A few weeks ago, I was eating some granola for a snack.  I got thinking about it and wanted to make my own.  So I started looking for a recipe for plain granola.  This proved to be a little more challenging.  Most of the recipe’s I found included nuts.  I wanted just plain granola, I can add fruit and nuts as I want.   The first recipe we found was lacking, I actually think whoever posted it, may have left something out or had the measurements wrong.  It turned out dry and had almost no flavor, not what we were looking for.    So we found another recipe.  I made a batch of the new recipe.  This one was better and more of what we were looking for.  I have since made several batches (we have been eating it daily for snacking).  I have adjusted the recipe to our liking and the end result is below.

CAMPFIRESHOP.com – Plain Granola  Recipe
Kitchen items needed for preparation:

1. Two Mixing Bowls
2. Measuring Cup
3. Measuring spoon
4. Cookie Sheet
5. Parchment Paper or Non-Stick Spray

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups rolled oats (Old fashioned)
• 1/2 – 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• 3 Tbs Vegetable oil
• 1/4 Cup honey
• 1/4 Cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure Vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly spray with non-stick spray to keep ingredients from sticking to the cookie sheet pan.
2. Toss the oats with cinnamon in a big bowl.
3. In the other bowl, combine oil, honey, brown sugar, and vanilla. Blend together with a whisk.
4. Drizzle honey, oil, brown sugar, and vanilla mixture over the oats mixture, mix until the oats combination is covered with the honey mixture (you may find using your hands works well).
5. Spread the mixture onto the lined cookie sheet. It’s okay to leave a few clumps so that it resembles granola that you purchase at grocery or health food stores.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Use a spatula (preferably metal) to take granola from the pan. Once cooled, pour into a storage container, and mix in raisins or any other additions you would like in your granola. Seal the container with its lid, and store in a cool dry place for up to two weeks.

** If you allow it to cool on the pan you will have more granola clumps

** The recipe calls for 1/2-1 teaspoon of cinnamon.  I use 1/2, this gives it a light cinnamon taste without being to strong.

This is a simple recipe to make plain granola at home for a fraction of the cost you pay at the grocery store.