Gingerbread Granola Dried Fruit (Printable)
Festive granola featuring gingerbread spices and a mix of dried cranberries, apricots, and raisins.
# What You Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
02 - 1 cup raw pecans, roughly chopped
03 - 1 cup raw almonds, roughly chopped
04 - 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
05 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
→ Gingerbread Spice Blend
06 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
07 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
09 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
→ Wet Ingredients
10 - 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
11 - 1/4 cup unsulphured molasses
12 - 1/3 cup melted coconut oil (or neutral oil)
13 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
→ Dried Fruit
14 - 1/2 cup dried cranberries
15 - 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
16 - 1/2 cup golden raisins
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, mix rolled oats, pecans, almonds, shredded coconut, sea salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves until evenly blended.
03 - Whisk together pure maple syrup, molasses, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl until fully combined.
04 - Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients and stir thoroughly to ensure all dry components are evenly coated.
05 - Evenly distribute the granola mixture on the prepared baking sheet, creating a flat layer.
06 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through to promote even toasting, until the granola is golden and fragrant.
07 - Remove from oven and allow the granola to cool completely on the baking sheet; it will crisp as it cools.
08 - Once cooled, gently fold in dried cranberries, chopped dried apricots, and golden raisins.
09 - Store granola in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- It tastes like holiday cookies but won't derail your morning—the perfect guilt-free indulgence.
- One batch lasts two weeks and makes your entire kitchen smell like cinnamon and molasses.
- It's naturally vegetarian, ridiculously easy, and somehow feels fancy enough to gift.
02 -
- Don't add the dried fruit before baking or it'll get rock-hard; it needs to go in after everything has cooled so it stays chewy.
- Stirring halfway through prevents the edges from burning and ensures even toasting, but resist the urge to do it more than once or you'll end up with smaller pieces instead of clusters.
03 -
- Check your spices before you start; old cinnamon and ginger taste dusty and will completely change how your granola tastes.
- Don't skip the parchment paper because granola sticks to baking sheets and you'll spend twenty minutes scraping when you could have spent ten seconds with paper.