Christmas Spiced Granola

A cherished childhood memory of mine is being at home in the weekend, with the house filled with the warm, comforting aroma of my mum’s homemade granola roasting in the oven. Knowing that some of the roasted nuts would not make it to the storage container due to my sly hands mum would always pop extra in the mix.

This Christmas-spiced granola is a tribute to that memory. It’s packed with nuts and seeds, a touch of indulgence from maple syrup, and a sprinkle of festive cheer with cranberries and spices.

Ingredients:

• 500g rolled oats
• 150g mixed nuts, roughly chopped
• 100g seeds of choice (e.g. pumpkin, sunflower, chia)
• 100g coconut chips
• 100g dried cranberries
• 100ml maple syrup
• 50ml coconut oil
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C and line a large baking tray with baking paper.
2. Combine dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the oats, nuts, seeds, coconut flakes, cinnamon, ginger, salt and nutmeg. Mix well.
3. Prepare the wet mix: Melt the coconut oil, then stir it together with the maple syrup. Pour this over the dry ingredients and mix until everything is evenly coated.
4. Bake: Spread the mixture evenly onto the prepared baking tray. Bake for 20–25 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until golden and fragrant (be watchful as nuts can easily burn).
5. Add cranberries: Remove from the oven and let the granola cool completely. Once cooled, mix in the dried cranberries.
6. Store: Transfer to an airtight container. This will stay fresh for up to 2 weeks in a cool dark place or up to 6 months if stored in the freezer.

This festive granola is perfect for breakfast or as a gift in a jar with a ribbon!