Homemade Granola Cereal

This is a super simple recipe that makes awesome granola cereal, and then you can jazz it up with all kinds of extras. This tastes way better than any granola I have ever bought. I might be slightly addicted. It's also cheaper than store bought and very healthy, with no corn syrup or preservatives. It can be easily made gluten free (use GF oats). It takes less than 5 minutes to mix it up and then it bakes. 

1/2 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons flax meal (optional)
1 cup sliced almonds
3 cups rolled oats

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt the coconut oil and stir in the honey and maple syrup until well mixed.

(You can use all honey or all maple syrup, but a 50/50 combination seems to get the right flavor and texture. Honey tends to make it chewier and maple syrup tends to make it crunchier. Plus, honey has a more intense flavor, so I find the taste more balanced with half honey and half maple syrup.)

Add the salt, cinnamon, and flax meal. Stir in the almonds and oats until all are coated evenly. Spread on the parchment paper and bake about 20 minutes, stirring halfway. Remove the pan from the oven and gently stir again, then let it cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

For extra flavor, you can mix in all kinds of things like extra nuts (walnuts, peanuts, pecans, almonds, brazil nuts, etc), dried fruit (cranberries, blueberries, apples, cherries, apricots, raisins, dates, pineapple, and more), shredded coconut, or chocolate chips. I prefer to add extras when eating rather than stored in the granola itself. That way, everyone can choose the mix they like best. It also prevents the moisture in dried fruit from turning the granola stale or sticky.

There are so many ways to enjoy this. Bon appetit!

Note: This lower picture is a double batch, just out of the oven. The upper picture has dried cranberries added. That's my favorite version so far.