Highly Addictive Cinnamon, Maple & Vanilla Granola
simple steps, beautiful flavourCrunchy, golden and highly addictive, this bulk-batch granola combines rolled oats, seeds, maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon. It is perfect for breakfast, meal prep, snacks or serving with yoghurt as a healthier dessert.
Highly addictive — this may change your life
You have been warned!
I’m moving house, and let me tell you, there is nothing more stressful than keeping a home in showroom condition for two weeks with a family of four.
To survive the open homes without losing my mind — or destroying my pristine kitchen — I took matters into my own hands.
Meal prep, clever shopping and strategic stashing in the fridge and freezer absolutely saved the day. This granola can also be made in the air fryer, although you will need to cook it in batches.
Make a full batch now and live happily ever after.
Why bulk meal prep saved us
As a busy family of four, there were plenty of hungry mouths to feed, but the kitchen had to stay spotless.
If you are moving or selling your home, take it from me: spend the time preparing meals in advance and stashing them in your fridge and freezer.
It literally saved us thousands. If we had eaten out during the eight to ten times we were forced out of the house for viewings — with all four of us plus the pooches — the cost would have skyrocketed.
We have now nicknamed our freezer “Uber Eats” because of how often we grabbed a pre-prepared meal from it.
My new favourite pantry staple
One pantry staple that was perfect to have ready was my house-made cinnamon, maple and vanilla granola.
It is the ultimate grab-and-go breakfast, an easy lunch and one of my favourite healthier dessert-style treats after dinner.
Am I weird? I absolutely love granola and yoghurt as dessert. Just remember that granola is still energy-dense, so enjoy it mindfully!
Make it your own
You can easily adapt this recipe to suit your family’s tastes.
If you prefer muesli, simply prepare the mixture using the same ingredients but skip the baking step.
I made a huge 3.6 kg batch for less than $25. If you are going to do the work, be smart and make plenty.
It stores beautifully in an airtight container, or you can freeze half of the batch for up to one year.
Oven or air fryer?
The granola can be baked in a conventional oven or cooked in an air fryer.
For the air fryer, work in small batches and cook for approximately six to eight minutes at a time, checking and stirring regularly until golden and delicious.
Tell me what you created
I would love to know what you think and which flavour combinations you tried.
Happy baking!
Chef Mel
The complete recipe.
Tick off each ingredient as you prepare it, then follow the numbered steps from start to finish.
Ingredients
Method
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01
Preheat the oven to 180°C and prepare one or more large baking trays.
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02
Place the rolled oats, pepita seeds, sunflower seeds, linseeds, almond meal, cashews and chopped dried fruit into the baking tray.
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03
Melt the coconut oil or butter in the microwave or in a small saucepan over low heat.
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04
Stir the maple syrup, vanilla extract and cinnamon into the melted coconut oil.
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05
Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients and stir thoroughly until every oat and seed is evenly coated.
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06
Spread the granola mixture into an even layer across the baking tray.
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07
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring the mixture every 8 minutes so the underneath toasts evenly.
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08
For an air-fryer version, cook the granola in small batches for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring and checking regularly until golden.
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09
Remove the granola from the heat and allow it to cool completely on the tray.
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10
Once fully cooled and crunchy, transfer the granola to an airtight container or divide it into freezer-safe portions.
Equipment
- Large baking tray
- Large mixing spoon
- Microwave-safe bowl or small saucepan
- Kitchen scales
- Measuring jug
- Measuring spoons
- Airtight storage container
- Air fryer, optional
Cheffy tips
- For chunky granola clusters, replace the maple syrup with 300 g brown sugar and add an extra 150 g coconut oil.
- Press the cluster mixture firmly into the baking tray like one large cookie and do not stir it while baking.
- Allow the granola to cool completely before breaking it into clusters.
- Set an alarm every 8 minutes when making the loose granola so the mixture does not burn underneath.
- Use any combination of dried apple, mango, berries, dates or raisins.
- For muesli, prepare the dry mixture but skip the wet ingredients and baking stage.
- Store the granola in an airtight container once it is completely cool.
- Freeze part of the batch for up to one year.
- Air-fryer cooking times may vary, so check each batch frequently.
