My Favorite Fall Granola Recipe (Large Batch)
As I sit to write this, it is October 2nd and the weather has finally started to cool off. This morning I made a batch of my favorite fall granola, and the whole house smells like fall.
Sometimes, it’s these small things we do every year — the recipes we routinely bake, the candle we put away when it gets warm and pull out again when it starts to cool, the sweatshirt we only pull out when October is actually here — that signals to our heads and hearts that a new season has officially arrived.
Lately, I’ve been convicted that I need to spend more time paying attention to what I’m enjoying and to foster my delight. Nothing that we delight in is an end in and of itself, but if we nurture the habit of letting our delight turn us to gratitude, we have the chance to thank God for every little thing. And that’s a really beautiful, growing, peace-filling habit to cultivate.
I was recently given the privilege of speaking at a conference with Ann Voskamp, and she said something in her keynote that really stuck with me. She shared that God has wired our brains such that we can’t experience both anxiety and gratitude at the same time. So when we’re anxious (which I often am), gratitude turns that part of my brain off. How amazing is our God!
If you want a fall granola recipe that will make your house smell as good as what I’m smelling right now, here it is! It’s a “rough” recipe, which means you can add in your favorite mix-ins or switch it up based on the spices you like or what you have on hand. The main thing to remember is: 1) you need enough “wet” ingredients to make everything moist (not wet/soaked), and 2) you need to bake it until it’s dried out. That’s it! Otherwise, mix it up as you’ll most enjoy it!
My Favorite Fall Granola Recipe (Large Batch)
- 1 Container (42oz) Old Fashioned Oats
- 2 Tablespoons Cinnamon
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
- 2 Teaspoons Salt
- 1 Cup Unsalted Pumpkins Seeds
- 1 Cup Sliced Almonds
- 1 Cup Chopped Walnuts
- 1 Cup Melted Coconut Oil
- 1 Cup Pure Maple Syrup
- 1.5 Cups Water
- 1.5 Cups Dried Cranberries
- 1 Cup Thick Cut Coconut Flakes (optional)
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the dried cranberries. Bake at 250 degrees for 45 minutes. Mix. Bake for another 45 minutes or until dry (sometimes this can take up to an hour for the second round in the oven). Let it cool entirely on the pan before breaking it up and mixing in the cranberries.
Store it in an airtight jar and serve with milk or on yogurt. This also makes a really pretty gift for a neighbor or friend when you put it in a glass jar and tie it with a ribbon! Enjoy!
