Lately I have been a little obsessed with making my own granola. Since I have discovered how super simple it is to make (and to tailor to my tastes exactly), I am making a new batch just about every week now.
One of my favorite holiday flavors is gingerbread. Gingerbread men. Thick, soft gingerbread cake. So why not gingerbread granola? I added buttery pecans for a little extra crunch.
What you will need:
2 cups of rolled oats
2/3 cup of chopped pecans
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp salt
4 tbsp coconut oil
1/4 cup molasses
1 tsp vanilla
Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In large bowl, mix together the oats, pecans, sugar, and all the spices. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, heat the coconut oil over medium heat. (Often times coconut oil is solid during the colder months & needs to be melted to use.) Once the oil is melted, add the molasses and mix. Heat for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla.
Pour the liquid mixture over the oats mixture and mix well to combine. Spread the granola mixture evenly over the parchment paper.
Bake at 300 degrees for about 30 minutes, taking the granola out and stirring it about every 10 minutes.
Once baked, let it cool completely on the baking sheet. Break it up into smaller pieces, and then store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
A bowl of this Gingerbread Pecan Granola is perfect any winter morning!
Granola also makes a fabulous foodie gift for the holidays. Just pour it into pretty jars and tie a ribbon around the lid! :)
Have you made homemade granola before? What is your favorite flavor combination to make?
