Toasted clusters of oats and nuts get a flavor boost with chai spice and maple syrup. Top your oatmeal or yogurt with this maple chai granola, or just eat by the handfuls!
- 3 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/2 cup crushed almonds
- 1 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 6 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons chai spice mix
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
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Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a sheet pan (one with sides) with pan spray, or line it with parchment paper.
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Combine all dry ingredients (oats through pumpkin seeds) in a large bowl.
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Add the olive oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, chai spice, and salt and stir until well combined.
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Spread mixture out evenly in the pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 50-60 minutes, or until golden. Stir just once half-way through the cooking time.
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Allow the granola to cool completely in the pan. Store in an airtight container.
*Only stir the granola once during baking, or you'll break of the delicious clusters that are forming.
*Speaking of clusters, don't be tempted to cut out the brown sugar. I experimented with and without brown sugar, and it turns out the combination of brown sugar and maple syrup is key to creating those delicious clustered pieces. Maple syrup alone just doesn't do it.
*I loved the walnuts/almond combo here, but you can try different nuts - pistachios, macadamias, peanuts, whatever you have on hand.
*This recipe is naturally gluten free. However, in the case of a gluten allergy, please use oats specifically labelled 'gluten free.'
*You can find my DIY Chai Spice recipe on the blog (link is in the p0st) - but if you don't have all those ingredients on hand, for this recipe you can substitute a teaspoon each of cinnamon and ginger, with a pinch of black pepper.