Homemade Fruit and Nut Granola with Chia Seeds and Coconut
Servings: 20
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 cups coconut oil
- 1 cup honey
- 8 cups old-fashioned oats
- 2 cups shredded coconut
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup dried cherries
- 1 cup golden raisins
- 1 cup walnuts (soaked if possible)
- 1 cup sliced almonds (soaked if possible)
- 1 cup sunflower seeds (soaked if possible)
- 1 cup pumpkin seeds (soaked if possible)
- 1 cup chia seeds
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 heaping tablespoons cinnamon
Directions:
Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
In a saucepan, melt the coconut oil and honey together over low heat. Whisk until combined. Remove from the burner and stir in the vanilla.
You will need two large bowls or one huge bowl. Place the oats, coconut, dried fruit, nuts, and seeds in the bowl(s). Sprinkle the cinnamon over the dry mixture and stir to combine.
Pour the honey/coconut oil mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until everything is coated.
Grease your baking sheets with coconut oil, pour the granola mixture onto a baking sheet, and spread out into a single layer.
Bake for 45–60 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want the granola to be golden brown. The granola will still seem wet when you take it out after an hour, but it dries out and gets crunchy after it sits. Careful not to overcook it, as the dried fruit gets a weird burnt flavor.
Store the cereal in a glass jar in the fridge to keep it fresh and keep the nuts and seeds from going rancid.
Recipe and photo submitted by Jessica, Denver, CO.
