Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 4 cups rolled oats (not steel cut oats)
- 1 1/2 cups raw pecan halves, roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
Wet Ingredients
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil (or canola oil)
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed (light or dark brown sugar, preferably dark)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Spices
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 325°F (163°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a large bowl, mix together the rolled oats, roughly chopped pecan halves, and dried cranberries ensuring even distribution.
- Prepare the wet mixture: In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the vegetable oil, honey, molasses, and brown sugar. Stir frequently until the sugar dissolves completely and the mixture is smooth, which takes about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract, kosher salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves to distribute the spices evenly.
- Combine wet and dry mixtures: Pour the warm wet ingredients over the oats, nuts, and cranberries. Mix thoroughly until all the dry ingredients are coated with the spiced syrup.
- Spread and bake: Evenly spread the granola mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to ensure even browning and prevent the edges from burning. Bake until the granola is golden brown and has released a fragrant aroma.
- Cool and store: Remove the granola from the oven and allow it to cool completely on the baking sheet. Once cooled, transfer the granola to an airtight container or resealable bag to maintain freshness and crunch.
Notes
- Make sure to stir the granola every 10 minutes to ensure even toasting and prevent burning.
- You can substitute pecans with other nuts like walnuts or almonds if preferred.
- Store granola in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.
- For a vegan version, substitute honey with maple syrup or agave nectar.
- Feel free to add seeds like pumpkin or sunflower seeds for extra texture and nutrition.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
