Taya Starling

I’ve had the strangest craving for granola lately and even though you can find it pretty much any where now, why miss the opportunity to fill your house with that sweet toasted honey scent? Plus it only takes like 15 minutes to whip up this batch of honey almond granola. Honestly it lasted about 15 minutes in the House after making it. Notice how the jar isn’t even full in my photo? Don’t be deceived. The recipe I’m about to give you makes 4 big cups of granola. But I left the house for a few hours and came home to a mysterious amount of granola missing from the jar… I hope the same doesn’t happen in your home!

ALRIGHT LET’S DO THIS.

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED:

1 cup whole almonds, divided*
3 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup honey
3 tablespoons coconut oil
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:

Preheat your oven to 350/180 degrees. Pull out a baking sheet (helpful if it has sides) & line it with Silpat or parchment/ baking paper.
In a food processor or blender, pulse half of the almonds until they are very finely chopped. Pour them into a large bowl. Then chop the other half of the almonds coarsely, and pour them into the same bowl.* {*I actually had half a cup of sliced almonds I wanted to finish off so instead of finely chopped + corsely chopped almonds, I decided to use 1/2 cup of corsely chopped & 1/2 cup of sliced almonds. Whichever way you go, the two different textures are what helps make this granola extra yum!}
Pour the oats, salt, and brown sugar into a large bowl with the almonds & stir to combine.
In a small microwaveable bowl, combine the honey & coconut oil, & heat for about 30- 40 seconds. Stir to dissolve the coconut oil, then add the vanilla and almond extract. Whisk it all together til well blended.
Pour the honey mixture over the oat mixture & stir so that the oats are evenly coated.
Pour the oat mixture evenly onto your prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 5 minutes, & then stir & spread back to an even layer. Return to the oven for 5 more minutes or until the granola is golden brown around the edges.
Scoop the granola onto a piece of wax paper to cool. Spread it out into a thin layer – about 1/2 inch thick…. or if you’re lazy or out of wax paper like I was this time, just leave the granola in the pan and place the pan somewhere it can cool.
After it cools completely, break the granola into clusters & resist the urge to eat it all immediately. Store in an airtight container like a glass jar & hide it from your boyfriend, roommate, parents, kids, whoever may come by because if found, the jar will empty out very quickly. I speak from experience.