This Homemade Granola tastes so much better than store-bought! Freshness makes all the difference, and you can mix and match with your favorite dried fruits and nuts.
Ingredients
3cupsold-fashioned rolled oats*
1cupsliced or slivered almonds
1cupshredded unsweetened coconut
3/4cupdried cherries
1/3cupbrown sugar
1/2tspsalt
1/4cuppure maple syrup
1/4cupoil**
1large egg white
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 300F.
In a large bowl, stir to combine the oats, almonds, coconut, cherries***, brown sugar, and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk to combine the maple syrup and oil.
Pour the liquid into the oat mixture, and toss to coat.
In a clean bowl, whisk the egg white for about 30 seconds until it's frothy, and any egg white clumps have been broken up.
Stir the egg white into the oat mixture.
Spread the granola onto a parchment paper-lined sheet pan and bake for 40 minutes. If you would like a looser, more evenly toasted granola, stir everything around halfway through baking. For more clusters, leave the granola to bake for 40 minutes undisturbed.
Let the granola cool completely on the pan, then break into clusters. Enjoy!
Notes
*For gluten-free, make sure to buy gluten-free oats.**You may really use anything here. Melted butter has great flavor, and I've also enjoyed using coconut oil and olive oil. But you can use any other oil you prefer, like sunflower, canola, etc.***I love the texture of the baked dried fruit and haven't had issues with burning, but some readers have shared that the cherries turned out too hard. If you want the most moist dried fruit possible, add the dried cherries after baking instead.Storing leftovers: Let cool completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.Freezing: Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. I find I can actually eat the granola straight out of the freezer, but to warm up further, simply leave at room temperature for 30 minutes.