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Granola, My New Way

Photo: Aya Brackett

BY Mark Bittman

PUBLISHED March 22, 2024

I’ve made granola many ways over the years—but always without oil since even a little tastes greasy to me. What’s changed here is that I now give the oats a head start. It’s even more foolproof to make and vary.

 

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Granola, My New Way

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Makes about 8 cups 1x

Time 40 minutes

Units Scale

Ingredients

  • 6 cups rolled oats (not quick-cooking or instant)
  • 2 cups nuts or seeds or a combination
  • 1 cup shredded coconut
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or to taste
  • Salt
  • 1/2 to 1 cup honey or maple syrup, or to taste
  • 1 cup raisins or chopped dried fruit

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 300°F. Spread the oats evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and bake, stirring occasionally, until they darken a little, about 20 minutes, Scatter the nuts on top and bake until they begin to toast, about 5 minutes. Scatter the coconut over the nuts and bake until golden, another 5 minutes.
  2. Drizzle the honey over the granola and stir with a spatula to combine. Return the pan to the oven and bake, turning once or twice, until the granola is as brown as you like; the darker it gets without burning, the crunchier it will be.
  3. Remove the pan from the oven and fold in the raisins. Cool in the pan on a rack, stirring once in a while until the granola reaches room temperature. Transfer to a sealed container and store in the refrigerator; it will keep indefinitely.

— How to Cook Everything: Completely Revised Twentieth Anniversary Edition 

Recipe variations

Customizing Granola
The components of granola fall into these categories. Use them to vary the main recipe as you like.

Sweeteners

  • Maple syrup
  • Brown sugar
  • Molasses
  • Agave nectar or brown rice syrup

Flavorings

  • Spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, anise, coriander, allspice
  • Vanilla extract (mixed with the sweetener)
  • Peanut butter, other nut butter, or tahini
  • Ginger: fresh, ground, or candied
  • Orange, lemon, or grapefruit zest

Crunch and Chew

  • Nuts: peanuts, almonds, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias
  • Seeds: sesame, sunflower, flax
  • Dried fruits: apricots, dates, cranberries, cherries, blueberries, apples, pineapple, pears, papaya, mango
  • Chocolate or carob chips

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