a granola for all seasons

One of my earliest kitchen memories is the smell of the warm, oaty, honeyed clumps of granola that my mother allowed my to stir–carefully, with a wooden spoon–as I stood on a chair to reach the golden mixture on a high rack in the upper part of her double oven. Though I no longer use her recipe, some twenty-odd years later I still find comfort in the sweet, nutty scent that wafts through my apartment when I make this.

I’ve experimented with different flavor combinations and tweaked granola recipes numerous times over the last couple of years. Cardamom, tart cherry concentrate, golden syrup, dried coconut, freeze-dried strawberries have all made appearances in different versions, but the one I never tire of is simple and hearty, sweetened with maple syrup, flavored with vanilla extract and a hint of decadent coconut oil, and hit with just enough of a salty edge to wake up sleepy tastebuds.

A bowl of this, topped with skim milk alongside a cup of coffee keeps me going until lunch. I have yet to discover a more satisfying weekday breakfast.

Maple-Vanilla Nut Granola

Granola recipes are by nature infinitely malleable. Just about everything here apart from the oats and some liquid sweetening agent to glue everything together is optional. The nuts I use vary depending on what I have on hand, but the ratio of nuts and seeds to oats and liquid stays roughly the same. I always use grade B maple syrup here for its rich and distinct maple flavor. You may omit the coconut oil if you wish to avoid adding more saturated fat or simply don’t want to make a trip to the store for a specialty ingredient; it will still taste good (just not quite as good).

10 cups rolled oats
1 1/3 cups sliced almonds
2/3 cup walnut pieces
2/3 cup chopped cashews
1 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups maple syrup
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 tablespoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 250° F.

In a large bowl, mix the oats, nuts and salt. In a separate, microwave-safe bowl or glass measuring cup add maple syrup, canola oil, coconut oil, and vanilla extract. Microwave the wet ingredients on high for 30 seconds, or until warm through (the coconut oil should be almost liquid) and whisk together until well blended. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix well, until all dry ingredients are moistened.

Divide into two rimmed 9×13 pans and spread into an even layer.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring after 30 minutes and every 15 minutes thereafter. The granola should be golden and just slightly moist; it will dry and take on its characteristic crunch as it cools. Remove from the oven to a cooling rack or heat resistant surface and let cool in the pan, uncovered. Store in an airtight container.

Yields about 14 cups, or about 28 half-cup servings.