Recipes: Maple Spice Granola

Posted by Claire Ragozzino

This is my tried-and-true granola recipe. It’s versatile and easy to modify flavor combinations using a variety of fruits and nuts to shift the seasonal focus – think chocolate/cherry, banana/walnut, coconut/apricot and more. This holiday variety uses warming spices and mix of fresh apples and dried cherries, it has a bit of fruitcake quality with it’s cinnamon, citrus, ginger and fruit combo.

Both of these recipes – the chai mix and granola – are easiest stored and gifted in mason jars. Wrapped simply with ribbon and hanging tags of listed ingredients + serving instructions, these are quick to make and share. You can even include a freshly made bottle of sprouted almond milk for a complete ready-to-enjoy package for both. Wishing you blessed holiday celebrations and a cozy winter solstice! 

MAPLE SPICE GRANOLA

4 cups gluten-free rolled oats
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup sliced almonds
½ cup whole flax seeds
2 apples, cored & diced
1 cup dried cherries
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground clove
1 tbsp sea salt
1 cup maple syrup
½ cup olive oil
2 tbsp vanilla extract (or 1 whole vanilla bean, scraped)
2 tbsp lemon zest

Preheat the oven to 300F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, nuts, seeds, fruit and dried spices.

In a small pot, combine the maple syrup, vanilla, olive oil and lemon zest. Heat lightly on low to combine, never letting this reach near a boil. Remove from heat and add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients. Stir thoroughly to combine. Turn the granola out onto your prepared pans and use a large spoon to spread it in an even layer.

To make the perfect clumping granola, bake for 30 minutes rotating once halfway through. Resist the urge to stir! To avoid burning, it’s important that the temperature of the oven is low between 275 – 300F. Remove once lightly golden and crispy, let cool completely before breaking it into clusters.

Makes 4 quart-size jars of granola