My husband loves to sprinkle granola over his morning yogurt. There’s one issue with this; it was store bought granola. Where is my recipe for granola? My search required me to empty a drawer where I habitually collect recipes from magazines, from friends or ones I’ve handwritten years ago but have yet deemed them worthy of blogging about until now. Cranberry Orange Pecan Granola is perfect for this time of year! A hint of orange zest is enticing!
Let’s Start !:
Combine oats, wheat germ, brown sugar, pecans and salt in a large bowl.
The Coating:
Simmer the maple syrup, oil, water and orange zest.
Swirl the pan to gather more of the orange zest then scrape out any remaining into the bowl. Mix to evenly coat.
Pour mixture onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Spread it out and squeeze some clumps together. Bake at 275 degrees for 30 minutes.
Baking Part 2:
The dried fruit is added after the initial baking to prevent them from drying out. Sprinkle the dried cranberries over the top and mix in. Bake for an additional 15 minutes.
Finishing up! :
You can break up any clumps, if desired. A taste test is obviously required at this point! OMG! This Cranberry Orange Pecan Granola has such a seasonal flair! Your taste buds will sing Christmas carols! For storage, a Mason jar, plastic storage container or even a Ziploc bag will do. You could even tie a bow around this and give it as a Christmas gift!
Ingredients
- 2 c old-fashioned oats
- 1/2 c wheat germ
- 2 T dark brown sugar
- 1/4 t salt
- 1/2 c chopped pecans
- 1/4 c maple syrup
- 3 T avocado oil or other flavorless oil
- 1 T water
- 1/2 t orange zest
- 1/2 c dried cranberries (Craisins)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix the oats, wheat germ brown sugar and salt together.
- In a small saucepan, simmer the maple syrup, oil, water and orange zest 3-5 minutes.
- Pour syrup over the oat mixture. Stir to evenly coat.
- Place granola mix onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and spread out, squeezing some clumps together. Bake at 275°F for 30 minutes. Remove from oven.
- Sprinkle the dried cranberries over the top. Mix in and continue to bake for an additional 15 minutes.
- Once removed, allow the granola to cool. Break up any clumps and store in a sealed container until used.
- This granola is delicious served over yogurt, ice cream or eaten as a snack by the handful! Enjoy!
