Homemade Granola

Homemade Granola

There was a period of time when we spent a ridiculous sum of money on granola which was made by a local business here in Zurich, not because I didn’t know how to make it at home, but because it was so insanely delicious. They had a version with chocolate chips and another with dried sour cherries, and I always bought both and mixed them together because, well, chocolate and cherries are one of my favourite combos (think Cherry Ripe????).

I considered this granola to be part of our weekly indulgence, much like a nice bottle of wine. At one time, I even signed up for a monthly subscription for this delicious granola, and I was so happy just knowing that I always had a good stock of my favourite granola in the pantry.

Of course, all good things eventually come to an end, because when I calculated that my annual spend on granola amounted to the value of several luxury handbags, I felt it was time to start making my own. My recipe below for Homemade Granola comes close to my favourite shop-bought version, but because it is so much more budget-friendly, I like it much more 🙂

Granola Recipe

There exists hundreds of recipes for granola, and the best recipe is the one that has your favourite ingredients.

I recommend that you use the granola recipe below as a blueprint, substituting some of the ingredients for those that you prefer, e.g. you may prefer almonds instead of macadamia nuts, walnuts instead of pecans, raisins instead of dried sour cherries. If you don’t like dried fruit, you can leave it out entirely. You can also add your preferred grains and seeds.

The sugar content can also be adapted to your personal preference. I like my homemade granola to be low in sugar but my kids, of course, prefer when I add more maple syrup or sugar. You can experiment and find a happy medium for everyone.

How to Make Granola

Step 1

In a large mixing bowl, measure the dry ingredients – oatmeal, pecans, macadamia nuts, cornflakes, coconut and cinnamon. Mix everything together with a large spoon or spatula.

Step 2

In a small saucepan, measure the oil, maple syrup, sugar and salt. Heat over low-medium heat until the sugar has melted.

Step 3

Stir the liquid ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients. Give everything a good mix to make sure the dry ingredients are thoroughly coated.

Step 4

Transfer the mixture onto a large baking sheet lined with baking paper. Spread the mixture evenly on the tray.

Step 5

Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F (without fan).

Bake the granola for 45 minutes, turning the mixture at 15 minute intervals so it can brown and crisp evenly.

If you wish to add any dried fruit, add this in the last 5 minutes of baking.

Step 6

Leave the granola to cool on the tray completely. If you wish to add any chocolate chips, do this only once the granola is completely cool.

Store the granola in an air-tight container for about 1 month.

What to Serve with Granola

My favourite way of serving granola is with some natural yoghurt (unsweetened) with fresh berries and sliced bananas. If the mood calls for it, I will also add some dark chocolate chips – I don’t always add this to the granola container because I know my kids actively fish them out ????

I also like to make my granola on the less sweet side because, if you want some more sweetness, you can always add a drizzle of honey to your yoghurt. This is what I ask my kids to do, and I find that it is a good way to make them used to eating food which has less sugar; over time, they add less honey – or no honey – to their bowls. Thankfully, they only like to eat natural yoghurt and never the sweetened fruit yoghurts, so we are already off to a good start.

Tips for Making Homemade Granola

• Buy in bulk. As I make granola quite often, I buy most of the ingredients (where possible) in bulk, and I also store them in the same place so I can easily see if I have all of the ingredients I need.
• Double the recipe. I frequently make a double batch – one to keep, and one to package as gifts for friends.
• Change ingredients seasonally. In winter, I like to add cardamom and ginger for some gingerbread-like warmth. In summer, I lean towards dried pineapple and dried papaya for a more tropical feel.