Cardamom granola is a warm, bright, nutty granola that doubles as a hearty breakfast or tasty snack.
Let me guess: homemade granola is the last thing on your agenda. Even more likely, the idea of homemade granola hasn’t crossed your mind. Ever. I get it. I’m busy, too, and this IS a blog of recipes for busy people. So why am I posting a homemade Cardamom Granola recipe? Because it’s just that good.
Store bought granola is really just hit or miss. Plus, what’s even in there? Usually a lot of garbage. Sugar, for starters. Lots of sugar. On top of that, there’s just a lot of other stuff I don’t care about (oils, corn syrup, etc). When I realized that, I decided I should just start making my own. It took a lot of experimenting to get the right ratios and timing, but the result couldn’t be better.
How do I have time to make granola, you ask? It’s the perfect treat for “after the kids go to bed”. Without fail, I get it started around 8:30 or 9:00 PM. After a quick 5 minutes of measuring and mixing, it goes in the oven, and I can settle into a nice TV show while the smell of cinnamon and oats waft through my house. I let it cool overnight, store it in a jar, and enjoy fresh granola for the rest of the week (if it lasts that long).
Cardamom Granola is my favorite iteration of the crunchy stuff. It’s warm and bright with cardamom, cinnamon, fenugreek, and ginger. The oats and almonds bring crunch. Sesame seeds add a nutty flavor. Coconut adds some much needed fat. There’s just enough maple syrup to sweeten the mix without overpowering it. Warm, crunchy, nutty, and just a tad sweet make for perfect granola snacking.
If you find yourself making this recipe, but don’t have all the ingredients, fear not. You could substitute almost any of the ingredients for something you like more, or have on hand. As long as the ratios are about the same with oats, nuts, spices, oil, and sweetener, you should be fine.
A word of wisdom: it is really easy to overcook granola. It almost always appears undercooked, despite being fully cooked through. Do not trust your instincts. Trust this recipe. You should barely smell the granola cooking; if the smell is strong, it has probably overcooked. If it looks perfectly browned, it is probably overcooked. Burnt granola is gross, not to mention a huge waste of ingredients, so better to err on the side of caution and take it out of the oven a little early than a little late.
Did you make this at home? Shout out to me on Instagram @whitecoatpinkapron, or leave a comment!
Cardamom Granola
Warm, bright, nutty granola that doubles as a hearty breakfast or tasty snack.
Ingredients
- 4 cups rolled oats (do not use the quick-cooking kind)
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- pinch fenugreek
- pinch ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350. In a large mixing bowl, mix the oats, almonds, sesame seeds, cinnamon, cardamom, clove, fenugreek, ginger, and salt together.
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In a small bowl, mix together the coconut oil and maple syrup. Add to the oat mixture and stir well to combine, coating as many of the pieces as possible with the liquids.
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Spread the mixture on a half-sheet pan, and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, spread the coconut flakes evenly over the mixture, and use a spatula to gently stir the granola. Return to the oven and cook for another 10 minutes.
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Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before storing (note: the granola may look slightly undercooked. It will get crispier, so you should still take it out of the oven. DO NOT OVERCOOK IT). Once cool, store in an airtight container for about 7-10 days at room temperature.
Recipe Notes
You can easily substitute many of the ingredients in this recipe--try changing up the type or amount of nuts, seeds, or even the spices. Just be careful not to overcook the granola! If you can smell it from the oven (delicious, I know), the damage may already be done).
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