Grain Free Cinnamon Crunch Granola
About Recipe:
If you are a cinnamon teddy graham lover, you are going to LOVE this granola! My goal for this recipe was to create a grain free granola, that was lower in sugar, grain free, had crunchy (yet not hard) texture and tasted amazing. I think I hit the mark! When I pulled the granola out of the oven, I was eating the warm large chunks, and I just couldn’t stop. I didn’t even give it a chance to crisp up! Once it did end up crisping up, I was eating it straight out of the bag and again I couldn’t stop. This granola is perfectly crunchy, and slightly sweet and cinnamonny! I hope you love it. It’s a perfect snack right out the oven packed with healthy fats and fiber. Or it’s also a great topper to add some crunch and flavor!
Tips and Tricks:
This granola is pretty simple to make. I will share a few tips that I’ve learned in making this!
Spread your granola thin: when you are pressing the granola mixture into a cookie sheet, if you like your granola to crisp faster, spread the mixture so that it is about 1/4 inch thick (or less if preferred).
Take out when still soft: I have a habit of overcooking food because I always wait till it’s the perfect texture before I stop baking it. When you take it out, it still cooks slightly on the pan, and will crisp when you let it cool. The granola should be slightly crispy on the edges and softer in the middle, but the middle with cool crispy still. If you find that it’s too soft, you can always put it back in for a couple minutes.
Pop it in the freezer: If you are impatient, like me, one thing that helps to cool and crispen the granola is popping it into the freezer for 10-15 minutes after your baking sheet is cooled.
Store in the fridge/freezer: This granola is great because it can stay fresh for up to a week in the fridge and over a month in the freezer. If you store it in the fridge or freezer it makes it super easy to throw on top of yogurt, smoothies, salads, etc… for that extra umph of texture and taste!
Key Nutritional Players:
Nuts: Coconut, Pecans, Almonds:
Many granolas on the market are either filled with tons of different ingredients (which can be hard on digestion), or filled with sugar and carbs. I wanted to make this granola base mostly nuts, to provide a granola that is packed with fiber and healthy fats. Researrch has found that the fatty acids and fibers in nuts can help control the blood sugar response. “Unsaturated fatty acids (monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids) present in nuts may play a role in glucose control and appetite suppression. Fiber and polyphenols in nuts may also have an anti-diabetic effect by altering gut microbiota.” (Kim, 2017)
Different nuts have different nutritional profiles. You can try changing up the nuts for what best suits you!
Grain Free Cinnamon Crunch Granola
Ingredients
- 1 cup almonds
- 1 cup pecans
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut shreds
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 T Vanilla extract
- 1 T Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Pulse almonds, pecans and coconut shreds in a food processor, or blender. Stop pulsing when you have a textured chopped mixture, - not overly chopped where it is flour like. You want some larger chunks so it has some texture.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the nut mixture, with the rest of the ingredients until thoroughly combined.
- On a parchment lined baking sheet, evenly distribute the granola mixture. Pressing down lightly with a rubber spatula to ensure the mix is evenly distributed.
- Bake at 300 F for 20-25 mins or until the granola is getting crispy. Be careful not to over bake this. (I find that when I take my granola out, it is often a little soft, then when I let it cool it hardens.) Once crispy, take out of the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Once it has cooled, place in the freezer for another five minutes to help it crisp up a bit more. Remove from freezer and break apart into chunks. Eat plain or top on your favorite smoothie or yogurt. Enjoy!
