This recipe has morphed slowly over the years. As my everyday breakfast, it's designed to go with nice yogurt. Here in New York, I use Hawthorne Valley biodynamic. When I’m on the Vineyard, it's all about Mermaid Farm, of course. Sheep's milk yogurt works nicely as well, but I personally shy away from strained/Greek styles (despite my lineage) as the thick texture is less suited to the extreme crunchiness I aim for in this recipe. Having said all that about yogurt, I have to get back to the granola and tell you that it is also fabulous as a standalone snack! It has a very crisp (but light) texture; in fact it’s almost like a granola bar in that you can break it into pieces. It’s not very sweet, and has a nice accent of sea salt.
I am very particular about weighing everything for this recipe but rather flexible in terms of the specific ingredients. Different kinds of nuts and seeds are easily interchangeable as long as the overall weights are more or less intact.
The key techniques here are a well-combined wet mix (honey and coconut oil) and hand-mixing when the dry and wet ingredients come together. This releases starch from the oats and contributes to crunch. Onward to the recipe!
Editor’s note: If you don’t have a scale yet for baking, this is your best excuse yet. We’ve given cup equivalents but weighing is much more precise and actually easier. Also, don’t be concerned if you can’t find all the ingredients in one shopping trip. Purchase them when you see them and then your pantry will be ready for granola making.
Makes: A lot!
For the dry mix:
- 370g (4 cups) rolled oats
- 75 g (1 ¾ cup) unsweetened flaked coconut
- 75 g (1 cup plus 1 ½ tablespoons) unsweetened shredded coconut
- 200g chopped nuts (I like cashews and almonds, but pecans or really any nut will do)
- 100g (3/4 cup) sunflower seeds
- 80 g (½ cup plus 1 tablespoon) sesame seeds
- 60g (about 1/3 cup) chia seeds
- 60 g (1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon) golden flaxseeds
For the wet mix:
- 130g coconut oil
- 130g raw honey (sub a portion of this with maple syrup if you'd like)
- 2 big pinches fine sea salt
1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a 18 x13-inch rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper.
2. Combine all the ingredients for the dry mix in a large mixing bowl and stir together. (I find it easiest to put the mixing bowl on the scale and measure the ingredients right into the bowl.)
3. Combine the wet ingredients (the coconut oil, raw honey and fine sea salt) in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly until the honey and oil are emulsified – you will see the color of the mixture change. It’s a bit like making a vinaigrette! This step might be a little tricky depending on what your honey is like, and it’s okay if the mixture isn’t completely emulsified, but give it a little time and patience. I am looking for a glossy texture.
4. Use a silicone spatula to scrape every bit of this precious liquid into the dry mix. Take a deep breath and start mixing. Use your hands, or the spatula and one hand, and squeeze the granola together as you go. The goal is to eliminate all "dry spots" in the mix and release oat starch and even a little chia gel in order to achieve a super-crunchy texture.
5. Spread the mixture very evenly on your sheet pan (you can use a silicone spatula to smooth it out a bit), and pop in the oven. Cook until it is very nicely browned (perhaps a very deep golden color) all over. Time will vary. Begin checking at 35 minutes, depending on how hot your oven is. I find 40 minutes is usually about right in my oven. Use your nose, too, but also check for raw spots and bake until they disappear. You don't want to compromise the crunch by under-baking after all that whisking and mixing.
6. Let cool and break into pieces. Store in large glass jars with tight lids or other sealed storage containers for up to two weeks.
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