Last updated on October 25th, 2024
This Classic Granola is a “build your own” version of the popular 1970’s “healthy” snack. Start with a basic mix of oats, nuts and spices and add in mix-ins like dried fruit and seeds.
My vintage inspiration for this recipe is from a vintage 1980’s La Leche League cookbook.
Granola was – and still is – believed to be a “healthy” snack made popular in the late 1960’s-1970’s during the hippie movement. There are so many brands of granola on store shelves. From healthy to those filled with sugar, you can surely find one that satisfies your flavor palette.
When making granola you always want to use all-natural ingredients that start in their whole form to maximize their health benefits. You can always chop into smaller pieces depending on the texture you like. From healthy to sweet, to soft or crunchy, putting together a classic granola depends on what ingredients you have on hand and the flavors you like.
- Start with OATS
Use old-fashioned oats along with some quick oats.
- Add in a some whole GRAINS
Choose a whole grain such as wheat germ, oat bran, or flax
- Add in some NUTS
You can use a variety of nuts like almonds, cashews, walnuts, or pecans. It’s good to mix up both whole and coursely chopped nuts for texture.
- Add SWEETENER
You can use either one or a combination of sweeteners such as sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, molasses or sorghum.
- Add FLAVOR
Try adding dried spices (pick 1-2 and add enough to 1-2 teaspoons, vanilla, fruit juice, cider or whole fruit puree. - Add DRIED FRUIT
There are so many to choose from like chopped apricots, raisins, cranberries, currants, cherries or blueberries.
EQUIPMENT
Always use aluminum baking pans since they conduct even heat. My favorite is Fat Daddio’s brownie baking pan. There are several options for the size of brownie pan you use. Standard brownie pan is : an 8″× 8″ or 9″x 9″ square pan which will yield a thicker cake-like brownie. Using a 9″ × 13″ or quarter-sheet pan will yield a thinner, fudgy brownie. Be sure to always prep baking pans first with with cooking spray. To easily remove brownies from the pan, line the pan with parchment that hangs over the sides.
Ways to eat Granola
There are many ways to eat granola such as as for a snack, for breakfast on top of yogurt, in a batch of granola bars, or in a cookie.
How to make granola bars from granola
To make granola bars: In a saucepan combine 1/2 c. peanut butter, 1/4 c. honey, 2 T. butter, and 2 T. brown sugar and heat until it boils. Then add 2 1/2 c. prepared granola into the hot mixture and pour into greased 8×8 pan. Add 1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips on the top. Chill for 1 hour and cut into bars.
Classic Granola
Ingredients
DRY INGREDIENTS
- 3 c. whole grain oats
- 1 c. quick oats
- 1 c. pecans or walnuts rough chop
- 1 c. almonds rough chop
- 1 c. unsweetened coconut
- 1 T. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. salt
WET INGREDIENTS
- ⅓ c. oil
- ½ c. honey or maple syrup (or combination)
- 2 tsp. vanilla
MIX-INS
- 1 c. pumpkin seeds
- 1 c. dried fruit like cranberries, raisins, or currants
Instructions
PREP
- Gather tools. Chop the nuts and set aside. Grease or line a cookie sheet with parchment. Pre-heat oven to 325°.
MAKE GRANOLA
- In a large bowl, mix together oats, nuts, coconut, spices, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, mix together oil, honey, and vanilla and pour over dry ingredients.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
ADD MIX-INS
- Turn off oven, stir granola, toss in pepitas and dried fruit and return to oven for 10 minutes.
- Store in an air-tight container.
Try these other oatmeal recipes
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @vintagebakedmodern on Instagram and hashtag it #vintagebakedmodern
