Make Ahead
Toasty Coconut Granola
- Makes 7 cups or so
Author Notes
I feel rather presumptuous writing up yet another granola recipe-the world hardly needs another permutation of oats+nuts+seeds+what-have-you. When I make granola, I tend to use a little of this, a little of that, based on what I have in the house, and I don't fret over whether I've correctly measured the almonds or roasted the mixture for exactly half an hour, and I bet many of you have a similar approach to granola-making. But this formula, which I had the good luck to write down as I was making it, is my absolute favorite version of my what's-in-the-pantry-today homemade granola, so I decided to add my two cents to the great body of internet literature on sweet, crunchy, breakfast foods.
Why is this the best granola I've ever made? I can tell you with great confidence that it is the coconut that makes this stuff so addictive. I baked it to a deep golden color, and the resulting toasted coconut flakes were more delicious than coconut flakes had any right to be. The coconut oil lends a faint nuttiness to the grain flakes, bringing it all together nicely.
I don't add any dried fruit to the granola directly (I find it makes it soggy if I store it with fruit mixed in), but I like it best of all with dried cherries and some tart plain yogurt. —summersavory
Ingredients
-
3 cups
rolled oats (the thicker the better. I like Bob's Red Mill.)
-
1 cup
rolled rye
-
2 tablespoons
sesame seeds
-
1 cup
flaked unsweetened coconut (again, Bob's Red Mill is good for this.)
-
1/2 cup
chopped almonds
-
3/4 cup
chopped pecans
-
Pinch
kosher salt (to taste, really)
-
Dash
ground ginger and cinnamon
-
1/2 cup
coconut oil and olive oil (I fill a half-cup measure with chunks of solid coconut oil, then pour in olive oil to fill the gaps)
-
1/2 cup
honey
-
2 tablespoons
brown sugar (optional, if you like your granola on the sweeter side)
Directions
- Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Warm the oils and the honey and sugar (if using) together in a small pot until the honey ceases to be viscous and the mixture is pourable. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and stir until everything is coated.
- Spread the granola out on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 300 F for about an hour, stirring around every 10 minutes (make sure the stuff near the edges rotates to the center). It will get very toasty-let it! So much good flavor comes from not being afraid to allow the granola to edge close to burnt. That said, if it's actually turning to carbon, take it out or turn down your oven. Ovens do vary, and mine may be cooler than yours. When it's deeply golden, it's done. Take it out, let it cool completely, and store it in airtight containers (mason jars work excellently well).
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