Homemade Dried Cranberry Granola! {I Pinned it and I Tried It!}

This week I am sure that you’ll find tons of bloggers sharing some fantastic ideas for your Thanksgiving table…. everything from table decor, to side dishes, to yummy desserts. But what are you going to serve for Thanksgiving morning breakfast I ask? How about something tasty that’s also healthy and that you can make a day ahead of time? If that sounds good to you- this homemade dried cranberry granola might be just what you are looking for!

This week I came across this basic granola recipe as part of iVillage’s Get Organized for the Holidays Challenge. (You are taking this challenge, aren’t you? Last year I was highlighted as an iVoices video participant!) This recipe was shared by Katie Workman, author of the Mom 100 Cookbook, so I pinned it, and decided to test it out for this week’s “I Pinned It and I Tried It” challenge!

Pinterest: sharonmomof6: Recipes I Gotta Try

Homemade Dried Cranberry Granola

(adapted from The Mom 100 Blog)

1⁄4 cup honey (homemade if you are lucky and your husband does beekeeping as a hobby!)

1⁄4 cup pure maple syrup (homemade if you are lucky and your husband taps your maple trees!)

2 large egg whites

1⁄3 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon kosher or coarse salt

4 cups old-fashioned oats (not quick-cooking)

2 cups dried cranberries

Homemade Dried Cherry Granola Homemade Dried Cranberry Granola! {I Pinned it and I Tried It!}

Preheat the oven to 275°F.
In a large bowl stir together the honey, maple syrup, egg whites, oil, vanilla, cinnamon, salt. Scoop out 1⁄2 cup of the honey mixture and set it aside in a medium-size bowl. Add the oats to the honey mixture in the original bowl and mix well until all of the oats are coated.
In the medium sized bowl, add the 2 cups of dried cranberries to the 1⁄2 cup of the honey mixture and stir to combine. Set the dried fruit mixture aside.

Granola Baked Homemade Dried Cranberry Granola! {I Pinned it and I Tried It!}

4. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the oat mixture out on the prepared baking sheet in a thin, even layer. Bake for 30 minutes.

5. Add the dried fruit mixture to the oat mixture and stir well with a spoon mixture or spatula to combine. Spread the granola out again in an even layer. Bake the granola until the oats are golden brown and crunchy, 40 to 45 minutes, stirring it once more halfway through the baking time but leave some clumps! Let the granola cool on the baking sheet on a wire rack.

Homemade Dried Cherry Granola finished Homemade Dried Cranberry Granola! {I Pinned it and I Tried It!}

Let me tell you, you should make this granola if for no other reason than the delicious aroma it creates in your kitchen while it is baking! You can enjoy your granola cereal-style with milk, as a crunchy-chewy topping over yogurt…. or as I have done ever since baking it…. by the handful as a snack!

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Sharons Signture Homemade Dried Cranberry Granola! {I Pinned it and I Tried It!}

{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Erin Branscom November 19, 2012 at 12:21 pm

I love your blog! I have a menu Monday link up if you want to link up every week. Have a great week! Erin

http://erinbrans.com/2012/11/menu-monday-whats-for-dinner-2.html
Erin Branscom recently posted..Menu Monday: What’s for dinner?

2 Sharon Twitter: sharonmomof6 November 20, 2012 at 1:08 pm: Hi Erin! I did link up this week… you are on my weekly link-up list… and I love stopping by to see what’s on your menu plan for the week!

3 angie November 19, 2012 at 10:04 pm

what a great sounding treat
come see what we shared at http://shopannies.blogspot.com