Granola is a great snack to have around the house. You can grab a handful for a quick munch. You can put it in a container to snack on later. I love heating it for a couple of seconds in the microwave so it’s a little bit warm and smells fresh baked (it melts the chocolate chips, too!)
One issue I have with granola, whether homemade or commercially produced, is the amount of oil in the recipe. This makes it a less healthy snack than it could be.
I did some tinkering with a vegan granola recipe. I experimented with different liquid sweeteners including honey, barley malt syrup, sorghum, and brown rice syrup. I found that not only did brown rice syrup sweeten the oats, it worked as a replacement for the oil. If you are not familiar with brown rice syrup, it is sold in jars by such companies as Lundberg Farms and Sweet Dreams. You can find it online and at most health food stores.
One draw back to removing the oil from the recipe was that the mixture was too dry. This was easily remedied by adding water.
The end result is a delightfully crunchy treat that can be eaten any time.
One batch stays fresh about 7 days.
Pick up the ingredients you need and have them on hand!
- 8 Cups Oats
- 1 Cup Unsalted Sunflower Seeds
- 1 to 2 Tablespoon Sesame Seeds
- 3/4 Cups Water
- 1 Cup Brown Rice Syrup
- 1/4 Cup Chocolate Chips (optional)
- 1/4 Cup Raisins (optional)
- 1/4 Cup Slivered or chopped almonds
Instructions
- Using a spoon to mix the ingredients.Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl do not add the raisins or chocolate chips. Save those for after the granola is baked.Mix the wet ingredients in another larger bowl. Add dry ingredients in parts to the wet ingredients, mixing as you go.
- You’ll need two cookie sheets for the next step. Spread granola out with a spoon over the cookie sheets. Try to spread it in an even layer so that it will bake evenly. Make sure it isn’t too thick or it won’t get crunchy.The granola will stick to the sheet, so be sure not to use your favorites. It’s best to designate a set just for granola as a few batches will wear out the non-stick surface. You won’t be able to use them for cookies afterward.
- Bake at 300 degrees for 20 minutes. Turn granola with a spatula so as to cook the other side. Baked for an additional 20 minutes.Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Once cool, add the raisins and chocolate (or carob) chips. Mix together with a spoon or shake up in container.Keep in an airtight container. Lidded containers with a pop up pour spout or glass containers work great!
Notes:
- The reason raisins are added after baking is that they don’t survive very well. They will get dried out and crispy in the oven.
- The oats will get crunchier as the cool, so don’t over cook. If you prefer less crunch, pull them out a little early. You may have to experiment depending on your oven.
- The chips are added at the end because they will melt. Then you’ll have one big granola cookie.
Melody, this is wonderful. I haven’t been making granola as much as I used to because of the oil and the honey. I will definitely try your recipe soon. One question for you. Do you know why the rice syrup replaces the oil? I haven’t used it much and have never researched how they make it.
Thanks for the recipe. Looking forward to trying it.
Kathryn, I had to do some research. On the Lundberg Farms website, they list only brown rice and water as the ingredients in their brown rice syrup. So, perhaps it is something within the process of turning rice into syrup that is at play.