Granola is a great on-the-go treat and something that makes for a wonderful pick-me-up at any time of the day. Packed with fiber, iron, heart-healthy unsaturated fats, and protein, it’s guaranteed to satisfy and keep hunger at bay. Even better is the fact that this granola is not only simple and easy to make but you can customize it to your taste!
Today we’re going to be making an oatmeal raisin granola whose flavors are spot on to the cookie!
We’ll begin by making the base granola recipe using some old-fashioned rolled oats, maple syrup, coconut oil (though it’s hardened in the picture we’ll melt it before using), salt and chia seeds. The chia seeds are amazing at helping your granola clump since it essentially acts as a binder. If you choose to omit them I would recommend reducing the amount of liquid (maple syrup and coconut oil) you add.
Though oats are naturally gluten-free, if you have a gluten sensitivity you’ll want to be sure you use one that’s made and processed in a gluten-free factory (it should state on the label if it is or not).
In a bowl we’ll combine all ingredients for our base and allow the mixture to sit for 10-15 minutes so that the chia seeds can begin absorbing some of the liquid of the maple syrup and melted coconut oil. This is important in aiding the clumping of our granola.
To the base recipe we’re going to gather the key ingredients that will make it distinctly “oatmeal raisin cookie-like”. These ingredients are nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and of course, raisins.
We’ll set the raisins aside for now. To the base recipe we’ll add in our spices and flavorings and then spread the mixture onto a prepared tray lined with parchment paper.
Into a preheated oven it goes where it will bake until golden brown and toasted (we’ll mix it up half-way through).
Once it comes out, (it will still be loose and sticky) we’ll add the raisins to it and tamp them in. The raisins are added after baking since baking would cause them to swell and burn 😬 We definitely don’t want that!
Once the raisins are pressed into the top of the still hot granola we’ll leave it alone to cool. It helps if you pop the tray into the refrigerator after it’s partially cooled to allow it to chill and set.
Finally, the last step is to break the granola up into clumps of your preferred size.
That’s really all it takes to bring this delicious recipe together! As for how you can enjoy it, it’s great as a cereal (think Honey Bunches of Oats with just the Bunches!!), as a topping for yogurt, in a parfait, with fresh fruit, or just by itself!
Clean and Easy Oatmeal Raisin Granola
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup coconut oil
- 1/2 tsp Himalayan salt
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup raisins
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F (149°C).
- In a large bowl, combine the oats, chia seeds, and salt. Add the maple syrup, and melted coconut oil and mix until all the oats are coated and the chia seeds are coated.
- Allow the mixture to sit for 10-15 minutes so that the chia seeds can begin to absorb some of the liquid. This helps with the clumping of the granola.
- Add the nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla, and mix until all the spices are evenly distributed.
- Spread the granola onto a parchment-lined sheet pan and bake for 20-30 minutes, being sure to mix and turn the granola after 10 minutes to ensure that it is all cooking evenly. When done, the oats should be golden brown and toasted (but not burned!)
- Remove from the oven. The granola will still be loose and sticky at this point, that's normal. Use this time to press the raisins into the oats and tamp it all down to make it more compact (this helps with the clumping as it will harden as it cools).
- Allow the granola to cool without disturbing it.
- Once it is completely cooled, break the pieces into chunks of your preferred size.
- Store in an airtight container or ziplock bag for up to two weeks.
Notes
- Slightly reducing the cook time results in a soft, moist and almost chewy granola. Note that this is perfectly fine (and delicious!) but it will not clump together.
- You can speed up the granola's cooling process by placing the partially cooled tray into the refrigerator and chilling it.
- If you find that your granola isn't clumping together but is brittle and breaking apart you can try two things: 1. allow your base mixture with your chia seeds to sit for a longer period of time since it does take time for them to absorb liquids and bind. 2. Right out of the oven, firmly tamp and compress the granola together to bind it so that when it cools it will harden into a more compact piece. Alternatively, you can separate and compress the hot granola into individual bite-sized clumps before they cool (use a spoon so that you don't burn yourself) that way when they cool they are already formed into chunks.
