Cook Like You’re Inspired: Carriage Corner Granola

Carriage Corner Granola

If you have spent more than one night at Carriage Corner, then there’s a very good possibility that you’ve had our freshly made Granola.  We get lots of requests for the Granola recipe, so I’ve decided to share it. Like so many of the recipes that we serve here, this one came from a friend and I have tweaked it until it’s exactly the way we like it.

What You’ll Need to Make Granola

The basics for any good granola are:  oats, nuts, sweetner {brown sugar} and spices.  Then you need something to make it stick together:  sweetner {honey}, oil, water and vanila. A large cookie sheet or roasting pan and parchment paper.  You’ll want to store your granola in an airtight container.

Enough talking – let’s get to making!  Here’s the recipe for Carriage Corner Granola {click there for a printable document}

Carriage Corner Granola

Ingredients:

Dry:

• 6 cups oatmeal
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ¾ cup wheat germ
• ½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• 2 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 cup chopped nuts

Wet:

• 2/3 cup honey or maple syrup
• ½ cup vegetable oil, you can use olive or coconut oil, but your granola won’t last as long.
• 2 Tbsp water
• 2 tsp vanilla

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 300°
2. Mix all wet ingredients in a microwave safe bowl. Heat in microwave for 1 minute, stirring to mix well.
3. In a separate bowl mix all dry ingredients.
4. Pour the warm wet ingredients over the dry and mix well.
5. Spread into a thin layer on parchment lined cookie sheets.
6. Bake at 300° for 25 – 35 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and let cool.

Variations – Granola is Totally Customizable

When I first got this recipe from my friend, she arrived for a visit with a large bag of freshly made granola and the recipe.  Her version used walnuts and she added raisins once the granola was cooled.  That same year – I started making granola for my girls for Christmas and everyone got their favorite fruit and nut combination.  We would make the following:

• Blueberry Almond
• Maple Pecan with Cranberries
• Cashews and Raisins
• Nut Free with mixed berries

The combinations are truly endless.

If you need gluten free granola – well make sure you use certified gluten free oats and leave out the wheat germ.  If you want more protein in your granola, add a little chia seed to the dry ingredients. If you like a clumpier granola, beat two egg whites and add then to the mixture before baking.

Enjoy!

If you make Carriage Corner Granola at home, please let me know.  If you don’t, you can always request that we add a little granola to your morning fruit cup or make parfaits to start breakfast off on the right foot!