Just the right amount of crunch to make this granola recipe the perfect snack, dessert or breakfast!
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About eight years ago, I tried a homemade granola recipe. My memories of homemade granola were at a bed and breakfast I went to with my parents back when I was in between high school and college. The proprietor offered homemade granola as part of breakfast.
I didn’t think about it too much after that, but then a few years ago, I tried a granola recipe a friend made and decided to make the plunge and try making it myself. I’m glad I did, because this recipe has been a favorite of my family’s for years.
When I made it again last week, I decided it was certainly time I share it on here. This easy oat and honey granola recipe is delicious. When I first made it, I crumpled it up thinking I’d use it in small pieces for cereal or something. After that I left it in chunks, because it’s so good on its own that we eat it for snacks, dessert and breakfast around here.
This oat and honey granola recipe has just the right amount of crunch and sweetness. It’s surprisingly easy to make with simple ingredients you probably have in your kitchen right now. And it has the added bonus of making your house smell great while it’s baking!
Just look at this goodness!
Getting started
I’ll be honest and tell you that when I first started looking for a granola recipe to make, I didn’t even know what kind of oats recipes were talking about.
I learned that it’s the oats you buy in a canister to make oatmeal. You can use either quick-cooking oats for this recipe or old-fashioned. I’ve made it with both. We prefer quick-cooking oats because they are a bit smaller.
Once you have your ingredients and are ready to go, turn your oven to 350-degrees to preheat. Then put the oats, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, vegetable oil, water and salt into a bowl.
Next, stir everything together. It will seem like it is too dry, but it will be fine. Just keep stirring for a couple of minutes until everything is coated. This oat and honey granola isn’t a mix that gets really wet.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or non-stick aluminum foil. Spread the granola mixture out in a thin layer all of over the pan.
Baking
Bake it in the oven at 350-degrees for 10 minutes. Take it out, stir it around and press it back into the same layer as before Return it to the oven for 10 to 12 more minutes until the oat and honey granola is a lovely golden brown with crispy edges and your kitchen smells divine!
Even if you like things extra crunchy, don’t be tempted to over-bake this oat and honey granola recipe. I’ve tried leaving it in for a few extra minutes and ended up with a hard block that tasted slightly burnt.
Don’t worry if the oat and honey granola doesn’t seem super crunchy when it’s still warm. It crunches up as it cools.
If you want it in small chunks to eat like cereal or as a topping, then stir it around again as soon as it comes out of the oven.
If you want to leave the oat and honey granola in chunks to snack on like I do, then let it cool completely, lift it off the pan and break it into chunks. I store mine in a quart-sized ziptop bag to keep it fresh.
The oat and honey granola will last about a week before it starts getting on the chewy side.
Easy oat and honey granola
Ingredients
- 2 cups oats quick-cooking or old-fashioned; I prefer quick-cooking because they're smaller
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
- Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix them together. The mixture will be sort of clumpy and wet without being soaking.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or non-stick aluminum foil.
- Spread the granola mixture out in a thin layer all over the pan.
- Bake it in the oven for 10 minutes, then stir it around and press it back into the same thin layer as before.
- Bake for 10 to 12 more minutes until it’s a lovely golden brown with crispy edges and your kitchen smells divine.
