Looking for a quick gift from the kitchen? Homemade granola packaged in a half-pint milk bottle is just the ticket. The recipe is super easy to make, and it’s deliciously flavored with maple syrup and dried cranberries.
Rolled oats, sometimes called old-fashioned oats, are the traditional grain used in granola. Beyond that, the sky’s the limit. Use dried cranberries, cherries, apricots or raisins; toss in shredded coconut; sprinkle in seeds like sunflower and sesame; and stir in your favorite nut — almonds, walnuts, pecans or cashews.
This granola is more flakey than clumpy. If you want more clusters, add a bit more maple syrup and don’t stir right after removing it from the oven.
Maple Granola with Cranberries and Almonds
Measure the oil into a measuring cup and swirl it around to coat the inside of the cup. Pour it into the saucepan and then measure the maple syrup into the cup — it will slide out like a charm.
- 4 cups old-fashioned oats (1 pound)
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- 1⁄3 cup canola oil
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Cooking spray
- 2⁄3 cup dried cranberries
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Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine oats and almonds in a large bowl.
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Combine oil, maple syrup and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Pour over oat mixture and mix to combine.
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Spread evenly in a roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Bake 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until golden brown.
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Remove from oven, stir, then let cool in pan on a wire rack. Stir in cranberries. Makes 5 cups.
— Recipe by Jean Kressy
