The Best Homemade Granola Ever!

Rolled oats are a great way to start your morning. I'm okay with eating oatmeal and grew up with a dad who LOVES it and cooked it often. (Best oatmeal combo in my opinion includes coconut flakes and dried pineapple tidbits. No added sweeteners needed.) My kids are also pretty good at eating their morning oatmeal including little Miss. Picky-pants who ate her bowl with dried blueberries this morning. I'm not complaining 'cause we all know the healthy value of eating our oats but oatmeal can get a little boring. To add variety to our oat breakfasts I've also made many a granola recipe. Granola is great as cereal, over yogurt, by the handful, etc. I like granola but I've never been one to desperately want a bowl of it or eat it by the handful as a snack until I made this recipe. Oh. my. goodness. This granola is A-mazing! I especially love the large coconut curls that toast as you bake the oats. Mmmm. I think these coconut chips are the secret recipe that makes the granola so delicious.  Our gallon ziplock bag of this granola was gone in 3 days. Even the painters who were here the morning I baked this cinnamon treat were asking what it was because the smell was so heavenly.

The best part of this granola recipe is that ANYONE can make it. Really. Making granola is the easiest thing since boiling water. It's healthy, easy to make and delicious. What more can you ask for?

Cranberry Coconut Granola
an original recipe by Jayne at The Dish List


8 cups rolled oats
2 cups chopped pecans
2 cups coconut
2 cups cranberries
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large 11x14 rectangular pan with cooking spray. Mix together oats, pecans, coconut, cranberries, nutmeg and cinnamon. Measure the oil, honey and brown sugar in a microwavable dish or saucepan. Microwave (or cook on the stovetop) until melted. Add the vanilla and pour over the oat mixture. Spread mixture evenly in pan and bake for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Be sure to store in an airtight container.