This is one of my favorite pantry raid recipes, because it’s completely customizable. No pumpkin seeds on hand? Use pecans instead. Out of sesame seeds? Skip it. All the extras measure out to 1 cup each, so it’s super easy to mix and match. And once the base granola is done, you can always mix in that rogue container or dried papaya that got lost in the back of the cabinet for who knows how long.
PS: The egg white is optional, but if you want that extra crunchy crunch, try it out. It helps the granola stick together almost like a toffee, giving it that desirable toothsome bite I personally can’t resist.
Crunchy Homemade Honey Granola
Adapted from NYTimes.com
- 3 cups rolled oats, toasted
- 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds, toasted
- 1 cup walnut pieces, toasted
- 1 cup whole flax seeds
- 1 cup raw, unsalted sunflower seeds, toasted
- 1 cup sesame seeds, toasted (or you can buy the roasted ones)
- 1 cup whole almonds, toasted
- A trio of honey: 1/4 cup honey + 1/4 cup buckwheat honey + 1/4 cup blue agave nectar (or maple syrup)
- 1/2 cup grapeseed oil (or avocado oil or melted coconut oil)
- 1/2 cup turbinado sugar (or coconut sugar)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 egg white, whisked (optional)
Method:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, nuts and seeds. Spread flat on a rimmed baking sheet and toast, tossing occasionally, until fragrant, about 5-8 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Once cooled, transfer back to bowl. Add honey trio, oil, sugar, salt, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon. Stir to combine.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white until foamy and frothy. Mix into prepared granola. Spread onto a greased cookie sheet (or use a piece of parchment paper to prevent sticking). Bake for 40 minutes until set, stirring every 10 minutes. When the granola is done, take it out of the oven and let it cool completely (preferably overnight, since removing it from the cookie sheet too early won’t give it the chance to cluster up). Once the granola is completely cool, break it up into clumps and transfer to an airtight container. Granola will keep for up to 1 week.
Enjoy!
-Andrea