Tahini Maple Granola

Vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, refined sugar-free

It’s been a hot minute since I made a granola. Why not now? Seems like the right time.

I was not always a granola fan. This could very well be because I associated it with the Muesli my grandmother would always want me to eat.  As a 10 year old, Muesli was not nearly as appealing as Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Sorry grandma. 

However, in my older and wiser years I have found that I love granola (jury is still out on Muesli). I have most definitely become a granola snob. I have a hard time finding one that has the bits that I like (you know the nuts and fruits and such) and the proper level of sweetness. Some store-bought granola is so sweet that I have a hard time tasting anything else in the granola. All I taste is sugar. 

This granola is one that I have made over and over and I never get tired of it. The base always stays the same, but what I add to it changes depending on what I happen to have in my pantry. It is a blank canvas that you can paint on whatever you feel like. 

I know that right now,  we all are trying to make do with a little less than what we are used to, so do not stress out if you do not have the exact same ingredient that I used. Use what you have and think will work. 

Let’s talk about the basic of this recipe and where you can get creative with it. 

Oats 

Granola is best when you use rolled oats, not quick cooking oats. Could you use quick cooking oats? Sure. Will it be the same texture? No. Quick cooking oats have been processed to, well, cook faster. So they do not really hold their texture in granola as well. 

Good old fashioned rolled oats are the best. Do they need to be gluten-free? No. If you are not gluten intolerant celiac or avoiding gluten for any other reason, use the rolled oats that you can find. Can you use steel cut oats? Certainly. Steel cut oats are the least processed of all oats so they will have a different texture, but you can make a delicious granola with steel cut oats. 

Coconut Flakes

I have a complicated relationship with coconut. I love it in some instances and loathe it in others. When it comes to granola, I like to add coconut flakes to add that buttery flavor that they naturally have. The flavor of toasted coconut makes this granola even more easily eat-able. 

Do you need to add coconut flakes? No. If you do not have them or they’re cleaned out at your super market, then don’t worry.

Can you use shredded coconut? Absolutely. If the shredded coconut is sweetened, it make make the granola overall sweeter. Also sweetened shredded coconut can burn a little easier, so just keep an eye on your granola while it bakes.

Tahini 

Tahini happens to be what I am obsessed with at the moment. I love the savory and ironically nutty taste of this sesame seed paste. In this granola it gives just the right foundational flavor to build off of. 

Do you need to use tahini? Not at all. I have made this granola with almond butter, cashew butter, peanut butter and even coconut butter. Any runny nut or seed butter can be used in place of tahini. Just make sure that it is the runny kind. If you use a “No Stir” nut butter, those typically have palm oil added and are stiffer, which may make the granola a little bit too dry. 

Maple Syrup 

Maple syrup is just made for breakfast in my mind. When do I eat granola? Breakfast, ergo, maple syrup. I used a locally made maple syrup (Dark Amber, Robust flavor) because that is what I had in my fridge. 

Can you use honey? Sounds delicious. What about agave? Sure thing. Date syrup? Why not. Any liquid sweetener will be perfect so use what you have on hand. 

Oil 

I happen to love the taste of olive oil in granola. I also always have a pretty hefty supply of it. When it comes to baking, I always use the same oils that I would use when I cook for myself. 

Do you need to use olive oil? Not at all. You could use melted coconut oil, melted butter, ghee, toasted sesame oil, canola oil, avocado oil and the list goes on. Just use what ever oil you have that can handle some heat. 

Mix-In’s

This is where you can pretty much go crazy. I happened to have dried cherries and an assortment of seeds in my pantry so that is what I used. I like to add hemp hearts and chia seeds for a little extra protein, healthy fats and fiber. If you don’t have those handy, then don’t worry. 

You could add some chopped almonds, maybe cashews. Throw in some raisins or dried mango. Cacao nibs sound good too. Really you can add in whatever you want. Well, ok one thing is a little tricky. Chocolate chips in granola can be a little tricky because they can burn while the granola is baking. If you really want to add chocolate chips (who doesn’t) then add them about 10 minutes into the baking time. Sprinkle them across the top of the granola, throw back into the oven and when you take the granola out of the oven, give a little stir around each chocolate chip. This will give you some nice big chocolatey chunks. 

ANYWAY. Let’s make some granola. 

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RECIPE

1 and 1/4 cups (130g) gluten-free rolled oats 

1/4 cup (48g) dried cherries (really any dried fruit will do just fine)

1/2 cup (35g) coconut flakes 

1 tbsp (7g) chia seeds

1 tbsp (8g) hemp hearts

1 tbsp (12g) millet seeds (sesame seeds are nice too) 

1 tsp cinnamon 

1 tsp salt 

2 tbsp (27g) coconut sugar (you could use light brown sugar too) 

3 tbsp (37g) olive oil (use any neutral oil you have)

3 tbsp (65g) tahini (any runny nut butter will do) 

3 tbsp (70g) maple syrup (honey and agave are lovely too)

Preheat your oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. 

In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. In a small bowl, combine the wet ingredients and whisk together until combined. 

Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ones and mix it up. Make sure that all the dry ingredients get coated in the tahini-oil-maple mixture. 

Dump the mixture onto the lined baking sheet and spread it around the baking sheet so that it is in an even thin layer. 

Bake for 15-18 minutes. The edges of the granola pillow (I don’t know what to call it) will get a little extra crispy, but have no fear. Let the granola cool completely. If stir it before it is cool you won’t get those big clusters. We all love some big clusters. 

Once it is cooled, break up the granola and put in an airtight container and enjoy! It is lovely as an ice cream topper, with some yogurt, on top of a smoothie or just straight from the jar. 

I keep mine in a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid and it lasts for about 10 days.