Maple COCOnut Granola

My mom's best friend Martha has been making the BEST granola for years. She makes big batches to dole out at Christmas time. It's the equivalent of gold in my family- getting a ziplock of this nutty, crunchy, slightly sweet treat is always something to celebrate! I finally got a hold of her recipe (which is a variation of another San Antonio matriarch's) and tweaked it a bit to make it my own. This is “no stir“ granola- I like the way it clumps when you leave it alone in the oven, only opening the door to rotate the pan once or twice during baking. So easy! I bake a batch every week- it's the most satisfying breakfast over some plain Greek yogurt garnished with berries and honey. It's kid friendly and easily doubled, so that you can share the granola love like Martha always does! Use any combo of your favorite raw, unsalted nuts (2 cups worth)- I’ve listed my favorites in the recipe below. Now, if I could only get Martha to give me her top secret boozy milk punch recipe.....

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*prep time: 10 min *cook time: 30 min *makes about 4 cups

INGREDIENTS

1-1/2 cups rolled oats

2-1/2 cups assorted raw nuts (suggested: 1/2 cup each of pecan pieces, walnut pieces, shelled pistachios, hulled pumpkin seeds, and/or sliced or slivered almonds)

1/4 cup flax meal

1/2 cup dried unsweetened coconut flakes (medium or large flake)

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/3 cup melted coconut oil

1/3 cup maple syrup

1 cup dried cranberries, raisins or cherries

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INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 300° with rack placed in the upper middle. Combine the dry ingredients (oats-salt) in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add the coconut oil and maple syrup and stir to evenly coat the dry mixture. Spread evenly onto a large baking sheet, pressing into one layer, and bake for 26-30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Remove the granola from oven when it’s lightly browned all over and scatter cranberries on top. Let it cool completely (this helps to make it crisp). Break it into pieces and store in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.