Crunchy Granola

ciao's Note:

This granola makes a GREAT, filling snack. Good dry or with milk. It is very addictive, but it's good for you, so enjoy!

• Total Time: 55 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 10

Yield: 10.0 cups

• 1 ½ cups brown sugar
• ½ cup water
• 4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 8 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup pecans , coarsely chopped
• 1 cup almonds , coarsely chopped
• dried fruits , if desired (I usually add cherry flavored cranberries and dates)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 275 degrees F.
2. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
3. Combine brown sugar and water in a 4 cup microwave proof cup.
4. Microwave on high 5 minutes until sugar is completely dissolved.
5. Remove from microwave and stir in vanilla and salt.
6. In large mixing bowl, mix oats, nuts, and brown sugar mixture.
7. Mix thoroughly.
8. Spread onto cookie sheets and bake 45 minutes-1 hour until golden brown.
9. When granola has cooled completely, add fruits if you wish and store in airtight container.

Reviews

[Chef #828896]

I love this recipe. I substitute some maple syrup for some of the brown sugar and typically add walnuts and almonds (raw and unsalted). This is great with banana chips, extra nuts and cinnamon for a banana bread granola. I've also done dried apples, raisins and cinnamon, coconut and apricot, apricot and cranberry and even banana/coconut/pineapple. It won't give you "clusters" but it's easy and delicious no matter what the combo.

[Chef #272434]

The taste of this granola was ok, the problem is that there is nothing that helps it bind. It ended up falling apart, not like you would expect granola to clump. It needs either some honey, corn syrup and maybe some oil. It just was kind of blah. It's good base though, I liked the flavor of the brown sugar.

[Something to Chu On]

Delicious; I used 1/2 cup of orange juice instead of water. I just made a "ginger spice" version to make it a little seasonal... so delicious: with the nuts, I added 2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ground cardamom, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp ground ginger and after cooling completely, 1 cup dried sweetened cranberries.