Honey-Maple Granola

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Photo: Krause, Johansen

To make a healthy gift that friends and family will devour this season, skip the fruitcake and go for granola instead. Once you've got the basic recipe down, try the tasty variations.

Ingredients

  • ½ cup honey

  • ½ cup maple syrup

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • ¼ cup brown sugar

  • 4 cups rolled oats

  • ½ shredded unsweetened coconut

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • Vegetable oil

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Combine honey, maple syrup, butter, and brown sugar in saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat; reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often.

  2. In a large bowl, mix oats, coconut, and salt. Pour the honey mixture over the oat mixture and stir. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet and spread granola evenly. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool before transferring to airtight glass containers.

Variations

Ginger-Apple Granola

Replace 1/4 cup syrup with 1/4 cup molasses and stir 1/4 teaspoon pepper in with oats. Bake for 12 minutes, then add 1 cup total of chopped crystallized ginger and dried apple; bake 8 to 13 minutes.

Cherry-Almond Granola
Stir 1 teaspoon almond extract into the honey mixture while it's simmering. Add 1 cup slivered almonds to the oats. Bake for 12 minutes, then add 1 cup dried cherries; bake 8 to 13 minutes.

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