Cranberry Pecan Granola

Happy New Year! It’s about time to get back to the blog after a few weeks at both ends of the temperature spectrum – starting off in Punta Cana right before the holidays and ending this past week with single-digit temperatures back on the east coast. With new year’s resolutions in full swing, I figured I’d put some of my cookie recipes on the back burner for a few weeks and give y’all what you’re looking for: delicious and healthy recipes. Well, at least for as long as most resolutions last. So without further adieu, let’s dive face first into a bowl of this freshly baked Cranberry Pecan Granola.

With all my traveling this holiday season (and racking up over 100 flights in 2017) I actually didn’t over-indulge in cookies and sweets since I wasn’t in one place long enough to really bake up a storm. My waistline is thankful for not adding on any extra inches, but like most people, I always like to start out January focused on healthier eating. Since I wasn’t traveling this past week – 10 days at home is my longest stint in months – I took advantage to finally experiment with some new recipes. I’m a big fan of Purely Elizabeth Granola and mostly stick to their Cranberry Pecan flavor, which I used as my inspiration for my own recipe.

I normally add some type of seed, like pumpkin or sunflower, to my granola, but decided to take a cue from the Purely Elizabeth version and use a quarter cup of uncooked quinoa to add a light crunch. I wasn’t sure how I’d like it, but it really adds a nice subtle crunchier texture to the granola. There are few smells more delicious to me than freshly toasted coconut, but I think the combo of toasted coconut and pecans might be my new favorite scent. When this granola comes out of the oven, it’s just a symphony of angelic flavors that you won’t be able to resist.

Another added perk to this delicious recipe is that it is all naturally gluten-free. And if you’re forced to eat gluten free, you know that healthy food that actually tastes delicious is not easy to come by. My mom uses me as her “gluten-free tester” when we are in restaurants just as a safety check to make sure her version truly is gluten free. And I can tell you that my mom has tasted my granola recipes in the past and dubbed them “crackola” due to their addicting deliciousness.

If you’re looking to lighten this up a bit, you can always replace the light brown sugar with coconut sugar, but honestly there’s not that much in the entire recipe so just portion out 1/3 of a cup and don’t eat the whole batch in one sitting and you’ll be just fine. If you like this recipe, make sure to check out a few other granola recipes from months past:

• Blueberry Pecan Granola
• Cranberry Walnut Granola
• Snickerdoodle Almond Butter Granola
• Pumpkin Spice Granola

Print Recipe

Cranberry Pecan Granola

Yield: 5 Cups

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Cook Time: 30 Minutes

Total Time: 40 Minutes

This delicious crunchy treat is the perfect way to start your day off or top off a dessert at the end of a day.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups old fashioned oats
• 1 cup coconut flakes
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup uncooked white quinoa
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with edges with a sil pat or parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a large bowl mix together the oats, coconut, pecan, cinnamon and quinoa.
3. Over low heat, gently whisk the sugar, maple syrup, and olive oil in a small saucepan just until the sugar has dissolved. Pour the liquid into the oat mixture using a spatula to evenly coat the dry ingredients.
4. Spread the granola over the prepared cookie sheet, sprinkle with sea salt and bake at 325 degrees for about 30 minutes until the granola is dry, stirring with a spatula a few times to ensure it bakes evenly.
5. Fold in the dried cranberries.
6. Allow to cool before storing in an air-tight container or mason jar. Enjoy!