Banana Bread Granola
User Reviews
5
Banana Bread Granola
Description
Banana Bread Granola blends oats and mixed nuts with a banana-based sweetener and spice mix to create a breakfast or snack item with a balanced sweet and nutty flavor. The ripeness of the banana significantly influences the sweetness, while the cinnamon adds a classic touch reminiscent of banana bread. Baking the granola spread thinly on parchment at a moderate oven temperature results in a crisp texture without burning the nuts.
The granola can be enjoyed with milk or yogurt, or as a topping for desserts. The use of maple syrup and coconut oil helps achieve a uniform coating for even baking and crispy results. Adjustments to sweetness can be made depending on the banana's ripeness or by adding other sweeteners.
For gluten-free needs, ensure oats are certified gluten-free. This recipe yields about 4 cups, making it a practical batch size for storage and ongoing use. Baking times and heat distribution are important to avoid burning, so monitor closely near the end.
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats old fashioned
- ½ cup pecans chopped
- ½ cup walnuts chopped
- ½ cup almonds chopped or left whole for texture, sliced
- ½ cup banana 1 medium banana - the browner the better!, very ripe
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup coconut oil melted and cooled
- ½ tsp vanilla extract pure
- ¼ tsp salt sea salt
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon add to taste
OPTIONAL EXTTA
- ¼-½ cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 300°F with wire rack in the center/middle position. Line an 11×17-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for best results.
- In a large bowl, combine oats, pecans, walnuts, and almonds.
- In a small bowl whisk together melted coconut oil with maple syrup, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon.
- Mash banana until smooth and add to the wet ingredients. Pour over oats/nuts and mix well to coat.
- As written this granola is lightly sweetened by the maple syrup and ripe banana. The riper the banana, the sweeter it will be. If your banana is just lightly spotted or you have a sweet tooth, you can add a little honey, brown sugar, or coconut sugar.
- Use a silicone spatula or bowl scraper to transfer the granola mixture onto the parchment paper lined baking sheet and spread out very well in a super thin layer. Almost all the parchment paper should be covered by granola. Pat to flatten.
- Bake on the center rack at 300°F for 20 minutes. When timer beeps, rotate the pan 180 degrees for even toasting and continue to bake an additonal 10-15 minutes (I do 15 typically) or until golden and cripsy. Keep an eye on it and yank from the oven once it's your idea of crispy golden perfection.
- NOTE: I don't stir at the halway mark so I can break it into chunky clusters when it cools off. If you like your granola stirred and separated, you can do this at the halway point.
- Once you remove your granola from the oven, allow it to cool on the baking sheet until completely cooled. This will give it the necessary time to get that signature crunch we all know and love. (The granola will not crisp up until it has cooled.) If you're adding the optional chocolate chips, add them at this step.
- Once it's cooled and crispy – dig in! Granola will keep for up to two weeks in a lidded airtight container. Enjoy as a snack, in your favorite trail mix, or on top of yogurt with fresh fruit and all your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Use ripe or very ripe bananas for natural sweetness and moisture.
- Certified gluten-free oats are necessary if gluten intolerance is a concern.
- Spread the granola thinly and evenly for best baking results and crispness.
- Adjust sweetness by adding honey or brown sugar if the banana isn't very ripe.
- This recipe yields approximately 4 cups of granola.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 344 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 344kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 26g | 9% |
| Protein | 8g | 16% |
| Fat | 25g | 38% |
| Saturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Sodium | 75mg | 3% |
| Potassium | 260mg | 6% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 7g | 14% |
| Calcium | 74mg | 7% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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