Maple Apricot Granola

Every household needs one jar of the maple apricot granola around to carry the day. Serve it for breakfast, snacks or on a salad; it can go anywhere. Even when I’m on the road, I’ll make sure I pack a bag of homemade granola with me. This maple apricot granola is a beautifully balanced blend of oats, nuts, seeds and dried fruits. Homemade granola is superior: easy to make and less expensive than the store-bought varieties. Make a tray or a full recipe of two trays, this way the family is eating well with food that tastes great.

I have most of the ingredients in the pantry. Recipes using staple pantry ingredients are the best. Since I have a chance to refresh the supply in the pantry, everything gets turnovered faster and stays fresher. Moreover, trimming the non-essentials and editing the must-haves is a workout I look forward to from time to time. Making boatloads of granola can be cleansing, for both the pantry and soul.

Dried apricot is running out; I don’t have the two cups the recipe needs. However, sitting next to the bag is some dried mandarin oranges, a recent whimsical purchase from Trader Joe’s. Perfect substitution! They look almost the same in bright orange tone. In fact, I can’t think of any seed, nut or fruit substitutions to which the granola would object.

My favorite accompaniments to the granola is chia seeds and fresh berries with almond milk. Milk and plain yogurt are superb choices too.

Ingredients: Flaxseeds, oats, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, vegetable oil, maple syrup, dried apricots and mandarin oranges.

Print Recipe

Maple Apricot Granola

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup flaxseeds (1 1/4 oz)
• 6 cups old-fashioned oats (18 oz)
• 2 cups sliced almonds (8 oz)
• 1 cup hulled (green) pumpkin seeds (not roasted; 5 oz)
• 1/2 cup hulled sunflower seeds (not roasted; 2 1/2 oz)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/3 cup crystallized ginger (2 1/2 oz; optional), finely chopped
• 2 cups dried apricots (11 oz), finely chopped
• Accompaniments: plain yogurt or milk; honey or maple syrup
• Special equipment: an electric coffee/spice grinder

Instructions

1

Preheat oven to 350°F.

2

Finely grind flaxseeds in coffee/spice grinder, then stir together with oats, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, salt, oil, and syrup in a large bowl.

3

Spread mixture evenly in 2 large shallow baking pans (1 inch deep) and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, stirring and switching position of pans halfway through baking, until golden brown, about 30 minutes total.

4

Cool granola completely in pans on racks, then stir in ginger (if using) and apricots.

5

Cooks' note:

6

Granola can be made 1 week ahead and kept in an airtight container at cool room temperature, or frozen 1 month.

Notes

The Gourmet Cookbook, edited by Ruth Reichl https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/maple-apricot-granola-107776