Granola with Cinnamon

4.91 from 40 votes

Find more recipes at marcellinaincucina.com

This homemade granola is the ideal combination of spicy cinnamon, sweet maple syrup, and crunchy clusters of oats and nuts. It's a guaranteed crowd-pleaser and naturally gluten free!

Prep Time10

Cook Time45

Total Time55

Servings: servings

Author: Marcellina

Ingredients

5 cups (415 grams) old-fashioned oats (See Note 1)
1 cup (100 grams) sliced/slivered almonds
1 cup (110 grams) coarsely chopped pecans
¼ cup light brown sugar (or dark brown sugar)
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon (See Note 2)
1 teaspoon fine salt
¼-½ cup (60ml-120ml) maple syrup or honey (adjust according to how sweet you like it)
½ cup (120 ml) olive oil (See Note 3)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

While I like almonds and pecans, any combination of nuts can be used. Hazelnuts, walnuts, and pistachios are all good.
Preheat oven to 325ºF/160ºC. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place old-fashioned oats (rolled oats), almonds, pecans, light brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Mix well.
In a small bowl or jug, mix maple syrup, olive oil, and vanilla extract.
Pour over the oat mixture.
Stir to combine all ingredients.
Spread the mixture evenly onto the prepared baking sheet and press down with the back of a spoon or spatula.
Bake in oven for 35-45 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes and pressing down after each stir.
The granola should be golden brown when cooked. Take it out of the oven to cool but don’t stir until completely cold. The maple syrup and brown sugar will solidify as the granola cools creating lots of crunchy clumps.
Store in an airtight container. See notes for long storage.

Notes

Be sure to use old-fashioned oats or rolled oats. Quick cook or instant oats are not suitable for this recipe.
Spice can be adjusted to suit your taste and can be substituted with your favorite spice or combination of spices. I like to swap one teaspoon of ground cinnamon with one teaspoon of ground ginger for a change.
Light olive oil is best for this recipe. Substitute with your favorite, mild flavored oil if you prefer.

Tips for Success

Mix the ingredients thoroughly.
Use the lesser amount of sugar if you prefer a less sweet granola.
Keep the ratio of dry to wet ingredients the same when substituting ingredients.
Ovens vary, so use your nose and eyes as a guide. The cinnamon granola will smell toasty when it's done and look well browned. If it looks like it needs more time, leave it in the oven a little longer.

Storage

Store in a sealed container for two weeks at cool room temperature. If the weather is warm, keep the container in the fridge.

I usually put half of the batch into a sealed container or a ziplock bag and pop it into the freezer to keep it fresh while we eat the first half of the batch.

Nutrition