This year I was attempting to use what I have, and make as many of my Christmas gifts myself, or give secondhand items, to reduce the waste associated with the holidays. My FIL had given me a huge bag of dried cranberries, so I decided to use some in a double batch of my favorite granola recipe. The double batch filled a 1 quart Mason jar, as well as 6 zip-top bags! Plus the flavor profile of the granola is perfect for the holidays, with warming spices, bright red cranberries, and toasted nuts.
I printed out Avery labels to match my other batch gifts. The holiday themed bags were given to me by my mom last year, so I was happy to use them up. The large jar went to FIL who adores pecans, in a very pecan-themed basket.
Ingredients: (Single Batch)
- 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 ½ cup pecans
- 1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt (if you’re using standard table salt, scale back to ¾ teaspoon)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ cup melted coconut oil
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup dried cranberries
Directions:
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
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In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, nuts and/or seeds, salt and cinnamon. Stir to blend.
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Pour in the oil, maple syrup and vanilla. Mix well, until every oat and nut is lightly coated. Pour the granola onto your prepared pan and use a large spoon to spread it in an even layer.
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Bake until lightly golden, about 21 to 24 minutes, stirring halfway (for extra-clumpy granola, press the stirred granola down with your spatula to create a more even layer). The granola will further crisp up as it cools.
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Let the granola cool completely, undisturbed (at least 45 minutes). Top with the dried fruit (and optional chocolate chips, if using). Break the granola into pieces with your hands if you want to retain big chunks, or stir it around with a spoon if you don’t want extra-clumpy granola.
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Store the granola in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 weeks, or in a sealed freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. The dried fruit can freeze solid, so let it warm to room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
And just for fun, here’s the gift basket I made my FIL. It contained 2 pecan cookbooks I picked up on Thriftbooks, a beautiful handmade stoneware pie plate, some Rollo Pretzel Delights, some locally grown pecans, a jar of artisan pecan butter, and some praline pecan fudge from the fancy grocery store in town.
The pie plate was just $2.50 at Goodwill, and featured a beautiful pine branch on it!
