Homemade Granola

Oatmeal is a staple in our home. You can use it in so many ways, from regular oatmeal, to baked oatmeal, in cookies, or in the form of this versatile homemade granola recipe.

This recipe is a variation of one I received years ago at my Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPs) group. I’ve been making it for over 20 years, and have never become bored with it. There are so many different ways to make it!

This recipe makes a lot of granola, so you will need a large pan to bake it in. I find that using a glass baking pan keeps it from getting overly toasted. I have a pan like this, and find it’s useful for tons of recipes, since I cook meals for six people, and I like leftovers.

Here’s how I make Homemade Granola!

Homemade Granola Recipe

• 8 cups old-fashioned (rolled) oats
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup chopped nuts

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees

• Put the oats into a large mixing bowl.
• Mix the oil, brown sugar and honey together in saucepan. Then, warm the ingredients over low heat, stirring frequently, until it is syrupy. But do not let it boil. Remove from heat and then add the vanilla.
• Pour the syrup over the oats and stir to combine. Add in the nuts and then pour the mixture into a large 10″ x 15″ glass baking dish sprayed with nonstick spray.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Be sure to stir the granola on the edges toward the center so it doesn’t over-brown.
• After taking the granola out of the oven, stir it a couple of times as it cools. Store it in an airtight container. 
• You can add other things besides nuts. I often add coconut or chia seeds. It is best to add in dried fruit (like cranberries) after the granola is baked. 
• Sometimes I substitute almond extract for the vanilla.
• A splash of maple syrup is also delicious!

I hope you’ll try this recipe for Homemade Granola. It’s easily adaptable and very budget-friendly! A granola and yogurt parfait makes a delicious breakfast!