cinnamon granola with almond & apricot

Cinnamon granola with crunchy almonds and soft chewy apricot, bound with maple syrup. This deliciously quick and simple breakfast is one the whole family will enjoy.

Our crunchy cinnamon granola is a packed full of flavour and superior to any store bought granola. Making your own granola is a lot easier than you might first think.

Our granola with maple syrup is a simple recipe where some ingredients are melted together and mixed with oats, nuts and dried fruits. Pop in the oven to bake - it could not be any more straightforward.

Michelle started making her own granola a few years ago. She became fed up paying too much for a quality product, particularly when she realised how easy it would be to make her own!

Is granola healthy?

Is granola healthy? A very good question. Look at the list of ingredients and it certainly should be, when eaten in moderation. A combination of rolled oats, nuts and dried fruits that should keep you feeling fuller for longer.

However, store bought granola can often be loaded with extra salt and sugar that we just don't need! I often want to cut back on sugar, which is why I find shop bought varieties simply too sweet for me.

By making your own cinnamon granola, as with most things, you can control what you put into it.

How to make granola - recipe steps:

Serving suggestions for cinnamon granola:

• A portion of our crunchy cinnamon granola with ice cold milk poured over the top, is the perfect start to a day.
• Spoon some Greek yogurt into a bowl and sprinkle over a tablespoon or two of cinnamon granola and top with fresh fruit.
• Sprinkle a tablespoon or two of our crunchy cinnamon granola over the top of your bowl of porridge.
• Baking some muffins, add a pinch or two of our granola to the top for added crunch.
• Not just for breakfast, spoon some over vanilla ice-cream for a delicious dessert.

Recipe substitutions and variations:

• Porridge oats can be found on our supermarket shelves. If you want to add a little extra crunch try adding some rolled oats to the mix too.
• We have used ground cinnamon but you could also add a blend of cinnamon and nutmeg or cinnamon and ginger if you would prefer.
• Flaked almonds add a lovely crunch and work well with the cinnamon and apricot. However, you can add in any other nuts, pecans and hazelnuts would work too, as would some shredded coconut.
• Dried apricots add a little sweetness and become nice and chewy when baked. You can add any other dried fruits in place of the apricot: dried dates; prunes; cranberries and raisins would all work.
• Pumpkin and sunflower seeds add crunch, but if you want to increase protein levels try adding some flax or chia seeds to the mix.
• Maple syrup adds the sweetness to the granola, however you can replace the maple syrup for another sweetener like honey or agave syrup if you don't like the maple taste or for dietary reasons. Note: if replacing with honey this will no longer be suitable for a vegan diet.
• We like to use coconut oil, but if you don't have any, replace it with another light flavourless oil.

Useful hints and tips:

1. Bake for longer if you want extra crunchy granola.
2. The sugar can be reduced by cutting back a little on the maple syrup and reducing or swapping the dried apricot for extra nuts and seeds.
3. This recipe is suitable for vegans.
4. If making granola for a gluten free diet, ensure that you use gluten free oats.
5. If you suffer from a nut allergy leave the nuts out entirely and add extra dried fruits and seeds instead.
6. Stored in an airtight container, this granola will keep for up to 4 weeks.

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Additional recipe suggestions:

If you like this recipe then try some of our simple breakfast recipes:

• Chocolate & Hazelnut Granola
• Christmas Spiced Granola
• Healthy Green Smoothie
• Cinnamon Rolls
• Dutch Poffertjes
• Scotch Pancakes

Hosting your own brunch then take the stress out of it and head to our Ultimate Guide to Brunch. Here you’ll find all our brunch recipes together with some great advice on how to get started?

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