Easy 15 minute Granola

Making granola can be a quick, easy process that takes less than 15 minutes. You can make this granola your own by adding nuts, seeds, and dried fruit of your choice. With a process so quick you really can’t make any excuses (although I often do) for not making granola at home.

I am not sure why but for a long time making granola intimidated me. It wasn’t until I came across a 15 minute recipe in a cookbook that I gave it a try. As usual I never stick to a recipe and have since made it completely my own, but I will forever be grateful for that cookbook that gave me the courage to give homemade granola a try.

I love the simplicity as well as the customizability of this granola. Choose your own favorite nuts, seeds, or dried fruit and switch it up by season or ingredients on hand. I choose to use a lot less sugar in this granola, but I don’t feel like it takes away from the flavor at all. Less sugar does cause the granola to be more loose than chunky. If you prefer a sweeter, chunkier granola, cut the oats down to as much as half what this recipe calls for.

What can I use to sweeten granola?

There are many options of what you can sweeten your granola with, including sugar, honey, maple syrup, and even dates. This granola uses a mixture of white and brown sugar. I like to use sugar as the sweetener in my granola because I feel that it allows the ingredients that you mix into the granola to be the star of the show.

Honey and maple syrup, other common granola sweeteners have a much more distinct flavor. Granola sweetened with them can be amazing, but because of their flavor you need to be more selective about the other ingredients that you might add in order to make a cohesive tasting granola. This is why I make my granola without honey or maple syrup.

What can I mix into granola?

• Nuts
  • Pecans
  • Walnuts
  • Almonds
  • Coconut
  • Peanut butter
• Seeds
  • Flax
  • Pumpkin
  • Chia
• Dried fruits
  • Raisins
  • Craisins
  • Cherries
  • Apples
• Seasonings
  • Cinnamon
  • Nutmeg
  • Ginger
  • Clove
  • Vanilla

Ingredients for easy 15 minute granola

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1-2 cups of mix-ins
• 5-6 cups of rolled oats (oats and mix-ins combined should be about 7 cups)

How to make easy 15 minute granola

Begin by melting butter in a large pot or frying pan on the stove over medium heat.

As the butter melts, begin to prepare any-mix ins that may need chopping.

Once the butter is melted add the sugars and milk to the pan and bring to a simmer, stirring until everything is incorporated.

Add vanilla and any other seasonings.

Let the mixture simmer for 3- 5 minutes until it begins to thicken.

The mixture may be cloudy at first but this is normal. Just keep mixing until it starts to caramelize.

Once the sauce begins to caramelize add your mix-ins and then the oats.

Stir and continue stirring until the sauce is evenly coating all the oats.

Once evenly coated, turn your oven on to broil. Spread the uncooked granola out evenly on a large baking sheet.

Let the granola broil for 2 minutes, then pull it out and stir so that it can cook evenly.

Then put in back in the oven for a minute at a time stirring after each minute until the granola starts to turns a golden color. DO NOT leave it in for more than a minute at a time, set a timer or you will be sorry. I have sadly burnt multiple batches of delicious granola by not keeping a close enough eye on it.

Let the granola cool completely, then move it to an airtight container until ready to serve.

My favorite way to eat this granola is to have is with homemade unsweetened Greek yogurt and fresh berries. It is also great for enjoying with cold milk poured over top.

Easy 15 Minute Granola

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Servings 8

Ingredients

  

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1-2 cups mix-ins
• 5-6 cups rolled oats

Instructions

 

• Begin by melting butter in a large pot of frying pan on the stove over medium heat.
• As the butter melts begin to prepare any mix-ins that may need chopping.
• Once the butter is melted add the sugars and milk to the pan and bring to a simmer stirring until everything is incorporated.
• Add vanilla and any other seasonings, and let the mixture simmer for 3-5 minutes until it begins to thicken.
• The mixture may be cloudy at first but this is normal. Just keep mixing until it starts to caramelize.
• Once the sauce begins to caramelize add your mix-ins and then the oats.
• Continue stirring until the sauce is evenly coating all the oats.
• Once evenly coated, turn your oven on to broil.
• Spread the uncooked granola out evenly on a large baking sheet.
• Let the granola broil for 2 minutes, then pull it out and stir so that it can cook evenly.
• Put in back in the oven for a minute at a time, stirring after each minute until the granola starts to turns a golden color. DO NOT leave it in for more than a minute at a time.
• Let the granola cool completely, then move it to an airtight container until ready to serve.