This won’t be the last granola recipe I post here, but it’s the perfect one to start. This is, hands down, my best basic granola. No fruit, no seeds, just oats, nuts and natural sweeteners. If your oats are gluten-free, the granola will be too. If you’re not already convinced, consider this: your house will smell AMAZING. Plus, every single person I have ever gifted this granola loved it. Okay. Let’s head to the kitchen.

Best, Basic Hippie Granola

3 c. rolled oats (not instant)
3/4 c. unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 c. sliced almonds
1/2 c. chopped pecans
1/2 c. almond flour
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 scant tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2/3 c. coconut oil
2/3 c. pure maple syrup (heaping)
2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 300 F. Toss oats, coconut flakes, almonds, pecans, almond flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and sea salt in a large bowl. A note about the nutmeg – I find somewhere in between 1/4 and 1/2 tsp. to be perfect. If you love the flavor of nutmeg, a 1/2 tsp. might be better for you. If it’s not your favorite, 1/4 tsp. (or less) might be best.

Over medium heat, melt coconut oil and maple syrup together in a sauce pan. When you’re pouring the maple syrup in your measuring cup, allow it to overflow a little bit at the end. Keep an eye on it, stirring. As soon as the coconut oil melts, remove from heat – you don’t want it to start bubbling. After the mixture is removed from heat, stir in the vanilla. Pour the liquid mixture into the bowl with all the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly, coating all dry ingredients.

Spread the granola mixture on a large, rimmed baking sheet, pressing down into an even layer with the back of your spatula. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove from oven, carefully toss mixture over with a spatula and re-press into a single layer. Bake for another 15 – 20 minutes, watching carefully after the 15 minute mark to make sure it is golden, but not browning. Remove when golden and deliciously fragrant.

Let it sit for an hour to harden (you can sneak bites, if you can’t help yourself), then remove from pan with a metal spatula and store in glass jars with a lid, or another airtight container. Eat straight out of the jar, as cereal, on yogurt, on overnight oats, on ice cream…on anything that would benefit from some nutty maple flavor and crunch!