sheet to the oven. 

Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven. Let cool completely. Sprinkle the raisins and cherries over the granola and use your hands to transfer it to an airtight container. The granola will keep for a week. 

Alternate Method:

Use 2/3 cup any combination of nuts

Use 2/3 cup any combination of dried fruit

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine oats and nuts in a large bowl. In a medium saucepan, bring oil, honey, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt to a boil over medium heat, stirring to make uniform syrup. Pour syrup over oats mixture and use a spatula to toss and evenly coat. Spread on baking sheet and bake 10 minutes. Using metal spatula, toss mixture and again spread across baking sheet. Return to the oven and bake 10 minutes more. Let cool completely and sprinkle dried fruit over the granola then transfer to an airtight container.