The Best Almond Butter Granola (Vegan + Gluten-Free)
Homemade granola is probably one of my favourite things ever, and arguably, one of the best snack/breakfast foods to make. There is NOTHING, and I mean nothing, like fresh warm granola (that you whipped up yourself) coming out of the oven and filling your home with sweet, cinnamon-y goodness.
almond butter granola | kulaskitchen.com
People ALWAYS ask me for my granola recipe and this is the one that I make time and time again. It is:
Made with a base of fibre-filled combination of rolled oats + crunchy nuts/seeds
Naturally sweetened with a combination of coconut sugar + maple syrup
Filled with warming + blood sugar-stabilizing cinnamon
Packed with rich almond butter + sweet vanilla for the most incredible flavour
Finished with a good sprinkle of sea salt for that perfect sweet-and-salty flavour
almond butter granola | kulaskitchen.com
This almond butter granola is lower in sugar than many other granolas, but it tastes SO decadent, which is what I love about it. The recipe makes a huge batch - when I lived on my own, it would never lasts me more than a couple of weeks and now that I live with my boyfriend, two big jars are usually gone in 4-5 days. No joke. It's THAT addictive.
I love this in yogurt bowls, on top of smoothies, sprinkled onto toast/banana bread/pancakes, or just by the handful! Sometimes when I'm looking for a sweet treat after dinner, I’ll take a big chunk of this and dip it in coconut butter or more almond butter. SO GOOD! I used to be on a constant hunt for the best granola, and now that I’ve perfected this one, it is truly the only granola I make. I hope you love it as much as I do!
The Best Almond Butter Granola (Vegan + Gluten-Free)
Ingredients
3 ½ cups rolled oats (replacing 1 cup of it with unsweetened shredded coconut is delicious too)
1 cup chopped raw nuts (I love almonds, walnuts or pecans)
¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds (or sunflower seeds)
¼ cup ground flaxseed
¼ cup coconut sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp sea salt
½ cup pure maple syrup
¼ cup + 2 tbsp coconut oil
¼ cup almond butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
Method
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.
In a large bowl, mix together your oats, nuts, pumpkin seeds, ground flaxseed, coconut sugar, cinnamon and sea salt.
In a small saucepan, melt your coconut oil and maple syrup together over medium heat. Remove from the heat and whisk in your almond butter and vanilla extract until you have a smooth mixture.
Pour the liquid mixture into your bowl of dry ingredients and use a spatula or wooden spoon to combine everything, making sure the liquid is well incorporated and coating all of the dry ingredients (may take a minute or two).
Spread the granola evenly between your two baking sheets in a single layer - this is important to make sure it gets nice and crunchy! Press the granola mixture down slightly with the back of your spatula.
Bake the trays of granola for 16 minutes, rotate them, and return them to the oven for an additional 6-8 minutes, keeping a close eye on it to make sure it doesn’t burn. When it’s finished, it should be just starting to slightly brown around the edges.
Cool the trays completely for at least 30 minutes to ensure it gets nice and crunchy. Break the granola chunks apart with a spoon or spatula, transfer to jars and enjoy! It will last 2-3 weeks in airtight jars in the cupboard.
Makes 6-7 cups of granola
