Homemade Granola with Apricots

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Homemade granola is flavored with chai spices and studded with dried apricot for a crunchy, fragrant breakfast. It’s perfect for having breakfast at the ready or even gifting.

The other day I was running around the house, taking care of the laundry, the dishes, corralling the toys, and everything else that happens when you have two kids, and I realized it was almost lunchtime.

And yet, I had completely forgotten about eating breakfast.

Since my children are incapable of going more than 10 minutes without eating, this sort of thing never happens on the weekend.

During the week forgetting to eat happens far more often than I would like, probably because it often seems silly to make a meal for just myself.

I’m healing this notion by preparing ready-to-eat breakfast foods like this homemade granola with apricots.

Granola is one of the easiest things you can make at home, and it’s so much better than the store-bought stuff that is often full of extra fat and sugar.

I like to keep my granola simple, and rely on natural flavors and spices rather than refined sugars. Coconut oil and honey add depth of flavor without overpowering the other ingredients, and dried apricots give it that fruity burst most of us have come to expect with granolas.

Ingredients for homemade granola

Rolled oats – Oats are the basis of this granola. You want rolled oats, also labeled as old-fashioned oats, for this recipe.

Do not use quick oats, which are rolled oats that have been chopped into small pieces.

Slivered or sliced almonds – You can use the thinly sliced almonds, or the almonds that are cut into thicker long pieces, known as slivered almonds. 

Whole almonds can also be swapped in, though I recommend giving them a rough chop for better disbursement. 

Spices – I love adding spices to granola, and for this version I use a blend that is inspired by my love of chai.

Ground nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom are excellent against the backdrop of oats and nuts. Add a little salt too, which brings out the other flavors.

Coconut oil – When making granola, you need a fat to help bind the ingredients and toast them. 

I like to use coconut oil for the added flavor. If you prefer, you can swap in a neutral flavored oil, or butter.

Honey – Honey not only adds sweetness, but also helps the granola form those delicious clusters when baking. You can also use maple syrup.

Dried apricots – Any dried fruit can be used in homemade granola, but I like to use apricots for their floral flavor. Each dried apricot is half an apricot, so be sure to chop them into smaller pieces.

How to make this recipe

Preheat the oven to 300°F. A lower temperature helps crisp the granola without overbaking it and resulting in a bitter taste.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a reusable silicone liner.

In a large bowl, stir together the oats, almonds, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and salt.

Add the coconut oil and honey to a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Stir to melt and blend together. 

Once completely melted, remove from heat and pour over the oat mixture. Stir thoroughly with a large spatula to combine.

Scoop oat mixture onto the prepared baking pan. Spread into a thin even layer.

Bake the granola for about 30 minutes, stirring and rotating the pan halfway through cooking time.

Once done, remove from the oven. Scatter the chopped apricots on top, then use the spatula to press them gently into the granola. 

This will help the granola cluster as it cools and adhere the apricots.

Let the granola cool completely, then break into pieces and store in an airtight container.

You can use the parchment paper or silicone liner as a funnel to transfer the granola easily into a jar or bag.

Storage tips

Homemade granola should be kept in an airtight container at room temperature to keep it crunchy.

I like to store mine in a glass mason jar, like one with a flip-top latching lid. This recipe makes about 6 cups, so you’ll want a large quart-size container.

Granola also freezes well. Simply let it cool completely until it is dry and crunchy, then transfer to a freezer-safe container.

Remove as much air as you can to prevent freezer burn and keep the granola crunchy. A vacuum sealer is perfect for this!

Label and store for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before eating.

Recipe suggestions

You can always switch up the ingredients when you make granola at home, using other fruits or spices to make it your own signature recipe.

One of my favorite combos is lemon blueberry granola using dried blueberries and lemon zest. You can even skip the fruit and go all-out with mocha java granola! Or for those who love nuts, try peanut butter granola.

Armed with a batch of this spicy homemade apricot granola recipe, I no longer have any excuses to skip breakfast. Get rid of your excuses too and bake up some today!

Apricot Granola

Apricot granola is flavored with chai spices for a crunchy, fragrant breakfast.

Author : Megan Myers

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings 24

Calories 142 kcal

Ingredients

  

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• 4 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 4-6 tablespoons honey, depending on desired sweetness
• 3/4 cup chopped dried apricots

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Instructions

• Preheat oven to 300°F and line a large baking sheet with a Silpat.
• In a large bowl, stir together oats, almonds, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and salt.
• In a saucepan over medium heat, melt together coconut oil and honey. Once melted, pour over oat mixture and stir to thoroughly combine.
• Pour oat mixture onto Silpat, spreading it out in a thin layer.
• Bake for 30 minutes, rotating pan halfway through.
• When the granola is done baking, sprinkle apricots on top, then press down on granola all over. This will help it create clusters as it cools.
• Let cool completely, then store in an airtight container.

Notes

Makes about 6 cups

Recommended Products

• Silpat Premium Non-Stick Silicone Baking Mat, Half Sheet Size, 11-5/8 x 16-1/2
• Premium Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls (Set of 6)
• Excelsteel 1/2-Quart Mini Sauce Pan

Nutrition

Calories: 142 kcalCarbohydrates: 17 gProtein: 3 gFat: 7 gSaturated Fat: 4 gSodium: 24 mgFiber: 2 gSugar: 7 g

Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate based on online calculators. Any nutritional information found on Stetted should be used as a general guideline only.

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