Granola is one of those things I bought from the store for years without ever thinking about making it myself and then one Sunday I made a batch at home and immediately felt a little silly for waiting so long. Ten ingredients, one bowl, twenty minutes in the oven, and you have the most perfectly crunchy, warmly spiced, vanilla scented granola that tastes so much better than anything sitting in a bag at the grocery store. It has been in my weekly meal prep rotation ever since and at this point I genuinely cannot imagine a week without a jar of it on the counter.
The combination of coconut oil and olive oil is the detail that makes this granola so perfectly golden and crunchy without ever tipping into greasy territory. Coconut oil adds a subtle richness and a light sweetness that works beautifully with the maple syrup and cinnamon, and olive oil gives it that savory depth that keeps it from being one dimensional. Maple syrup and just a touch of brown sugar do the sweetening and they caramelize in the oven into this gorgeous golden coating that makes every cluster taste like it came from a really good bakery. The vanilla and cinnamon tie everything together and make your kitchen smell absolutely incredible while it bakes.
Chopped pecans and shredded coconut are the mix-ins that take this from a basic oat granola to something that has real texture and flavor variety in every handful. The pecans add crunch and a buttery nuttiness and the coconut toasts in the oven and gets these little golden edges that are so good. This is also a great base recipe to riff on depending on what you are in the mood for. Mini chocolate chips stirred in after it cools, dried cranberries for a fruity variation, pumpkin seeds, dried mango — all of it works beautifully and makes this one recipe endlessly versatile.
Make a batch on Sunday and store it in an airtight jar or container on your counter for up to two weeks. It is perfect on top of greek yogurt, with milk as a cereal, sprinkled over smoothie bowls, eaten by the handful as an afternoon snack, or packed into a small bag for on the go. Once you make granola at home you will understand why store bought never quite hits the same way. This one is worth adding to the weekly rotation permanently.
Cinnamon Vanilla Granola
Ingredients
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 2 Tbs coconut oil melted
- 2 Tbs olive oil
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ½ Tbs brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ½ cup shredded coconut
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325℉.
- Combine all ingredients into a large mixing bowl, stirring until all the oats are evenly coated.
- Spread out into an even layer on a large baking sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes or until just golden brown. Let cool.
- Once granola is completely cooled, transfer to a large jar or air tight container and enjoy for up to 2 weeks.
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