quick stove top granola
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a make-it-yourself granola girl. I love having total control over the ingredients and it’s way more cost-effective than buying it in stores. And then there’s the smell. Nothing smells better than a house immediately after fresh granola has been baking in the oven.
This week my 5 year old caught a craving for some granola. And he loves to get down in the kitchen.
I’m not going to lie to you, cooking with him hasn’t always been my favorite thing to do. It may actually be my least favorite thing to do. But, he’s getting older and the process of cooking together has become a lot less messy and chaotic and therefore way more fun for me.
Anyways, I thought it would be more involved and fun for him to whip up a stovetop version rather than baking it the traditional way.
And it turned out great. It was faster (10 minutes!), requires a lower heat (much safer for said 5 year old), and just the right batch size for a small family. It’s also a much more intuitive process than baking it. You can taste as you go and layer in the flavor -ideal for terrible bakers, like myself.
My biggest takeaway from experimenting all week:
You can cook it any type of pan - cast iron, non-stick or stainless steel (I prefer cast iron), but the pan has to be the right size. If your pan is too small, the granola will steam and become soft. You want your pan big and wide so the granola gets caramelized and crispy. Also be mindful about the amount of oats you’re using. I recommend no more than 1.5 cups. This ensures that there’s enough room to move things around and you can avoid overcrowding the pan.
I must admit that I eyeball this “recipe” every time I go to make it. But the formula looks something like 1-1.5 cups of rolled oats, roughly 1/2 cup of a mixture of nuts and seeds, 1-2 tablespoons of coconut oil and maple syrup, a couple of pinches of salt and spices and then a small handful of dried fruit at the end.
Like all granola, it’s super flexible. You can play around with measurements depending on your taste and of course swap in different types of nuts and seeds as you like or based on what you have on hand. We made a bunch of different varieties throughout the week. The one I’m sharing here was our favorite.
Hope you love it as much as we do!
Stove top granola
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Yields: 4-6 servings
Ingredients:
1/2 cup of chopped almonds and pecans, whole pepitas and sesame seeds (combined, not each)
1-2 tbsp of coconut oil
Splash of vanilla extract
1-2 tbsp maple syrup
1.5 cups organic rolled oats
1-2 pinches ground ceylon cinnamon
1-2 pinches ground cardamom
Pinch of pink salt
Small handful golden raisins
Directions
Toast your nuts and seeds. Pour nuts and seeds into a medium to large dry skillet, on a low to medium heat. Watch them carefully to avoid burning. Stir until they become fragrant (about 3-5 minutes). Remove them from the skillet and set aside in a medium sized bowl.
Coat and cook your oats. Using the same skillet, add the coconut oil. Once melted, add the splash of vanilla, and then add your oats. Stir frequently to ensure they’re evenly coated, then add your spices. Cook for about five minutes, until oats are a light golden brown.
Throw it all together. Remove the skillet from heat, add in your toasted nuts and seeds along with your golden raisins and mix it all together. Done! Simple as that. Set aside to cool for a few minutes before eating.
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