Consider it
Of course, all this is contingent upon my remembering, from week to week, which things I wanted to deposit here. There’s the rub. Sometimes I make a new recipe, and it’s delicious and wonderful and totally worthy, and I mean to tell you about it, really I do, and so I make it again, just to make sure it’s really good, and it is, and so I make it again, and again, and then a breeze whips through the room and I turn around and before I know it, said recipe has been solidly lodged in my repertoire for a year or two, with nary a peep around here. Such is the case with my daily granola. It’s been in heavy rotation for, uh, two years now.
Consider it now deposited.
I’ve been warned that making my own breakfast cereal - and, what’s more, admitting to doing so - places me firmly within the category of Crazy Hippie, but I’m not afraid. I don’t plan to stop anytime soon. For my money, no store-bought granola can compare to the homemade kind. Plus, have you ever sat at the kitchen table while a batch of granola bakes, reading a magazine and taking slow, deep breaths of the toasty, sweetly spiced air rising from the oven? It’s an experience not to be skipped. Especially now, in February, a month I’d like to skip entirely.
I’ve written about a granola recipe before, about three years ago, in fact. For a long time, it was my go-to formula. But then, sometime in late 2005, I picked up a copy of Nigella Lawson’s charming book Feast, and lo and behold, her granola caught my eye. I made it, and then I made it again, and well, you know how it goes. With the exception of a few weeks last fall when I was too busy with my manuscript to bake much of anything, I’ve never let my stash run empty. It’s really that good. To be fair, I’ve tried plenty of others too, including a few recipes floating around the Internet, my uncle’s recipe, and one given to me by a friend’s husband’s mother. Though all were very good, none of them hit the spot quite like Nigella’s. (All apologies, of course, to said uncle, friend’s husband’s mother, etc. Nothing personal.) It’s rich but not fatty, sweet but not cloying, deeply flavored but not fussy. It’s just right.
As granola recipes go, some are simpler and some are more complex, and this one lies squarely in the middle. I love the idea of a bare-bones, just-the-essentials granola - oats, nuts, oil, and a sweetener of some sort - but to my palate, a great granola needs a little more. It needs a variety of nuts and seeds, and maybe a couple of different sweeteners for flavor complexity, and some warm spicing too, like cinnamon and ginger. It may require buying a couple of extra pantry ingredients, but once you’ve got them, you’re set for a while - and for a lot of granola.
Which comes in handy, let me tell you, because as soon as word gets out that you make a fine granola, people will start phoning from across the country, requesting shipments. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Brandon first tasted this granola shortly after we started dating, on one of his visits to Seattle, and it wasn’t long before I was packing the stuff in a cardboard box and shipping it to him in New York. I’ve also sent some to my mother in Oklahoma. Brandon’s mother first tasted it this past summer, when she stayed with us for a few days before the wedding, and she too has since called to request a special delivery. I haven’t yet filled her order - and may have thus totally missed my shot at Daughter-in-Law of the Year - but between you and me, I’ve got my eye on Mother’s Day.
Consider it done.
Daily Granola
Adapted from Nigella Lawson’s Feast
The recipe that follows is the way I’ve come to use Nigella’s recipe. Of course, tweak as you will. For example, feel free to use whatever type of nut you like best - just one, or a variety. You could add some flax seeds, if you like, or some shredded coconut. If you like your granola with dried fruit, go ahead and add some - but after baking, not before. And about the applesauce: I like to buy it in those single-serving cups, the kind made to go in kids’ lunchboxes. I used to buy it in bigger glass jars, but I found that it started to go moldy before I could use it all. The smaller containers are very handy that way; there’s less waste.
Finally, I highly recommend eating this granola with plain soy milk. I like it with plain yogurt or regular milk too, but soy milk is especially good. This granola also mixes nicely with other cereals, like this one, and this one.
Dry ingredients:
5 cups rolled oats
2 to 3 cups raw almonds or pecan halves, or a mixture
1 cup hulled raw sunflower seeds
¾ cup sesame seeds
¾ cup light brown sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. salt
Wet ingredients:
¾ cup unsweetened apple sauce
1/3 cup brown rice syrup
¼ cup honey
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, such as canola or safflower
Set racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat the oven to 300°F.
In a large bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients. Stir to mix well. In a small bowl, combine all of the wet ingredients. Stir to mix well. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ones, and stir well.
Spread the mixture evenly on two rimmed baking sheets. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until evenly golden brown. Set a timer to go off every ten minutes while the granola bakes, so you can rotate the pans and give the granola a good stir; this helps it to cook evenly. When it’s ready, remove the pans from the oven, stir well – this will keep it from cooling into a hard, solid sheet – and set aside to cool. The finished granola may still feel slightly soft when it comes out of the oven, but it will crisp as it cools.
Scoop cooled granola into to a large zipper-lock plastic bag or other airtight container. Store in the refrigerator indefinitely.
Yield: about 10 cups
64 Comments:
sounds good. I'm intrigued by the mix of sweeteners. Will definitely give it a shot!
Thanks for posting the recipe....best snack food around. Looking forward to sharing this one with my sister.
This is fantastic. I was just thinking this week that I would love a good recipe for homemade granola. Must be February. I love the idea of shipping it to beloved people as well. I'm making it this weekend.
The fact that there's ginger in there makes me want to go home and bake some right now. The smell of ginger wafting from the oven just seems to make february okay.
I'm in the middle of cooking up a bunch of thank you gifts for professors who gave me recommendations...not to stereotype, but one is in the philosophy department and would *love* some homemade granola.
She'll just have to settle for dorm-made, unfortunately.
That sounds tasty. Where would you find brown rice syrup?
I completely agree about homemade granola. Once you make it, it's hard to go back to store bought. I make my own when it gets warm out and I go back to cold cereal. For now, I'm still trying to stay warm with hot oatmeal!
And I love the picture looking down on the table. It looks so high up, like you were on the ceiling taking it! ; )
I've made this recipe twice and love it. I use barley malt syrup instead of brown rice because I happened to have some bought for a different recipe.
How funny! I too have been on a granola kick lately. My last batch was filled with toasty salted almonds and loads of dried fruit. I can't wait to try this recipe. Thanks Molly for another winner!!
Ooooh, I have been on the hunt for a homemade granola recipe, I will have to try this. Would you call it crunchy/crispy or chewy?
I love Nigella's books, and show, and can't wait to try this recipe. My daughter will love me when I send some of this to her dorm. She's eaten enough Kashi to buy the company! Oh yeah, what is brown rice syrup and where can I get it?
oooh Molly, for the last few weeks I haven't been able to stop thinking about granola and museli. I'm one of those people who always 'forget' to eat breakfast! I will have to try this, thank you :)
What a great idea using spices in your granola. I usually just roast oats and a variety of seeds on a dry pan. With rolled oats, fresh fruit/sultanas and milk that's the way to start off for me. I'll definately give yours a try on a week end, though. Smells of lazy sundays, I think!
That sounds so yummy. I haven't seen brown rice syrup before, but I have heard about it. Is there anything else I could substitute if I can't find it?
Lovely writer--
I feel that we are friends in our understanding of "this tastes good with this," and "how about this clever story with plenty of details" and "I use my favorite words often and so should you." Even if you don't know me. Your blog is a delight.
Also, I've never used walnut oil, but you seem to use it liberally in your recipes--would you recommend it in this granola recipe? And why or why not? (For the sake of learning, not argument--I trust your opinion.)
Thanks so much. You deserve any blog award for which you are nominated this year.
Sounds very yummy. I love the homemade part :-) I may consider making it for my husband.
Lovely! I recently made bircher-müesli for breakfast, and decided to give all home-made müeslis and granolas a go :)
I've got a same question about rice syrup - any alternatives?
i just wanted to echo the questions about brown rice syrup. in my little corner of France i have a hard enough time finding plain brown rice let alone a syrup. are there any other alternatives that aren't too "out there"?
i was afraid
of the
crazy hippie
label
but
you've convinced me.
i'll do it.
i'll make
my own
granola.
but dammit
i ain't
wearing
birkenstocks.
I have been exploring different granola recipes lately. It seems like evry member of my family likes something different so everyone is always asking for this or that... I will definitely try this one. I love your writing!
Your granola sounds delish but how can you even think about such healthy breakfast fare on Pancake Day?
I'm too dazzled by thoughts of Lyle's golden syrup oozing down the sides of a stack of fluffy pancakes to focus on anything as wholesome and responsible as granola. ; )
i always love trying granola recipes. the smell in the kitchen is heavenly when baking. and i think i know a little someone who is far far away who might appreciate this one. xox
You're dead on re. the smell of baking granola. My mom did all those post-hippie cooking things in the 80s--honey whole wheat bread and oatmeal cookies baked every tuesday, etc.--and she always made wonderful simple granola and kept it in a tupperware in the cupboard. My dad and I used to heat ours with milk in the microwave for instant hot cereal in the winter. Or we'd have it with plain Nancy's yogurt and honey. My favorite was eating it hot off the baking sheet, though. She still sends it to her bachelor brother as part of his birthday box. Thanks for sparking the memory...My husband loves granola and I really should make a batch.
I've been meaning to try homemade granola-- thank you for the recipe. Speaking of hippie breakfast foods, I made cranberry museli a few weeks ago and it was really good. You should try it!
How uncanny that everyone, myself included, seems to be thinking granola all of a sudden. I somehow managed to leave it out of my diet for quite a while, and just recently went on the hunt for a good recipe. Orangette to the rescue! I can't wait to try it. I think I might add raisins and chopped dates to mine.
irony of ironies: i sit here, reading your post, eating my breakfast of yogurt and my own granola, having just poured the last little bit into my bowl, leaving an empty jug waiting to be re-filled. i suppose it's fate, then, and i'll have to try this recipe today instead of the usual. i'm never sorry when i try your recipes, molly. never, ever. off to the market.
We have been making and tweaking homemade granola for the past few weeks. My boyfriends biggest gripe is that there are no clumps. he likes the clumps!! Does your mix of wet ingredients help that? Or do you find that it is still just a mixture of baked oats and nuts?
I was just going to make some stove-top granola today, but I think I'll try some of this instead!
isn't that funny - I've never even thought about making my own granola, even though I've become quite the granola addict lately. Thanks for sharing this recipe - I'll be testing it soon!
I never know how to eat granola because it always feels so messy to just pick up and eat. This recipes does sound great though. Do you make bars out of it?
I can't believe I've been so close to homemade granola and didn't even know it! I have (almost) everything in my cupboards to make it right now, imagine that! You write beautifully, I really liked this post :)
I just made granola last night, and now you go posting a recipe that I'll have to wait a whole week to try! Seriously, though, making my own granola has totally changed my breakfast world. I really look forward to it each morning, even the super-sour Nancy's plain yogurt! Can't wait to try yours.
ooh-- I'm excited. I've been playing around with making homemade chewy granola bars as part of my ploy to eliminate as much high fructose corn syrup from my diet as possible-- alton brown has a good starting place. but i do love crunchy granola in yogurt so i will try this soon!
I love that cookbook. I had foot surgery 2 months ago and for the first week I was laid up in bed reading Feast and Nigella Express. Definitely made the time go by faster!
Well, goodnight! I had no idea so many of you would be pro-granola! I worried that I was all alone in the Crazy Hippie camp. So glad to have company. Phew.
To respond to your questions:
Many of you asked about brown rice syrup, so here is an explanation of what it is. I had not used it much prior to this granola recipe, but I've found that it has a lovely, caramelly flavor that really adds depth. If you live near a Whole Foods or other natural/gourmet market, you should be able to find it easily there, on the aisle with the baking ingredients. (Or near the maple syrup.) Here in Seattle, I can also find it in more ordinary markets like Ballard Market. This is the brand I usually use. But if you live outside the U.S., I understand that it might be harder to find. If you can get British golden syrup, that works nicely as a substitute. (I've used it a few times, when I found a jar of it lurking in the back of our pantry.) Or as arb, above, mentioned, you can use barley malt syrup too. Heck, you could probably even use maple syrup; it's just that the flavor will be slightly different.
Laura, I'd put this granola in the crunchy/crispy category. Just right for eating on its own or with milk.
Thanks so much for your sweet words, Cayla. I'm blushing! As for the walnut oil, though, I wonder if you have me confused with someone else? I've only posted one recipe, I think, that used walnut oil. I do like it very much, though, especially in vinaigrettes and in cakes. But I wouldn't recommend using it in this recipe. It's flavor would be lost, I'm afraid. I would save it for dishes where its flavor can really shine.
Anne, I usually like my granola on the less clumpy side, but this recipe can definitely be "clumpified" for your boyfriend. Here's how to maximize the clump factor: when the fully baked granola comes out of the oven, don't give it that final stir I suggested in my directions. Just pull it out of the oven and let it cool. It will cool into more of a solid sheet, which you can break up into clumps. Ta daaaa!
Hillary, you know, I haven't ever tried making granola bars. Not sure why! I used to love them as a kid, but I guess I sort of forgot about them...
This looks fantastic. I haven't liked any boxed varieties...Whole Foods makes a nice Vanilla Crunch that I buy now and then. My daughter, who loves "granoma", will enjoy making this with me, I bet. This has me thinking of other wintry items that make the house smell nice...apple crisp, warm apple cider, bacon...I digress.
As long as you are going through the effort of making your own granola, you could also make your own very small batch of apple sauce to go in. Just chop up a couple apples, put a bit of water in the pan and simmer away until the apples are soft enough to mush.
I love Feast because it's the kind of cookbook that I know yours will be -- filled with stories, anecdotes, and shiny gems of hmmm, I never knew that. I haven't tried this granola recipe and now can't imagine why not. Sounds delightful.
Molly, I think this essay might rank among your best! It was absolutely lovely. I was just gathering up the ingredients to try your other granola, the Rancho La Puerta recipe, but now I feel torn! Oh, what a dilemma. I suppose I'll just have to make both. It's a rough, rough life I lead.
I absolutely love the idea of a food blog as an Official Repository of Good Stuff. I think my blog does the same for me. There's something about writing down these thoughts that somehow makes living itself more poignant, more meaningful, and therefore more deeply felt. I feel more like myself now that I've started writing seriously, even if the only people who read it are my friends!
Happy granola-making!
You've read my mind! I searched your site for a granola recipe weeks ago, and in the comments Nigella's Feast came up. I have been carrying the recipe in my purse in case I go to the health food store and find a good deal on sesame seeds - boy those things are pricey! Can't wait to finally try it.
I feel I must object to your statement that using individual packages of applesauce will create less waste; that's certainly true in that there will be less waste of *applesauce*, but individual packaging is a large waste of its own packing components (plastic, foil, paper). Just remember to recycle, is I suppose what I mean to say!
Don't rush past February!! Its my favorite month... the possibility of spring beginning, valentine's day and all the pink that comes with it, my birthday and its just cool that it has either 28 or 29 days.
A note about adding flax seeds whole. Apparently they just get flushed through your system whole so the benefits are only obtainable through ground flax seeds or the oil, and the most health benefits are available immediately after grinding, so don't buy the store stuff but use a coffee grinder (or spice grinder).
I went to school at the University of Puget Sound, so I have a fondness for Crazy Hippies. I'm one myself ;)
Love your blog,
Karolyn who relocated TO San Francisco (opposites!)
discovering how easy and rewarding it was to make granola at home was a revelation. since you're on a granola-as-gift kick, might i offer a suggestion? it looks especially pretty in those old-fashioned wire-bail jars -- might give you a few extra points in the race for daughter (in-law) of the year!
i have a small grouping of recipes amongst my clippings that include granola, but haven't tried a single one yet! this one may push me over into homemade granola territory though.. thank you, molly!
well I just arrive...
I love this recipe too - and can testify to its popularity as well. My parents, parents-in-law and sister-in-law are all converts!
In the UK, I can get Brown Rice Syrup from a wholefoods store (Bushwacker in Hammersmith) or from Whole Foods itself (in Kensington). I have also substituted Golden Syrup successfully, although it's a bit sweet then (so you might want to lower the sugar), and not as crispy. For the apple sauce, I cook a big batch of Bramleys into unsweetened sauce and freeze it in little bags just for this recipe (175g).
i totally embrace the hippie moniker.
i have nigella's "feast" but i recently came into a boatload of cookbooks all at once and haven't yet flipped through that one, though it looks lovely. i think i'll be making this granola this weekend (and reading the book) with the flavors of my favorite oatmeal. plus, now i have something to do with the jar of lyle's golden syrup that's been sitting in the pantry. yum!
I just discovered your blog -- what a treat! I have to say, I'll be adding one more person to your bunch of crazy hippies; you're not alone! I've been making homemade granola for while (when we first started dating, my partner thought I was totally nuts -- but I'm not afraid of being nuts about good food).
I've made it with a combination of honey and maple syrup (which does work if one can't find brown rice syrup), although now that I live outside the US, I have a hard time finding maple syrup and most other sweeteners that I like! I'll definetly be adding ginger to my next batch.
Hi Molly - just found your blog and love it! I have what is probably a silly question, though - I have a small daughter with food allergies (she's allergic to egg and we've been told to keep her away from tree nuts until she's 4 just in case), but I've always loved and used to make my own granola. What would you substitute for the nuts? Would you just add more seeds and call it good? We're just adjusting to the challenges of food allergies so creative ideas would be hugely welcome. Thanks!
If you are into granola, I would definitely recommend Nigella's recipe for granola breakfast bars, from the Nigella Express cookbook (pg 94). Also very addictive... You may also want to check out a recipe for Vanilla Almond Granola on 'everybody loves sandwiches' blog. It won't disappoint...and currently I'm addicted to it.
I too LOVE this recipe! Thanks for reminding me of it I haven't made it for a while...in part because when I have made it, it's disappeared rather quickly!
Mmm, can't wait to try it. :)
for those of you who like nigella's recent books. be sure not to overlook her first; the absolutely splendid "How to Eat."
Great article in March's Bon Appetit. Please clarify yeast measurement so I can try this wonderful sounding recipe. The recipe calls from 2 1/4 t yeast (from 2 envelopes yeast) Doesn't one envelope hold 2 1/4 t?
I've been making this granola for a couple of months and it is now a standby. My favorite addition is dried cherries, and I find that leaving out the sunflower seeds is just fine, but I really need the sesame seeds. Also, avoid using dark pans! And I SO agree that soymilk is delicious with this. I use unsweetened and it's the perfect sort of sweet but not too sweet bowl of breakfast.
Thank you for so many thoughtful comments, guys. Three cheers for granola, huh?
Delilah, thanks for the nudge about homemade applesauce. Good thinking! I do love making applesauce, but if you'd believe it, I had never thought to make it for my granola. Sheesh.
You're right, Christina. Using small containers of applesauce isn't less wasteful from a packaging standpoint. I do always recycle, though, and I certainly would encourage everyone to the same...
Karolyn, thank you for that information about flax seeds! I once read the very same thing but had completely forgotten.
Tannaz, I love the look of those jars! Yes yes yes. Thanks so much for the suggestion.
Cath, you know, I think this granola would still be plenty wonderful without the nuts. I'd just leave them out and instead bump up the amount of seeds (especially sunflower). You could also try adding other seeds - maybe pumpkin seed? I hope that helps...
Aunto, thank you so much for calling that typo to my attention! Yes, one packet of yeast does contain about 2 1/4 (or 2 1/2) teaspoons. The recipe should read "2 1/4 teaspoons rapid-rise yeast (from 1 envelope yeast)", NOT "(from 2 envelopes yeast)."
Dana - don't you know Lyle's Golden Syrup makes the best granola? you can have the best of both worlds!
Funny, I posted a granola recipe today too. Must be a February thing. And Nigella's is fab... I stash some in my gym bag to deflect that nasty vending machine!
so so with you on february. this seems like just the thing... there is nothing like your own homemade cereal! for the past couple of months i have been addicted to muesli + yogurt in the morning... the muesli is just so satisfying and i love mixing it up with tons of different grains + nuts + fruits. i love the idea of something sweet + spicy too. xo
speaking of things I always mean to do... I have been meaning to leave congrats for you... every new issue of Bon Appetit brings a big smile to my face to see your name in print. I have loved your blog since first I set eyes on your gorgeous pictures and ethereal prose... so to see this magazine that I already love, go and include another wonderful feature, breathtaking.
Congratulations!
oh my goodness, so many folks in here :)
thank you for the granola recipe, molly! i've been making my own for a very long time (there is just nothing better with fruit and yoghurt) and i felt up for a slight change for a while :) i'm very pro granola :) always:)
So here I sit, catching up on my favorite blogs, breathing deep the lovely sweet scent of my own granola cooling on the kitchen counter. Its just so appropriate that your recipe would be the post of the day - love the ironic connection!
And no joke, people WILL be calling from all over the states for care packages involving mostly granola (and maybe some cookies too) as soon as the word gets out that you have a fabulous recipe.
As soon as I eat through this current batch, I think I will try yours out - I have come to trust your recipes and the addition of brown rice syrup is very appealing!
Thanks for yet another wonderful post, Molly!
thanks for the recipe!
I am going to join the "crazy hippie" ranks and try it myself. :-)
Hi Molly. I've been on a homemade granola kick lately, but my other recipe uses butter, so I was happy to have your more healthy version. I've been eating "your" granola for the last few mornings, with rice milk or with yogurt. I LOVE the cinnamon, ginger, and brown sugar flavors mixing with the toasty, nutty flavors of the sesame seeds and sunflowers. I haven't tried it yet, but I bet this recipe would be great mixed with dried apples or pears. --Your Ballard friend
this recipe intrigued me so much that i just came home from whole foods with the ingredients not already in my pantry. and i have never ever felt compelled to eat or make granola in my life. i know, i know!
a quick question though. i was thinking of mailing out packages of this granola to friends as a little valentine's day package (a healthier alternative to loads of chocolate...may make people feel better after their inevitable candy gorge ;)). i've never mailed food of any kind before, so how would you suggest packing them to keep maximum freshness? also i have at least one friend overseas that i want to mail to...do you think that would require a little extra packing?
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