Homemade Cinnamon Spiced Granola

Recipe for homemade cinnamon spiced granola stored in mason jars with a chalkboard label lid and printable recipe card.

Well it’s back to the kitchen for this post, but this time something that’s crazy good for you and also addictively delicious.  Would you have guessed it was granola?  I don’t know if it’s the cinnamon spice that puts this over the top, plus the awesome crunch factor, but this has become a must-have in my kitchen. 

My mom introduced me to this recipe and shared her version of a batch with me.  I’ve been making my own version of it ever since.  It’s not too sweet, the spice blend is delicious and the finished product is a perfectly crunchy granola.  It’s just the breakfast I want in the morning with some kind of yogurt or milk, topped with any combination of fresh or dried fruits. 

My version is based on a photocopy that I could not dig up the source for.  I know it’s a gluten-free or maybe even paleo cookbook.  The ingredient list calls for gluten-free oats, also the only fat is a quarter cup of coconut oil, which I bought for the first time to use in this recipe. 

The recipe is simple.  Combine all the dry ingredients well, add in the wet ingredients, spread a thin layer onto cookie sheets and bake, stirring once.

When it’s done and sitting out cooling, it helps with the crunch factor if you can stir it around a bit a couple of times.  When it’s completely cool, store it in glass jars.

This is how much you’ll get from one recipe.  Enough for you plus some to give away.  Or maybe to share with the rest of your family.  You decide.

If you like to have dried fruit in your granola (and I sometimes do too) then add it separately and don’t mix it in to your glass jars, since the moisture from the fruit will take away some of the crunch of the granola. 

I’ve started labelling things stored in glass jars on the lids rather than on the jars.  It’s obvious from the amount of information out there about removing sticker labels from glass that it’s a bad thing to have to do.  The lids can have new stickers layered over them.  Or be painted with chalkboard paint as I did here so the label can be erased and re-written if necessary.  Also a box of new lids is quite inexpensive if they need to be replaced, as they should be after too much use anyway.

I like to attach an ingredient list or recipe right to the jar so when it comes time to refill it the information is handy.  Miss P will try to tell you a story about me frantically searching for my photocopied sheet with the recipe for this as I was getting ready to bake it once.  And her reminding me that I had attached a copy to the jar.  I will flatly deny that story.  You can download a printable for the ingredients and directions here.  Nothing fancy, but saves you a bit of trouble.  You’re welcome.

Recipe for Cinnamon Spiced Granola

Ingredients:

3 cups rolled oats 
1 cup chopped walnuts 
1 cup sliced almonds  
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds  
1 tbsp cinnamon 
1/2 tsp nutmeg  
1/4 tsp ground cloves  
1/4 tsp ground ginger 
1/4 tsp sea salt  
1/2 cup maple syrup 
1/4 cup apple juice  
1/4 cup melted coconut oil 
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300°F.  Place dry ingredients in a medium bowl.  Mix well.  Add wet ingredients and stir to combine.  Spread mixture onlt parchment-lined cookie sheets.  Bake 30-35 minutes, turning once with a spatula.  Remove from oven and allow to cool completely, stirring occasionally.  Store in large glass jars.  Enjoy!

xo andrea