This granola is addictive! It’s soft and nutty, with the deliciously contrasting flavors of sweet oat and tart cranberry. The recipe is based on my mother-in-law’s version, which she made for years. We always looked forward to receiving a jar of her granola at Christmas.
If you are looking for a homemade gift to bring to your family and friends, I recommend giving them a jar of this granola.
In her 90s now, Barbara (my mother-in-law) has stopped making her granola, but I have her recipe and just made a batch. I increased the amount of cashews, seeds and coconut from the original recipe, because I love the add-ins.
I like this granola on top of breakfast cereal or yogurt. Add some to a bowl of ice cream. Use it as the topping for a fruit crisp. Stir a little into your pancake batter.
This recipe makes a huge amount of granola (about 16 cups), meaning that you’ll have plenty to give to your friends. It stores well on the shelf, so feel free to keep an extra jar for yourself.
Tips
- Substitute the cashews with your favorite nuts, such as hazelnuts or pecans.
- Substitute the cranberries with golden raisins or another dried fruit.
- If you don’t eat wheat, leave out the wheat germ. You can replace it with ground flax or something else.
- Use canning jars to put the granola in for gifts.
Ingredients
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this cashew cranberry granola.
- 6 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup wheat germ
- 1 1/2 cups coconut
- 2 1/2 cups raw chopped cashews
- 1 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup sesame seeds
- 1 cup honey
- 1 cup canola oil (or another neutral oil)
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups dried cranberries
Directions
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
Mix the oats, wheat germ, coconut, cashews, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds in a large bowl. Stir in the oil, water, and honey and mix well.
Spread the granola on two large baking pans with sides.
Bake the granola for 40 minutes, stirring it occasionally. The granola will not be crisp when it is done. You want it to remain soft.
Immediately put the granola back into a large bowl or pan, reserving the baking pans. While the granola is still warm, stir in the cranberries and vanilla.
Spread the granola back onto the baking pans to cool. When it is completely cool, store it in glass jars.
Enjoy! Share it with family and friends!
Related Posts
Here are some of the other food items that make great gifts:
Consider this Reusable Gift Wrapping Idea for your granola gifts.