This crunchy and sweet maple cinnamon granola is refined-sugar free, and packed with the perfect amount of flavor for any breakfast staple.
This granola is a perfect example of perfection within simplicity! I love putting granola on my acai bowls, coconut yogurt or even snacking on it with some fruit; but one thing I noticed with a lot of store bought granola is the sugar and additives. Since I found out how to make my own granola, I don't think I'll ever buy store bought again. It's one of the easiest recipes to make, and this one in particular only requires 6 ingredients (trust me- it's SO flavorful!). It's a 1 bowl recipe and only requires 30 mins, so you can make a batch and keep it in your pantry to have for a couple weeks or even freeze for a couple months!
Once you get the idea of how to make your own, you can incorporate new ingredients of your choice and have complete control of how much sugar you want in your recipe (keep in mind that texture and results will vary with different amounts and types of sweeteners). Not to mention, it's so much more cost effective and requires ingredients you can find in your home already. Set aside 30 mins of your day and say goodbye to store bought granola!
BAKING TIP: LIGHTLY PACK GRANOLA BEFORE BAKING AND COOL UNDISTURBED TO CREATE BIG CLUSTERS
tips before starting/TROUBLESHOOTING:
Tip #1:
I definitely recommend using parchment paper or a silicone mat for this recipe to make sure nothing sticks to the pan. It also helps with clean up!
TIP #2:
It is imperative to use rolled oats for this recipe, as quick oats will yield a completely different result. Rolled oats will give the correct texture that all granola commonly has.
MAPLE CINNAMON GRANOLA | REFINED SUGAR-FREE
Prep time: Cook time: Yield:
5 Minutes 25 Minutes 8 Servings
ingredients
(192 g.)- 2 cups Rolled Oats* (use certified gluten-free oats for gluten-free)
1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
(1.3 g.)- 1/4 tsp. Kosher Salt
(118 ml)- 1/2 cup Pure Maple Syrup
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
(27 g.)- 2 Tbsp. Almond Butter**
METHOD
Preheat your oven to 325°F/162° C and line a sheet tray with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
In a medium mixing bowl, add oats, cinnamon and salt and mix to combine.
To the same bowl, add the maple syrup, vanilla extract and almond butter and mix thoroughly until everything is coated evenly.
Sprinkle the mixture onto the prepared sheet tray. For bigger clusters: lightly pack wet granola in a thin layer.
Bake for 25 mins, making sure to toss halfway through baking.
Cool completely undisturbed to keep clusters intact and store at room temperature in an airtight container for a couple weeks.
NOTES
*Rolled oats are essential for this recipe to ensure the correct texture. QUICK OATS WILL NOT WORK FOR THIS RECIPE.
**I prefer natural almond butter, but if you have a nut allergy, I recommend alternatives such as sunflower butter or tahini :)