Martha Stewart Basic Granola

Martha Stewart basic granola is a crunchy, clustery oat breakfast with toasted nuts, seeds and dried fruit that comes together in 1 hour. It's an easy homemade breakfast idea for busy mornings, holiday gift jars or after-school snack time, and it's a simple recipe you can swap and adjust.

Stir the granola every 15 minutes while it bakes, because that keeps the edges from scorching before the middle turns golden. Skip the stirring and you get a pan of dark, bitter edges next to pale, chewy oats.

Martha simmers the brown sugar, honey and oil together before pouring them over the oats, so the sugar dissolves fully and coats every flake. That syrup is what binds the granola into real clusters, and it keeps the whole batch from tasting too sweet.

Martha Stewart Basic Granola

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: BreakfastCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

14

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

50

minutes

Calories

290

kcal

Slow baking at a low temperature turns the syrup-coated oats and nuts crisp and golden, with plenty of clusters. The dried fruit goes in after cooling, so it stays chewy instead of hardening in the oven.

Ingredients

• 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  

• 2 cups chopped nuts, seeds, or a combination, such as almonds, pistachios, and walnuts and pumpkin, sunflower, and flax seeds
  

• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (we use Diamond Crystal)
  

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  

• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
  

• 1/3 cup honey or pure maple syrup
  

• 1/3 cup vegetable or extra-virgin olive oil
  

• 1 cup dried fruit, such as cherries, cranberries, or chopped apricots
  

Directions

• Prep the oat mixture: Preheat the oven to 300°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Then combine 4 cups oats, 2 cups chopped nuts and seeds, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a large heatproof bowl.
• Make the syrup: Bring 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup honey and 1/3 cup oil to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then pour it over the oat mixture.
• Spread on the sheet: Stir everything until every oat and nut is coated in the syrup. Then spread it in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake the granola: Bake for 40 to 55 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. It's ready when the granola turns golden and crisp.
• Cool and add fruit: Let the granola cool completely on the pan, since it crisps up as it cools. Then stir in 1 cup dried fruit and store it in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Tools for this recipe

• Nordic Ware half sheet pan, Reynolds unbleached parchment paper, Cuisinart MultiClad Pro 3-quart saucepan, Butternut Mountain Farm pure Vermont maple syrup, 32 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

How do I get big granola clusters?

Let the granola cool completely on the pan before you break it up, because the sugar hardens as it cools and holds the oats together. Stirring gently every 15 minutes, instead of tossing hard, also helps the clusters survive.

Can I make this granola with less sugar and more protein?

Yes, use 1/3 cup brown sugar instead of 1/2 cup. Before spreading it on the sheet, fold in 1 whisked egg white and 3/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut, which adds flavor and helps it bind.

What nuts, seeds and dried fruit can I use?

Any combination works, so use what you have on hand. Almonds, pistachios, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and flax seeds all do well, and cherries, cranberries or chopped apricots make good dried fruit.

How long does homemade granola keep?

Kept in an airtight container at room temperature, it stays crisp for up to 2 weeks. Humidity softens it, so close the lid right after scooping.

What's the easiest way to get the granola into a jar?

Break up any big chunks with a spatula, then pinch and lift opposite ends of the parchment. Use the paper as a funnel to pour the granola straight into the jar without spilling.