STEP TWO: BAKING
3/4 cup raw honey
1/2 cup organic pure maple syrup
1 tsp unrefined sea salt
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract
Instructions
After soaking time is completed, preheat oven to 200° F.
Add the honey, maple syrup, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla to the bowl of soaked oats. Stir until well combined.
Spread the mixture out over two 12x17-inch rimmed-baking sheets. You may line with parchment paper if you like. Bake for 8 hours, turning the granola after two to three hours. Then turn off oven and allow to remain in the oven until completely cooled.
Remove cooled granola from the oven and mix in any “add-ins” you’d like. The possibilities are endless. I love raisins, cranberries, walnuts, almonds, coconut flakes, other dried fruit options like apricots, bananas, etc. Makes 10-cups of granola (without add-ins).
Serve with as a great breakfast cereal, as a trail mix or over your favorite yogurt or cottage cheese. This recipe has been shared by many, including The Nourishing Home and Cooking God’s Way, which are excellent references.
Notes
It is important to turn granola (mix up) after 2 or 3 hours to avoid the big pieces that will occur if you don’t stir it. Take a spatula and flip pieces of the moist granola over and kind of chop it up into smaller pieces.
I haven’t found it really necessary to do this step again, although some recommend it. Once I’ve stirred it the first time, it seems to be fine. Return the pans back to the oven and let them continue drying for the remainder of the time. Once you’ve reached about 8 hours total, turn off the oven and let the sheets remain there until the oven is completely cool.
If you’re checking the granola before turning off the oven and find that it’s not completely dry, that’s okay. It will continue to dry after you’ve turned off the oven.
Due to some variances in oven temperatures, you may find that your granola isn’t as dry as you’d like it, just pop it back into a 200 degree oven for another 30 or so minutes and repeat the same process. Turn off the oven and let it cool completely.
Once dry, mix in other items you might want in your granola. I put into storage containers. If you don’t eat it fast enough, which is never a problem for me, you can put some in the freezer to help keep it fresh.