Not to be dramatic, but I think granola is my favorite food. I don’t really know why, but there’s just something about a crunchy cluster of granola. I love all the flavor possibilities and all the ingredients you can throw into the recipe to make your granola super unique. Granola is typically seen on top of a yogurt bowl ad the perfect topping, but here are some other ways I’ve been eating this granola recently:
1. As a snack! I love packing a little in a to go bag and just snacking on it. The oats give me the fuel for energy and the fats keep me fuller longer!
2. As a cereal substitute. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with cereal, but I don’t always have a box on hand! So when I make a large batch of granola, I just treat it like cereal. I’ll add a little fresh fruit and some dairy free milk for the perfect breakfast or bigger snack.
3. Used as a topping for baked goods! I love adding a layer of crunchy granola clusters to an apple pie bake or some chocolate recipe. It makes for the best crumbly topping!
To make it even better, this recipe is gluten free, vegan, and refined sugar free. I hope you like it as much as I do! Let me know if you have any questions about the recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten free oats
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
- 1/4 cup flax meal
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup applesauce
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1/3 cup almond butter
- 1/2 chocolate bar (crushed up, optional)
Instructions
- Combine all dry ingredients first except for the chocolate. Make sure to break up the raisins when you mix otherwise they will form one clump
- Add in the wet ingredients and mix well. Combine all the dry ingredients with the wet well to ensure each piece of granola turns out super crispy
- On a lined baking sheet, press the mixture flat. You want the dough to stay together like one big piece of granola, but you’ll want to press it down thinly. If it’s too thick, it will not become crunchy
- Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes. At the halfway mark, flip the pan in the oven to ensure each piece gets the same bake. Once the edges start to brown, take it out and let it cool COMPLETELY. Breaking it apart before it is cooled will not allow the clusters to form
- Once cooled, use your hands to break apart the cluster into smaller pieces. Crush up the chocolate and add it into the mix. Totally optional, but chocolate is the best!
- Keep in an air tight jar on the counter or in the fridge 🙂 I’ve found that the fridge keeps it a little crunchier
Happy Baking and Happy Eating
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