Cinnamon apple pistachio soft granola makes breakfast so good you’ll never skip it again.
I don’t know if I mentioned this but I ordered some books to read over the holidays and winter months and they finally arrived! I am so happy.
Now I just need to find the time and read them all. They’re light reads for the most part, 2 are thrillers and the rest are more chick-lit, easy types. The latter have the most beautiful, wintry covers and I’m thinking I should do a separate post and share them all.
I can’t help it. I’m a sucker for anything festive, whether it’s a book cover, a mug, an ornament or a jumper. One thing that I want to do each year, but never do, is to buy a crazy, over the top, Christmas sweater. And then the season comes and sales roll in and I just don’t buy any. I’m to indecisive.
But, I’m pretty uncomplicated when it comes to breakfast. Now, I wish I could have something like Stollen French toast every day, but I still mostly have yogurt. It’s just so easy. And granola goes great with yogurt.
It’s been a while since we actually bought granola, as Rok just loves oats in their own. And lately I often just skip granola or oats completely. The only way for me to not skip them is if I make my own. That’s pretty understandable right, as homemade granola is just so good. The flavor is just so different.
Because we are in the cinnamon season, I decided to make a big batch of Cinnamon apple pistachio soft granola. Now, the reason why I’m calling it soft is because it’s not clumpy at all. I do like chunky granola, but I prefer to eat that with milk. Whereas soft granola is something I can put in milk and yogurt, so that’s why I went this route.
This granola is just amazing and has all the autumnal or wintry staples in it. Besides oats, it’s packed with hazelnuts, pistachios and sunflower seeds, drenched with maple syrup and honey, sprinkled with cinnamon. Doesn’t that sound amazing?
As the nuts bake, they get crunchier and so delicious. Hazelnuts in particular are pretty bland when raw, but once you bake them, they transform into the most wonderful little gems. They’re crunchy and aromatic and taste like what a raw hazelnut should taste like or the idea of a hazelnut that we all have. I blame Milka and their hazelnut chocolate which is packed with roasted hazelnuts.
Anyway, the last really autumnal thing on top of all that I’ve mentioned are apples. I use apple chips, but you can easily use dried apples too. The latter are softer, while the former give a crispier texture.
Another amazing thing about this Cinnamon apple pistachio soft granola is the fact that it’s made in about 20 minutes. Just enough time for it to get toasted and crispy, while still staying somewhat chewy.
And since this is the giving season, I think I should point out that a batch of granola makes a kick ass homemade gift. I packed mine into an Ikea Vardagen jar (64oz | 1.9L) which is the perfect size! It’s like it was meant to be. I really didn’t plan it, but I had a spare jar and the whole batch just fits right in.
Besides giving the gift of homemade granola, how awesome is it to just walk into the kitchen and have a jar of granola waiting for you? You just pop the lid open, grab a few tablespoons and you’re good too go. That’s just the magic of making things ahead and I’m a big fan of that.
All in all, this Cinnamon apple pistachio soft granola is a real treat that makes any breakfast just a bit better, more cozy and pleasant.
Recipe
Cinnamon apple pistachio soft granola
Ingredients
- 380 g 4 cups old-fashioned oats
- 140 g 1 cup hazelnuts, roughly chopped
- 70 g 1/2 cup shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
- 60 g 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 100 g about 3 1/2 cups apple chips or dried apples, roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 120 ml 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
- 60 ml 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 40 ml 2 1/2 TBSPs honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C (356°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together oats, hazelnuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds and apple chips. Sprinkle with cinnamon and stir to coat all the ingredients. Pour over coconut oil, maple syrup and honey and mix ingredients until all are evenly coated.
- Spread out granola on the baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, then stir the granola and bake for another 5-10 minutes, stirring once again if needed, until the granola is golden brown, fragrant and crunchy. Watch it carefully as it can burn quickly.
- Remove from oven and let cool completely before storing. Store in an airtight jar or container for up to a month.
Notes
This looks absolutely scrumptious!
Thank you, Kelsey! 🙂