Good morning, good morning! This year’s maple syrup season was productive, fun and fast! I can’t believe it is over already, but at least we are getting closer to camping season. This year, our two trees produced 75 gallons of sap- about 8 quarts of syrup!
Some of our syrup will go into my favorite, easy breakfast- Maple Granola!
Homemade maple granola is a great way to start the morning!
I can’t believe how many mornings have passed since I posted, the fall and winter have flown by! But my mornings are almost, always the same-homemade maple granola.
Homemade maple granola is an easy, frugal breakfast. I make a large 10 cup batch that lasts me about 2 weeks, so I don’t need to cook it often. It is an easy, no stir recipe that I adapted from an America’s Test Kitchen recipe.
There are even 2 ways to cook it- in the oven or the crockpot. I use the crockpot outside in the summer, so my kitchen doesn’t heat up.
Easy, Maple Granola (double batch, makes 2 cookie sheets)
1 cup maple syrup
1 cup applesauce, rhubarb sauce, fruit sauce, fruit butter or jam (or you could do 1/2 cup fruit sauce and 1/2 cup canola-vegetable oil)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup sunflower seeds, walnuts or pecans – optional
10 cups old fashioned oats
more oil to grease pans-don’t skip or it will really stick to the pan
Mix syrup, fruit sauce, cinnamon and sunflower seeds in a large bowl.
Add oatmeal and stir until all oats are coated.
Divide between 2 well-greased cookie sheets with rims.
Cook 40-45 minutes at 325 degrees.
I used to stir every 15 minutes, until I forgot once and it was fine. Now, I check it towards the end of the time and stir if it is getting too dark. Then, let cool in the oven for 1 hour or overnight.
When cool, stir and break up (or eat!) any lumps. I store it in a large freezer bag in the freezer; it is very easy to pour into my breakfast bowl and add milk.
***Crock pot variation Oil the crock pot before filling with granola. Cook 5-7 hours on low or 2 1/2 hours on high, propping the lid open with a wash cloth or pot holder. Stir every half hour. After it is cooked and golden brown, spread onto two cookie sheets to dry 1 hour or overnight.
Easy, Maple Granola is a simple recipe that makes a great, healthy breakfast or yogurt/ice cream topping.
It is also very flexible- I love options! You can use a variety of fruit sauces or jam. I have used applebutter, cranberry jam, raspberry sauce, rhubarb-currant sauce – basically any canned fruit that I want to use up. I have even used an over abundance of cinnamon apple jelly thinned down with a little water. The granola is always good!
If you don’t have homemade maple syrup- 1/2 cup of maple syrup and 1/2 cup of brown sugar works well.
Maple Granola even goes camping with us. I love camping breakfast cooked over the fire, but Maple Granola is an easy, yummy breakfast if it rains or if plans change -like an early morning canoe ride to see animals!
I hope you can make Maple Granola soon! It is such an easy, yummy breakfast to use homemade maple syrup or to take camping!
Happy Camping (soon, I hope!)
Frugal Campasaurus