Homemade Fruit and Nut Granola

Are you tired of store-bought cereals? Try our homemade fruit and nut granola recipe. It’s a nutritious and delicious way to start your day.

They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and what better a way to break ones fast than a wholesome granola sprinkled over some fruit and natural yogurt?

That’s one of my favourite breakfasts, but shop bought granola is expensive and frankly, they’re a bit stingy on the good bits like the juicy raisins and whole nuts. I found what fruit and nuts that they did have were positioned at the top of the box, so by the time you get to the bottom it was slim pickings through the powdered remains. And have you looked at the sugar and fat content of most shop bought cereals? Truly shocking!

When I first started making this fruit and nut granola recipe a few years ago for my family I made it with only raisins, and then my local supermarket started stocking their own fantastic blend of dried berries and raisins including fruit-syrup sweetened cranberries, flame raisins, golden raisins and blueberries. Their fruit blend works really well in this granola, and gives it a juicy, flavoursome wow-factor.

Try this recipe. You’ll love it, honest. If you’re wanting it a little sweeter you could always serve it over some fruit compote or up the quantity of muscovado sugar. We think it’s just perfect as it is though.

The dregs (you know, the bits leftover once all the raisins and nuts are gone and you don’t really want to eat seedy oats for your breakfast) make a wicked apple crumble topping.

Ingredients for fruit and nut granola

↓ Jump to the full, printable recipe. ↓

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 140 C.
2. Mix together oats, linseeds and sesame seeds.
3. Heat together sunflower oil, honey, sugar and lemon juice in a pan until melted and thoroughly mixed. Do not allow to boil.
4. Take off the heat and add all the remaining ingredients except for the nuts, berries and raisins.
5. Stir until evenly coated and spread out on a baking tray.
6. Bake for 40 minutes, or until toasted and golden. Check and stir every 10 minutes.
7. When toasted remove from the oven, transfer to a bowl and stir in the nuts, berries and raisins.
8. Store in an airtight container. Will keep for 2 weeks.

Where did granola originate?

The first granola was invented in the United States and is attributed to Dr. James Caleb Jackson in the 1860s.

He created a health food product called ‘Granula’ at the Jackson Sanitarium, a health spa in Dansville, New York. This early version of granola was made from graham flour and baked into sheets, then crumbled into pieces. It was marketed as a healthy breakfast food.

Later, John Harvey Kellogg developed a similar product, also named ‘Granula,’ which he eventually changed to ‘Granola’ to avoid legal issues.

Granola has since evolved into the popular mix of oats, nuts, and sweeteners that we know today.

Tips for making your own homemade granola

• Choose your oats: Use rolled jumbo oats for the best texture and flavour. Avoid quick oats as they can become too mushy.
• Sweeteners: Opt for natural sweeteners like honey or maple syrup to bind the granola and add sweetness. Adjust the amount based on your preference.
• Oil for crispiness: Use a neutral oil, like coconut or sunflower oil, to help crisp up the granola during baking.
• Mix-Ins: Add a variety of nuts and seeds like almonds, pecans, sunflower seeds, sesame, linseeds or chia seeds for added crunch and nutrition.
• Baking: Spread the mixture evenly on a baking sheet and bake at a low temperature (around 140°C or 285°F) to ensure even cooking and prevent burning.
• Stir occasionally: Stir the granola every 10-15 minutes while baking to ensure it cooks evenly and doesn’t clump together.
• Add dried fruits last: Mix in dried fruits like raisins, cranberries, or chopped apricots after baking to prevent them from becoming too hard or burnt.
• Cooling: Let the granola cool completely on the baking sheet to allow it to harden and become crispy before storing.
• Storing: Store in an airtight container to maintain freshness and crunch. Granola can last for several weeks when stored properly.
• Experiment: Feel free to experiment with flavours by adding spices such as cinnamon or nutmeg, or even a splash of vanilla extract before baking.

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