Ingredients:
- cups Rolled Oats (Old Fashioned)
- cup Raw Almonds (slivered or roughly chopped)
- cup Raw Pecans (roughly chopped)
- /2 cup Raw Pumpkin Seeds (Pepitas)
- /2 cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
- /2 cup Unsalted Butter, melted (or coconut oil)
- /2 cup Pure Maple Syrup
- /4 cup Light Brown Sugar, packed
- teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- /2 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
- cup Dried Cranberries or Cherries (post-bake addition)
- /2 cup White or Dark Chocolate Chips (post-bake addition)
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly combine the oats, almonds, pecans, pumpkin seeds, and shredded coconut.
- In a small saucepan, gently heat the melted butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is uniform. Do not boil.
- Pour the warm wet mixture over the dry ingredients. Use a sturdy spatula to fold and toss until every oat flake is evenly and completely coated.
- Spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet in a thin, even layer. Press lightly if aiming for clusters.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the tray, gently stir or flip about 1/3 of the mixture to promote even toasting, and return to the oven for another 15–20 minutes, checking every 5 minutes toward the end.
- The granola is done when it is deep golden brown. If you prefer large clusters, avoid stirring during the final 10 minutes of baking.
- Remove the pan from the oven and let the granola cool completely on the baking sheet without touching it for at least 45 minutes. The crunch develops during this cooling stage.
- Once completely cool, break the granola into desired cluster sizes. Stir in the dried fruit and chocolate chips now.
- Store the finished, crunchy granola in an airtight container at room temperature.