This Maple Walnut Granola recipe is made with nutty oats, nuts, dried fruit, coconut and maple syrup. It's delicious eaten as is, served with yogurt and berries, or given as gifts.
The granola recipe is also endlessly customizable as you can swap out the nuts, add roasted unsalted sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, or other dried fruits. And it freezes well too!
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Essential Ingredients
Oats: Use rolled (or old-fashioned) oats for this granola. Do not use instant or quick- cooking which are not as thick.
Maple Syrup: I love the flavor maple syrup gives the granola. But you could use hone or brown rice syrup instead. the maple syrup add sweetness and binds the ingredients together.
Walnuts: I like to make this granola with the maple-sweetened walnuts, but you can easily swap them for pecans, almonds, cashews or pistachios. For a nut-free version, you can use seeds such as pumpkin, sunflower or flax seeds.
Dried Cherries: For this version, I used dried cherries. But chopped dates, raisins, dried apricots, blueberries, and mango will also work.
Coconut chips: Add toasted coconut chips to the granola after it has baked, or you can toss in som unsweetened shredded coconut to the granola halfway through baking.
How to make the granola
Combine the butter, flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and vanilla in a food processor (1) and process until finely ground (2).
Put the oats in a large bowl. Add the butter-flour mixture and stir to combine. Add ¾ cup of the maple syrup and oil and stir to coat (3). Transfer the mixture to the a large greased roasting pan, or two baking sheets. (4)
Bake at 350°F. for 45 to 50 minutes, stirring occasionally until golden and crisp. Remove form the oven and let cool.
Make the maple walnuts: In a medium bowl, combine the walnuts and remaining 3 Tbs. maple syrup and toss to coat (5). Spread evenly on a small baking sheet and toast in the oven for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown.
Add the walnuts, dried cherries, and coconut, if using, to the granola and toss to coat.
Recipe Tips
If you like your granola with clumps, here are two ways to help that happen. Press the granola into an even layer before you put it in the oven, then stir it only once halfway through cooking. And you can also press down on the baked granola before it cools and then let is stand until cooled.
Don't over bake the granola. Keep an eye on the granola as it is baking and remove it when it looks lightly toasted, like the color of honey. Also, it will continue to dry as it cools.
Add dried fruit after it bakes. Be sure to add all dried fruits after the granola comes out of the oven. Adding it beforehand will cause it to burn.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can absolutely freeze the granola. Store in it an plastic freezer bag in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
There are many more ingredients that can be added to granola. Some items to consider are dark chocolate chips, orange or lemon zest, chopped crystallized ginger, and other spices like ground cardamom or ginger.
More recipes to try
Comments and ratings
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Maple Walnut Granola with Dried Cherries and Coconut
Ingredients
- 4 Tbs. butter, cold
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 8 cups old-fashioned oats
- ¾ cup maple syrup, plus 3 Tbs.
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 ½ cups walnut pieces
- 3 cups dried cherries, or rasins or cranberries
- 1 cup toasted coconut chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a large roasting pan or two baking sheets.
- In a food processor, combine the butter, flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and vanilla and process until finely ground.
- Put the oats in a large bowl. Add the butter-flour mixture and stir to combine. Add ¾ cup of the maple syrup and the oil and stir to coat.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared pans, spreading evenly and pressing on it with a spatula. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, stirring once, until lightly golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and let cool.
- Meanwhile in a small bowl, combine the walnuts and the remaining maple syrup and stir to coat. Spread the walnuts on a small rimmed baking sheet and bake, stirring occasionally, until golden about 20 minutes. Let cool.
- Add the walnuts, dried cherries, and coconut chips to the granola and toss genlty to coat.
Notes
Nutrition
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Kalia says
Thanks, this came out good. I'll be making it again. might try using honey.