Nekisia Davis' Olive Oil and Maple Granola
Granola!
How wholesome do you feel right now?
The secret to this recipe and its addictive, shaggy crust is a trifecta or maple syrup (any grade)...
... olive oil (much better than dowdy old vegetable oil) ...
... and salt.
Making granola = stirring.
Stirring phase 1 complete -- onto your baking sheet! (Tip: it's pretty good even at this stage. Give it a taste.)
Your granola will probably be stacked up on itself in a thick layer, but it will bake evenly anyway (that is, if you remember to stir). To the oven!
Once your granola is baking, you can wash these dishes!
After about 30 minutes, with a few stirs in between, here's what it looks like -- it's starting to get dry, but it could be a little toastier.
Ideal toastiness achieved. Add a bit more salt here -- it'll stick to the warm glaze.
Ready for one last stir.
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Author Notes: This recipe, adapted very slightly from Early Bird Foods' best-selling Farmhand's Choice Granola, is like muesli after a vampy makeover. Olive oil, maple, brown sugar and coarse salt form a rich, shaggy crust on wholesome innards like oats, pecans, and coconut shards. - Genius Recipes
Makes about 7 cups
- 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds, hulled
- 1 cup raw sunflower seeds, hulled
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut chips
- 1 1/4 cup raw pecans, left whole or coarsely chopped
- 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
- Coarse salt
- Heat oven to 300 degrees.
- Place oats, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, coconut, pecans, syrup, olive oil, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and mix until well combined. Spread granola mixture in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Transfer to oven and bake, stirring every 10-15 minutes, until granola is toasted, about 45 minutes.
- Remove granola from oven and season with more salt to taste. Let cool completely before serving or storing in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
- This recipe is a Community Pick!
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7 days ago learnoff
I love this recipe! I double the ingredients through the nuts and then keep the rest of the ingredients the same - this way using far less oil and sugar. It still tastes awesome!
17 days ago em-i-lis
Emily is a trusted source on General Cooking.
Wow! Unreal! I subbed some dried cherries for the coconut and am now officially obsessed!
18 days ago dymnyno
My own favorite granola recipe is very very similar to this except that I add a larger variety of tree nuts and sometimes throw in dried cranberries and raisons. I have been making it for many years and Freddy still loves it every morning. I originally posted it on food52 almost 4 years ago.
18 days ago cookbookchick
I just checked yours out, d. It sounds wonderful! My granola, whatever recipe I base it on, depends on what's in my pantry. Have you ever tried adding salt as Nekisia does? I think that's what takes this recipe to the next level.
18 days ago dymnyno
I have added salt, but my husband is always trying to eliminate as much salt as possible from his diet. I use it myself on a bowl to bowl basis.
18 days ago cookbookchick
Ah! I'm with you on the nuts and dried cranberries, btw. I happen to think that pretty much anything's better with a lot of nuts!
23 days ago Mary Dene
I just made this and it was a HOME RUN!!!!!!
28 days ago rebecca22
Just made this for snacking on to get me through finals week....hopefully it will last through the weekend! Delish! I added dried cranberries to my batch at the end....sweet, salty, tart, crunch, and chewy....oh my!
about 1 month ago Richard Vignola
Best granola ever! I substituted olive oil for coconut oil for an even more awesome taste, also use mixed raw nuts instead of just pecans... Mmmmmm.
about 1 month ago Barbara Abeille
For those people who find it too sweet, they may not be using pure maple syrup (from a health food store or Whole Foods) and also a brown sugar from a health food store that is not usually as sweet as the pre-packaged ones.
about 1 month ago Barbara Abeille
This is the most fabulous granola recipe. I have been making it in big quantities for over a year now - my daughters are addicted and I love giving some to friends. I usually add flax seeds & quinoa flakes also. It is a real gem and I love Food 52 because of it.
2 months ago EmilyC
This is so unbelievably awesome! I'm kicking myself for not having made it sooner!
2 months ago lovetocookandeat
I made three batches for my children's teachers and one batch for home. This is scrump-tious! I've always been a fan of the combination of maple syrup and brown sugar, and when paired with olive oil in granola, the result is unequivacally delicious! I think the people who think the granola is too sweet may not be adding salt as indicated in the recipe. This is truly every bit as delicious as (but much more healthful than) caramel corn.
2 months ago daisybrain
I know I'm adding the salt. Big flaky Maldon sea salt. I still found it too sweet with both the syrup and the brown sugar. I have been making it regularly with just the maple syrup (not even all that the recipe calls for) and loving it. Maybe if I cut each sweetener in half it would be better. All I know is that it hasn't been anything but scrumptious.
3 months ago Deborah Dana
Really loved this recipe. Its a great snack to have at home.
4 months ago rlsalvati
I've been making this recipe regularly--or religiously--for months. This granola was in the gift baskets we gave out over the holidays, pretty much everyone begged for the recipe. I have it for breakfast almost every morning in the warmer months (I switch to overnight oatmeal in the winter). I do cut down the sugar and maple syrup for our in-house consumption, but stick with the full recipe for gifts. I vary the nuts and seeds according to what we have on hand, but always stick with the maple syrup/salt/olive oil combination. My biggest recipe modification is using my slow cooker rather than baking the granola in the oven--one thing I'm really good at is burning granola in my oven. This granola is yummy, yummy, yummy.
4 months ago Meglion
This might be my granola Holy Grail. It was so straightforward to make,and it is just delicious. I love how the low-and-slow baking makes it really crunchy, and olive oil instead of butter makes me at least feel like I'm eating something healthier. I look forward to experimenting, but as-is, this recipe is phenomenal.
4 months ago DBoldt
Great snacking granola, but I think my favorite may be the much simpler--and more cost effective--recipe for muesli from Susan Feniger's partner at Street:
2 cups rolled oats, 1.5 cups puffed millet, 1 cup raw sunflower seeds, 1 cup whole almonds (roughly chopped), 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. kosher salt (this is key), 1/4 c. flax seeds, 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/2 cup neutral oil. Toss ingredients together and scoop onto lightly oiled sheet pans. Toast at 325 degrees for about 10 minutes. Let cool, then add 1 cup currants and 1 cup chopped dates.
6 months ago Honeylishuss
Just like everyone else i have played with the recipe. I used hazelnut oil, added buckinis and quinoa
7 months ago linda stojak
I love this granola! I've made it 5 times now! Its great to give as a gift and my family loves it. I've found that adding cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and ginger give it a great fall flavor. Its so easy and delicious I can't stop eating it!!
8 months ago SpaCook
Very tasty. I agree with many of the comments that it's sweet, but I don't find it cloying. I am hesitant to alter the recipe, as the genius recipes are generally just too good to mess with. And I think the flavors are very well balanced as they are. The best alternative is to use this as a sprinkle for yogurt rather than to eat it by the bowlful!
8 months ago daisybrain
All I did was eliminate the brown sugear. It didn't really do anything to the texture or overall flavor. It is just less sweet. Of course, if you like it the way it is then you keep it up.
8 months ago daisybrain
All I did was eliminate the brown sugear. It didn't really do anything to the texture or overall flavor. It is just less sweet. Of course, if you like it the way it is then you keep it up.
8 months ago SpaCook
Thanks, I will make that adjustment next time!
8 months ago SpaCook
Thanks, I will make that adjustment next time!
12 months ago suzgab
I just made this after a trip to Whole Foods with that great bulk food wall. I decided to make half a recipe, adding a touch of cinnamon and cardamom. I also subbed half of the maple syrup for a organic maple/agave blend, so I wouldn't have so two open syrup bottles, and used Himalayan pink salt instead of kosher salt. I wound up throwing in the other 1.5 cups of oats and a little more salt because it seemed a bit wet and sweet.
Outstanding flavor, easy to make and not to expensive considering it's all organic. It's not clumpy, perhaps since I used less liquid, and it's perfectly sweet for me, although I admit I don't eat much sugar so everything tastes sweet to me.
12 months ago Phrynosoma
This is truly addictive granola. I added a handful of flax seed and some vanilla. It's absolutely delicious with its crunchy texture and balance of salt, savory, and sweetness.
about 1 year ago Beautiful, Memorable Food
Made it for the second time- this time subbing salted pistachios for the sunflower seeds and a beautiful meyer lemon scented olive oil. Can it keep getting better?
11 months ago MicronCat
Oh yeah, infused olive oil!!! We just got a new store here and all they sell is various types of olive oils and balsamic vinegars and complementary accouterments. I got a lemon olive oil from them, and it is OUTSTANDING.