Homemade Granola is Economical and Better Than Store-bought

The price of breakfast cereal has really increased over the last four years. I love granola, but I am unwilling to pay $8 for a small bag when I know I can make my mom’s granola cheaper and better tasting. Recipe below.

Bowl of granola.Photo byDaVanci Created / Edited by Colorado Martini

Dr. James Caleb Jackson, a health reformer of his time, is credited for inventing granola in 1863. He was a doctor at the Jackson Sanitarium in New York. Although Jackson called his granola, "granula." It was a blend of graham flour that was baked into brittle cakes, which are basically graham crackers. He would crumble these “graham crackers,” and then bake them again. Then cereal was soaked in milk overnight.

Jackson believed that illness came from the stomach, which nowadays we have found to be true (statement below). His version of granola was part of his experiments with cold cereal and health. He later formed a company to sell his invention calling it “Our Home Granula Company.”

With 70–80% of immune cells being present in the gut, there is an intricate interplay between the intestinal microbiota, the intestinal epithelial layer, and the local mucosal immune system.
~National Library on Medicine Abstract

Around the same time, John Harvey Kellogg of "Kellogg’s Cereal Company" created something similar. He had also called his cereal "granula". To avoid legal issues with “Our Home Granula Company,” he changed the name to "granola."

Old-time granola ad from the Sanitarium Food Company.Photo byPublic Domain

The 1947 book “Let's Cook It Right” is said to be the first to mention granola. During this time, fruits and nuts were added to granola to improve its nutritional value. Over the years granola was a niche product until the 1960s, when health gurus and "hippies" are credited with introducing it to the masses. By the 1970s, Stanley Mason is often credited with inventing the granola bar.

Granola is typically made from rolled oats and nuts, but can also include other grains, seeds, spices, dried fruit, and nut butters. When I make a batch of the Basic Granola recipe below, I always alternate optional ingredients. So it isn't always the same old granola.

I prefer honey over maple syrup to sweeten the granola. Just don’t use refined sugar. In my view, this violates the purpose of granola. But always remember, sugar is sugar in any form. Just some are healthier to use than others.

Back in the day when my mom would make this recipe, she would add M&Ms to make it into a trail mix for hiking. We loved it as a trail snack to boost our energy.

Do you think you might try this recipe? Let us know in the comments.

Tips Before You Start

Have on hand a whisk, rimmed baking sheet, and parchment paper. These items help with messes and mixing.

When cooling the granola, take a spatula and compress the warm granola as much as possible. This will help the grains stick together and crumble.

I often add a little almond extract on top of my vanilla. It adds a nice flavor. I also prefer sea salt over regular salt. Not only for health reasons (a whole different story to come). But the sea salt seems to bring out a nice flavor.

Basic Granola

• 1/2 cup neutral oil, such as sunflower, avocado or grapeseed
• 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (a few drops of almond extract is good too)
• 1/2 teaspoon sea or regular salt (I prefer sea salt)
• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup sliced almonds or walnuts or sunflower seeds (any nuts or seeds you like. Mixture if you like.)
• 1 cup raisins or other dried (cherries, blueberries, cranberries), chopped dried fruit (add when cooling)
• Variations: dried dates, coconut, nut butters (add when cooling)

Instructions

• Arrange the cooking rack to be in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 300°F. If I want a drier granola 325°F. But I like it gooey
• Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. The height of the rim will keep the granola from falling out into your oven.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, honey, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. If you want a stronger vanilla flavor, add vanilla when the granola is cooling.
• Add the oats and nuts/seeds and stir to coat well.
• Spread the oats out onto the prepared baking sheet into an even layer. Use a spatula to press it into the pan.
• Bake for 10 minutes then stir granola and repress it down. Then cook for an additional 10 minutes. Your granola should be cooked for 20 minutes in total. The granola is ready when golden brown and the almonds have toasted. After 20 minutes of cooking, the granola will still feel wet. You will see it dry and clump as it cools.
• Remove from the oven, add the fruit and mix. Push down so the granola is compacted. Then cool on a wire rack. If you want clumps of granola, pressing down and compacting the granola before it cools is what makes this happen. Cool completely before storing.
• Store in an airtight container. If you are taking it somewhere, a large plastic bag works well. Store at room temperature.

Storage: Granola can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature (72°F is room temperature) for up to 1 month.

Do you have another granola recipe or variation you would like to share? Let us know in the comments.

Other Recipes

• Easy Homemade Peach Cobbler - A Delicious Summer Dessert
• Fresh Palisade Peach Pie: Juicy & Easy Recipe

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Have you ever made your own granola? Let us know in the comments.

References

• Wikipedia
• National Library of Medicine