Maple Walnut Granola

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large rimmed baking sheet (18x13 inch)
• •Parchment paper
• •Large mixing bowl
• •Small saucepan
• •Sturdy spatula
• •Wire cooling rack

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the oven and pan

   Position a rack in the center of your oven and heat to 300°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Low and slow is the gospel of granola. Higher temperatures brown the edges while leaving the center pale and chewy. Patience rewards you with even color throughout.

2. 2

   Combine dry ingredients

   In your largest mixing bowl, combine the rolled oats, chopped walnuts, coconut flakes, pepitas, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Toss with your hands until the spices coat everything evenly. You should smell the cinnamon and nutmeg rising from the bowl. If you don't, your spices are too old.

   Chop the walnuts into rough pieces no smaller than your thumbnail. Tiny bits burn before the oats are done.
3. 3

   Make the maple coating

   In a small saucepan, warm the maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and brown sugar over medium-low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely and the mixture looks uniform and glossy. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. The warmth helps everything emulsify into a coating that will cling to every oat.

4. 4

   Coat the oat mixture

   Pour the warm maple mixture over the dry ingredients. Stir with a large spatula, folding from the bottom, until every oat glistens and no dry patches remain. This takes a full minute of deliberate stirring. The mixture should feel slightly tacky when you press a bit between your fingers.

   The coating must reach every surface. Dry oats stay pale and dusty; coated oats turn golden and crisp.
5. 5

   Spread and compress

   Transfer the mixture to your prepared baking sheet. Spread it into an even layer, then press down firmly with the back of your spatula or the bottom of a measuring cup. You want a compact, unified slab about half an inch thick. This compression is the secret to clusters. Do not skip it.

   Think of it as building a granola brick. The pressed edges will become the prized crunchy clusters everyone fights over.
6. 6

   Bake without disturbing

   Slide the pan into the oven and bake for 20 minutes without opening the door. After 20 minutes, rotate the pan 180 degrees for even browning. Continue baking another 20 to 25 minutes until the granola is deep golden brown across the entire surface and the edges have darkened slightly. The center should no longer look wet or pale.

7. 7

   Cool completely before breaking

   Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack. Do not touch the granola. It will feel soft and pliable when hot. This is correct. As it cools, the sugars set and the texture transforms from chewy to shatteringly crisp. Wait at least 45 minutes, preferably an hour, before you break it into clusters.

   Disturbing hot granola destroys clusters. Walk away. Make coffee. Read the paper. The granola will reward your patience.
8. 8

   Break into clusters and add fruit

   Once completely cool, break the granola slab into rough chunks of varying sizes. Some will be large enough to eat like cookies; others will crumble into smaller bits. Both are desirable. If using dried cranberries or raisins, fold them in now. Adding them before baking turns them to hard pebbles.

Chef Tips

• •Seek out Grade A Dark maple syrup, labeled 'robust' or 'very dark.' The lighter grades taste thin and vanish into the oats. You want maple that announces itself.
• •Virgin coconut oil adds subtle sweetness and helps achieve crisp clusters. Refined coconut oil works if you dislike coconut flavor, but the results aren't quite as good.
• •Old-fashioned rolled oats are essential. Quick oats turn to dust; steel-cut stay rock hard. Only rolled oats have the surface area and structure for proper granola.
• •Toast your walnuts before adding them if you want even deeper flavor. Five minutes in a dry skillet until fragrant, then cool before mixing with the oats.
• •A sprinkle of flaky sea salt over the finished granola just before serving transforms it into something almost savory. Try it once and you'll never skip it again.

Advance Preparation

• •Granola keeps in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three weeks. Glass jars with tight-fitting lids work best; plastic absorbs odors and allows staleness.
• •The unbaked mixture can be prepared the night before, covered, and refrigerated. Let it come to room temperature while the oven preheats, then press and bake as directed.
• •For gift-giving, portion into mason jars with handwritten labels. Tie with kitchen twine and a small wooden spoon. This is the kind of present that makes people feel cared for.
• •Freeze cooled granola in heavy-duty freezer bags for up to three months. It thaws at room temperature in about twenty minutes and tastes freshly baked.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 142g)