Next to the family Welsh Cookie recipe, ginger snaps are my favorite.  I don’t like cookies too often but could eat granola every day.  The problem is most granolas are filled with not-Cynthia friendly foods.  Even gluten-free granola usually contain soy or almonds.  Although I’ve recently discovered Love Grown Foods that’s delicious and I can eat some flavors.

I buy granola when I can, but I like to reinvent or create new flavors to suit me.  Turning my favorite cookie flavors into granola gives the same great taste but the extra fun of breakfast, yogurt topping or my personal favorite…banana soft serve sprinkle. 

It’s simply so why not make…

Ginger Snap Granola

The snap of a cookie and the spice to wake up your senses.  Enjoy granola in yogurt or by the handful.

Makes: 4 cups granola – 1/4 cup per serving
Time: 50 minutes (prep and baking)

• 4 cups oats + 1 cup oats [divided; I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Oats]
• 1 cup pecans, raw and chopped
• 3/4 cup agave syrup or honey
• 3 tablespoons brown rice syrup [or pure maple syrup]
• 2 tablespoons oil [I use olive for everything]
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon real vanilla [imitation often contains gluten]
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• pinch nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt [optional]

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Line cookie sheet or casserole dish with aluminum foil and spray with oil or cooking spray.  *Very important or granola removal will be flippin’ hard!*
2. Grind one cup oats into oat flour.  *I used my hand blender attachment but a food processor or blender works just as well.* Oat flour is key to store-bought style chunky granola instead of loose grains.
3. Combine the oats, oat flour, nuts and spices in a bowl mixing until they are covered completely.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the agave syrup, brown rice syrup, oil, lemon juice, and vanilla.  Whisk with a fork to combine and pour it over the dry ingredients.  Stir and stir and stir.  Use those arm muscles to make sure everything is covered. Lick the spoon…but only after you pour the granola onto the cookie sheet.

5. Place the granola cookie sheet in the oven for 45 minutes.  After 25 minutes stir the granola mixture and put back into oven.  This prevents burning and makes sure it cooks evenly. 

   Remove immediately even though the granola will not seem like it is finished.  Let it cool on cookie sheet for another 20-30 minutes allowing it to cool and harden.

6. Taste…then store in air tight containers. Fresh granola will go rancid more quickly because of the oil…but I don’t think it will last too long.  It just looks too pretty and tempts Hunni.  The first batch is already gone.

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Toffee Granola Crunch

I had to hide it from myself it was so tempting.