Okay, so I decided to finally try making my own granola the other day. I’ve been trying to eat more vegan stuff, and honestly, finding good gluten-free options that aren’t loaded with weird things or super expensive is a bit of a challenge. Store-bought granola can be okay, but sometimes it’s just too sweet or has things I don’t really want. So, I figured, why not make it myself? That way, I know exactly what’s going in it.
Getting Started – The Ingredients
First thing, I raided my pantry. I knew I wanted oats as the base, so I made sure to grab the certified gluten-free rolled oats. That’s pretty important if you’re strictly avoiding gluten. Then I looked for nuts and seeds. I had some almonds, pecans, pumpkin seeds (pepitas, whatever you call them), and sunflower seeds hanging around. Perfect.
For the sticky stuff to hold it all together and add some sweetness, I went with maple syrup. Real maple syrup, none of that fake stuff. And I needed some fat, so I used melted coconut oil. I also threw in a bit of vanilla extract because, well, vanilla makes everything better, right? And a pinch of salt to balance the sweetness. I thought about adding dried fruit, but decided to stir that in after baking so it wouldn’t burn.
Mixing It All Up
This part was pretty straightforward. I grabbed a big bowl. Seriously, use a big bowl, bigger than you think you need. It makes mixing so much easier and less messy.
- First, I dumped in all the dry ingredients: the gluten-free oats, almonds, pecans, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds. I gave those a quick stir just to combine them.
- In a separate smaller bowl, I whisked together the wet ingredients: the melted coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and that pinch of salt. I kept whisking until it looked pretty well combined.
- Then, I poured the wet mixture over the dry ingredients in the big bowl. Using a big spoon or spatula, I started stirring. I made sure to get everything coated really well. You want all those oats and nuts to get sticky. Took a couple of minutes of gentle folding and stirring.
Baking Time
Okay, next step was baking. I preheated my oven, I think it was around 300°F (about 150°C). Low and slow is kind of the key for granola, so it gets toasted and dried out without burning.
I lined a large baking sheet with parchment paper. This is a lifesaver for cleanup. I spread the sticky oat mixture onto the sheet in a single, even layer. Tried not to have it clumped up too much in any one spot, so it would bake evenly.
Then, into the oven it went. I set a timer for about 20 minutes. Halfway through, around the 10-minute mark, I pulled the sheet out and gave the granola a gentle stir. This helps make sure it browns evenly. Then I popped it back in for another 10-15 minutes. You kind of have to watch it near the end. I wanted it to be golden brown, but definitely not dark brown or burnt. The kitchen started smelling amazing, all toasty and sweet.
Cooling Down and Finishing Up
Once it looked nicely golden, I took the baking sheet out of the oven. This is super important: let it cool completely on the baking sheet without touching it. Seriously, don’t stir it, don’t break it up yet. As it cools, it gets crispy and forms those nice clusters. I just left it on the counter for maybe an hour or so until it was totally cool.
After it was cool, I could finally break it up into chunks. Some big, some small, just how I like it. This is when I decided to stir in some dried cranberries for a bit of chewiness and tartness. You could add raisins, chopped apricots, whatever you like.
I stored it in a big airtight glass jar. Looked pretty good, if I do say so myself. Had some the next morning with some plant-based yogurt and berries. It was crunchy, not too sweet, and tasted way better than the stuff from the store. Definitely doing this again.