There is something about the flavors of fall that makes me want to head straight to the kitchen. Apples, cinnamon, maple syrup and toasted pecans are some of my favorite seasonal ingredients, and this Apple Pie Granola brings them all together in one delicious recipe!
I love a good homemade granola, but this one is especially hard to resist. The combination of buttery oats, sweet dried apples, crunchy pecans and warm apple pie spices makes the kitchen smell like you’ve been baking an apple pie. And while it is wonderful sprinkled over a bowl of yogurt for breakfast, I have discovered it has plenty of other uses, too.
One of my favorite things about this recipe is that it makes enough to share. I packaged mine in wide-mouth Mason jars topped with Ball’s wooden airtight lids, and the result was as pretty as it was practical. Add a ribbon and a little gift tag, and you have a thoughtful homemade gift for a neighbor, teacher, friend or hostess.
Whether you’re making a batch for your family or sharing a little homemade happiness, this granola is a delicious way to celebrate the season. Just be warned: It’s awfully tempting to grab a handful every time you walk through the kitchen!
Ingredients
- ¾ cup of butter, melted
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or paste
- 1 cup dried apples
- 5 cups old fashioned oats
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp apple pie seasoning
- 1 cup pecans, chopped
- ½ cup brown sugar
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Mix the wet ingredients: melted butter, maple syrup, vanilla, and dried apples. Allow apples to absorb mixture while preparing the dry ingredients.
- In a large mixing bowl, add oats, salt, apple pie seasoning, chopped pecans and brown sugar.
- Mix the wet and dry ingredients.
- Spread mixture on two 13 x 9 baking sheets.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes, mixing every 10 minutes. Keep an eye on the mixture during the last 10 minutes to avoid overbrowning.
- Store in an airtight container.
Food Fairy Tips
No apple pie spice? No problem! Apple pie spice is typically a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice, sometimes with ginger and cardamom. To replace the 1 teaspoon called for in this recipe, combine ¾ teaspoon cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg and ⅛ teaspoon allspice. If you love a little extra warmth, add a tiny pinch of ground ginger. You probably have everything you need in your spice cabinet!
Give those dried apples a little love. Allowing the dried apples to soak in the melted butter, maple syrup and vanilla while you prepare the dry ingredients helps soften them and infuse them with flavor. I used Premium Dried Diced Apples, no sugar added. Find these on Amazon or visit the Ulthmok Store online.
Apple crisp in a hurry! Here’s one of my favorite shortcuts. Pour a can of apple pie filling into a small baking dish, sprinkle a
generous layer of Apple Pie Granola over the top and bake at 350°F until the filling is hot and bubbly, about 20–25 minutes. If the granola begins to brown too quickly, loosely cover with foil. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and you’ve got a quick dessert that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen!
A gift from the Food Fairy! Wide-mouth Mason jars are perfect for packaging homemade granola. I used Ball wooden airtight lids, which give the jars a beautiful, finished look while keeping the granola fresh. Tie on a seasonal ribbon and a handwritten tag. It’s an inexpensive, thoughtful gift that anyone would love to receive.
Search ingredients at FOOD CITY.
Simple recipes. Big flavor. Little fuss. Aneisa Rolen shares easy-to-follow recipes with companion videos, making home cooking approachable for every cook.
For more free recipes, visit www.foodfairyprep.com or follow Aneisa Rolen on Instagram or Facebook.
Enjoyed this article? Read more Dishing It Out with Aneisa Rolen.
This column is sponsored by Food City.
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