Do you have any of those recipes that your family has made for as long as you can remember? For my family, this kitchen sink granola is one of those. A few of the first few things I learned how to make and made on a regular basis were whole-wheat blueberry muffins, just about any kind of pasta (although baked ziti and lasagna were my favorites), whole-wheat banana bread, and this granola recipe.
I think the recipe originally came from a family friend, and over the years, we’ve customized it with my family’s favorite mix-ins and figured out a couple of tricks to help the granola stay in big, crunchy clusters.
The base of the granola has oats, honey, olive oil, cinnamon, and nuts. For the nuts, I’ll use a combination of whatever we have on hand, which usually includes almonds, walnuts, pecans, and Brazil nuts. Mix those together, spread the oat mixture on a parchment-lined baking sheet for easy clean-up, and pop it in the oven.
To help the granola cluster together, I use one little trick. when the granola comes out of the oven, I press it down with the back of a spatula to help it form clusters, and then I let it completely cool before I break it up.
Once the granola is completely cooled, it’s time to add all of the extra yummy mix-ins! The best thing about kitchen sink granola is that you can toss in just about any type of nuts and mix-ins you want. My favorites are raisins, dried cranberries, and recently, unsweetened coconut chips. You can also add dark or semisweet chocolate chips and around the holidays, I’ll sometimes add white chocolate chips.
I usually make a double batch so there’s some for our family and extra to give away. I love giving kitchen sink granola as a gift around the holidays to friends in a clear bag or mason jar with a cute, festive ribbon. In fact, I put a big bag in my snack food-loving grandpa’s stocking just about every Christmas!
I’ll warn you that this granola is seriously addictive and hard to stop eating, but the good thing is that it’s made with all real, natural ingredients and no refined sugar so you can feel good about eating it…until the 9th or 10th handful, at least. But I’m sure you’re much better at portion control than I am. 😉
If you try out the recipe, feel free to let me know in a comment or take a picture and tag me @livbane on Instagram. Hope you enjoy!
- 3 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 1/2 cup nuts (I use a mix of walnuts, almonds, pecans, & Brazil nuts)
- 3/4 cup total other mix-ins to add after baking: raisins dried cranberries, other dried fruit, unsweetened coconut chips or flakes, chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, etc.)
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In a medium bowl, combine oats, cinnamon, and salt. Add olive oil and honey to the oats, measuring out olive oil first so honey doesn't stick to measuring cup. Add nuts and stir until oats are coated with the liquid mixture.
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Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pour oat and nut mixture onto the baking sheet.
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Bake at 325 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, until starting to lightly brown, stirring once during baking. Remove from oven and immediately press down with a spatula to help clusters form.
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Let granola cool completely and then add dried fruit, coconut chips or flakes, and/or chocolate chips. Break into large clusters. Store in airtight container for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to several months.
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So tell me…
What are your favorite granola mix-ins?
Do you keep making any recipes that your family’s made for years? What are some of the first things you learned how to cook?
I love making granola! It’s my boyfriends favorite so I love surprising him with a batch of homemade granola! I can’t wait to try your method out he is a huge fan of big chunk granola!
Hilary recently posted…Italian Lettuce Wrapped Sub
Hope the method works out well for you, too! Lucky guy! 🙂
Homemade granola is the best, and I love all those big clusters! Some of the first things I learned to make are stuffed shells, omelets, fluffy pancakes, and shrimp scampi. A pretty random mix 😀
Ellen @ My Uncommon Everyday recently posted…Thinking Out Loud #59
Ooh yes, my dad taught me to make pancakes and omelets when I was little. Those are his specialities! 🙂
Wish I had some right now.
This is the granola I made for you while I stayed at your house earlier this summer! 🙂
My family has a granola recipe that we’ve been making forever, too! I love the idea of using olive oil in place of canola oil for some healthier fat–I’m going to have to do it. The first things I learned how to bake were my mom’s Hershey’s chocolate cake and her oatmeal chocolate chip cookies! (I swear we actually eat healthy, haha :P)
Claire @ My Pink & Green Life recently posted…Life Lately: July 2016
Both of those sound delicious! And I’m careful about using olive oil in baking since it has a stronger taste but in this granola, you can’t tell it’s in there!
This what we enjoy on Fridays, but with the savory ingredients in our fridge! We end up making big sandwiches and I love it! It’s the chance to concoct new flavor combos, and I love it. I’m totally into this idea of throwing it into granola just like trail mix!
Julia @ Drops of Jules recently posted…July Recent Reads
Oh fun…kitchen sink sandwiches!
I love granola so much. I haven’t made some in ages so my breakfasts have been very bare! I think I need to make this, this weekend.
One of the recipes I remember my brother and I first learned to cook was from this cookbook of food for zombies/monsters. They had stuff like eyeball cupcakes and hands made of sausages and bread rolls. Anyway one of the recipes was called blood and guts (gross) which was just spaghetti and tomato sauce really. We loved it so much we made it all the time!
Haha totally sounds like something kids would love!
I love your chunky granola tips!
Hayley@healthyregardshayley recently posted…On Identity
I love sweet and salty granola, high on the nuts, lower on dried fruit. Not a huge fan of chocolate in my granola, but I mean, if it’s there I’ll still eat it 😉
This looks great Liv!
Ellie recently posted…Eating Disorders in Collegiate Running [PSA]
My favorite part of making my own granola is customizing it justttt the way I like it, which for me is high on the nuts AND dried fruit! 🙂 Surprisingly, I can take or leave chocolate in granola, too.
This looks INCREDIBLE! We always have a big jar of granola on our kitchen bench as it’s the only thing Jesse will eat for breakfast during the week, however, I also always have a small jar with heaps of mix ins for snacking as Jesse likes his plain whilst I like ALLLLL the mix ins 😉 Dates are definitely one of my favourite additions!
Kristy from Southern In Law recently posted…Recent Things: Instagram Stories, Sleepy Puppies and Compulsive Cleaning
Ooh yes, dates are so good!
Homemade granola is the best. No getting those – way expensive if made with quality ingredients – store-bought varieties with hardly any clusters and too little of the good stuff [certain nuts and big clusters] or too much of the non-favourites [raisins for my family]. Your recipe sounds amazing and I’m sure whoever is lucky to get a bag as a gift is quite a happy chap.
LOTS of nuts and oat clusters is the only way to have granola, in my opinion! 🙂
Ah granola <3 My heart!
Granola is always the gift I give people, haha! I'm famous for my homemade granolas during the holidays!
I bet your friends LOVE your homemade granola!
I love huge chunkage like this! Pinned 🙂
rachel @ Athletic Avocado recently posted…Vegan Brownie Protein Ice Cream With Peanut Butter Cookie Crumbles
Thanks for pinning, Rachel!
YUM! That looks so easy!! I’m pretty simple when it comes to granola but I do appreciate some almonds and maybe some dried blueberries (you know, those Craisin-y thingies….). 🙂
LOVE dried fruit and almonds in my granola!
This looks so good Liv!! Healthy and delicious!! Thanks for sharing!
Xoxo Cailee!
Thanks for the kind words, Cailee!!
your family makes some amaziing food. i like granola with almonds, raisins, apples, and maybe berries!
growing up, i first learned how to make roti and cut cucumbers, haha 🙂
masala girl recently posted…A Venezian Bellini
YES to chunky granola!! I haven’t made some in a while because I have zero control over my intake, but I can feel a strong hankering for it starting. I just might have to give this recipe a go!!
Kat recently posted…Peanut Butter Cup Apple Nachos
I have such a hard time restraining myself with granola, too! One or two handfuls just doesn’t quite do it!
Noah this looks so crispy & delicious! I love when granola is super chunky! I am horrible at portion control with granola- I’m a 9 or 10 handful gal like you lol! I love big dark chocolate chunks and dried cherries in my granola!
kerri mcgrail recently posted…Chocolate Peanut Butter Avocado Pudding (Vegan, Gluten Free)
Dark chocolate chunks are my weakness!
I think this is my third (or maybe fourth…?) time making this granola! LOVE how it’s guilt free and not chock full of sugar. Thanks for another great recipe Liv!
Wow, I”m so happy to hear that, Sophie! So glad you’re enjoying the granola!
Looks great! Going to try very soon!
Question: on some of the comments they say they have it for breakfast…do you just “handfuls” or have it like a cereal breakfast with milk in a bowl? Just wondering????
I like to eat it by the handful or sprinkle it on my yogurt versus eating it as cereal!