I've been making this for my family off and on for decades. Recently I converted my baked recipe to microwave. This way, I can make it all the time, even in summer. Here are both recipes. (The microwave recipe makes half as much as the oven-baked.)
MICROWAVE GRANOLA (vegetarian)
4 Tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 cup maple syrup or
molasses* or brown sugar + 1 Tbsp. water
2 Tbsp. water
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup chopped nuts (1/2”)
1/4 cup shredded coconut or
chopped banana chips
1/4 cup seeds like sunflower,
sesame, etc. or wheat germ
* not blackstrap molasses in
this amount
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In a Pyrex deep-dish pie pan
(9.5”), heat butter on High in microwave for 1 minute or until melted. Stir in cinnamon, maple syrup, water, vanilla, and salt.
Add remaining ingredients,
and stir until well-coated. Press
mixture down into pan. This
encourages the granola to form clumps.
In a 1000-watt microwave,
heat on High for 4 minutes. Remove
and stir, scraping bottom of pan.
Press mixture down again.
Heat for 2 minutes, stir, and press down. Heat for 2 more minutes.
Remove from microwave and let
cool completely without stirring.
The granola becomes crisp as it cools.
When cool, break up into
chunks with a spatula, and store in an airtight container.
Makes about 10 servings.
OVEN GRANOLA (vegetarian)
1 stick butter
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 cup maple syrup or
molasses* or brown sugar + 2 Tbsp. water
1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 cups rolled oats
1 cup chopped nuts (1/2”)
1/2 cup shredded coconut or
chopped banana chips
1/2 cup seeds like sunflower,
sesame, etc. or wheat germ
* not blackstrap molasses in
this amount
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In a large roasting pan, heat
butter, cinnamon, maple syrup, water, and salt. When butter is melted, remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
Add remaining
ingredients, and stir until well-coated.
Press mixture down into pan.
This encourages the granola to form clumps.
Bake at 250 deg. F for 2
hours or until toasted to your preference. When done, remove and let cool completely without
stirring. The granola becomes
crisp as it cools.
When cool, break up into
chunks with a spatula, scraping bottom of pan. Store in an airtight container.
Makes about 20 servings--can
be doubled in large roasting pan.
