Simple Homemade Granola
One of the primary things I’ve done maximize my time as a wife, homemaker and homeschool mom is to look for ways to simplify. Simplifying, however, can require quite a bit of work initially. Taking the time to create and maintain a morning rhythm is work on the front end but simplicity on the back end. Similarly, taking time in the kitchen to make up some muffins or homemade granola can greatly help the rest of the week. There’s an easy snack sitting right there when you find yourself in a pinch. It’s also a favorite of ours on top of yogurt or paired with milk as a cereal!
The other thing I love about always having granola on hand is how incredibly versatile it is. I can make a simple batch using oats, coconut oil, honey and vanilla, but I could also easily jazz it up. We enjoy putting a scoop or two of vanilla protein powder in, mixed nuts, and chocolate chips. But the options are endless for what else you could add!
I would eventually like to buy my oats organic and in bulk but that’s not an option in our small living space right now. So canisters of rolled oats from the grocery store is my current sourcing until we have a larger pantry space.
Making homemade granola is easy
This recipe comes together so easily so it’s great to make if you’re already in the kitchen! After combining my wet ingredients in a saucepan over low heat, I pour it over the bowl of oats and mix. From there, I choose to add protein powder and any seeds or nuts I have on hand that I want to include.
After your ingredients are all combined, pour it out on two baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
Baking
And here comes the important part – baking at 300 for 35 minutes. I can’t tell you how many times I have forgotten to set a timer and have burned my batches so don’t repeat my mistake! 35 minutes should guarantee a beautifully golden result. After cooling, you’ll notice that the sheet of granola will be firm. You will need to break it apart as you put it in your desired container. Now you could also add in extras like dehydrated or freeze dried fruits, chocolate chips or whatever your family enjoys! I once made the mistake of adding craisins in before baking. It ended in my having to painstakingly pick each one out as they became far too hard to enjoy.
This is my favorite budget friendly canister for my granola. It”s easy to access and I always prefer storing in glass. Not to mention that it looks lovely on my countertop.
Enjoy!
I’d love to hear how your granola turned out and what fun extras you’ve chosen to include!
Simple Homemade Granola
Ingredients
- 8 Cups Whole oats
- 1 Cup Unrefined coconut oil
- 3/4 Cup Honey
- 1-2 Scoops Vanilla protein powder
- 1 Tsp Vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Pour oats into large bowl and set aside. Begin melting oil, vanilla and honey in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Once melted, pour over oats and stir until well combined. Then combine protein powder. Add any other desired extra ingredients at this point too (i.e. sliced almonds chia seeds, flax seed, etc..)
- Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper and pour half the mixture onto each. Smooth the granola down until it's flat and sprinkle the desired amount of salt over top.
- Bake at 300 degrees for 30-35 minutes until granola becomes golden. Then remove and let cool before breaking apart to store in a glass jar. Once cooled, you can add craisins, chocolate chips, dried or freeze dried fruits, etc.
