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Granola

Source of Recipe

"The America's Test Kitchen Do-It-Yourself Cookbook"


Recipe Introduction

"Not to be a grump about it, but packaged granola really irks me. It's expensive (one brand costs $9.95 for 12 ounces), and the texture usually resembles loose driveway gravel. I figured that making my own would be a better route to the crisp, substantial clumps of toasty oats and nuts that should make granola such a simple pleasure. And it was, once I stopped following the advice of most recipes to stir, stir, stir. Eventually I went to the opposite extreme, packing the mixture into the pan and leaving it to be, to achieve hefty, satisfying clusters that are beautifully browned and have a nice, crisp texture, too."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ â…“ cup maple syrup
â—¦ â…“ cup packed (2 â…“ ounces) light brown sugar
â—¦ 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
â—¦ ½ teaspoon salt
â—¦ ½ cup vegetable oil
â—¦ 5 cups (15 ounces) old fashioned rolled oats
â—¦ 2 cups (10 ounces) raw whole almonds or other nuts, chopped coarse
â—¦ 2 cups raisins or other dried fruit, chopped if large


Recipe

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray stiff metal spatula with vegetable oil spray.

Whisk maple syrup, sugar, vanilla, and salt together in large bowl. Whisk in oil. Fold in oats and almonds until thoroughly coated.

Transfer oat mixture to prepared baking sheets and spread across sheet into thin, even layer (about ⅜-inch thick). Using prepared spatula, compress oat mixture until very compact. Bake until lightly browned, 40 to 45 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Remove granola from oven and let cool on wire rack to room temperature, about 1 hour. Break cooled granola into pieces of desired size. Stir in raisins. Granola can be stored at room temperature in airtight container for up to 1 month.

Makes about 12 cups