I’ve never been a “granola” kind of girl. Growing up in Georgia – granola wasn’t really part of my everyday diet. What I liked to eat for breakfast or brunch back then was chicken fried steak with a generous helping of country style gravy. Those high school days of high calorie meals are over. I’ve gotten older and my metabolism is just not quite the same anymore. Oh the pains of aging.
Derrick on the other hand loves granola and rarely ate “sugar” cereal growing up. So we’ll buy a box of Peanut Butter Cap’n Crunch for me (or I sneak it into the house more less) and then some flax seed granola for him. Last Saturday I bought Derrick a bag of Brooke’s (Food Woolf) granola at the 2nd Annual LA Food Blogger bake sale. I knew Derrick would love it! Well, I tried some of that homemade granola goodness and I was pretty impressed. So impressed that I insisted that we go out the next day to hunt down the ingredients to make my very own batch. So I’m putting everything that I love into this granola recipe. It’s chalk full of coconut, almonds, dried cranberries, pineapples and mangoes… it’s like a tropical granola. It is then coated with a delicious sweet maple and brown sugar syrup. It’s great on yogurt, with milk, as an ice cream topping and of course straight up. It’s sweet – but in a good granola kind of way.
So maybe living in California has turned me into a granola kind of girl…or maybe I didn’t have great granola until recently. Either way – you should give it a try… who knows you might end up liking it!
These would make great gifts...just fill a Mason Jar and tie with a pretty bow.
Once cooled, break the baked granola into small & large pieces then add the dried fruit and gently combine.
Coconut Mango Granola
Prep: 10 mins Cook time: 20 mins
Ingredients:
1/3 C light brown sugar, lightly packed
½ C granulated sugar
¾ C plus 2 Tbs maple syrup
½ tsp vanilla extract
4 C old fashion rolled oats (not quick cooking oats)
2 C unsweeten coconut (not finely/fancy shredded coconut, but the coconut that looks like “ribbons”)
1 C raw whole almonds, coarsely chopped
1/8 tsp salt
½ C dried cranberries
½ C dried diced pineapples
½ C coarsely chopped dried mangoes
Directions:
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Preheat oven to 350º.
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In a large mixing bowl, add oats, coconut, almonds and salt. Using your hands toss the ingredients to combine.
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In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, maple syrup and vanilla. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. This should only take a few minutes. Pour syrup over the oat mixture and gently stir with a rubber spatula or large spoon to combine. Make sure the syrup and the oats are thoroughly mixed.
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Pour mixture onto a baking sheet that is either lined with parchment or a silicone mat. Make sure that the mixture is an even layer on the baking sheet, depending on the size of the baking sheet you may have to bake the granola in two separate batches.
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Bake on the middle rack for 15 – 20 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet. Break up the granola into small and large pieces and then add the dried fruit. Gently toss to combine.
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Can be stored in an air-tight container for a few weeks.
Enjoy!
Go ahead...make a batch and dig in!
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All you have to do is say the word mango and you’ve got my attention! I’m a granola lover and this looks amazing, I must give it a try!
Yum! I have a lot of fresh mangoes here, dying to get a dehydrator to make my own dried fruit! Love the flavors you mixed in this granola. Happy Monday!
ours was gone the first day… the michaels loved it!
I am mad. I only took one cup of this killer stuff home from the Food Bloggers LA meetup. But grateful you published the recipe, thanks for this. 😀
My granola lover is out of town, so it was aaallll mine!
I love the idea of making this up with a pretty bow and giving as a gift! I love edible gifts! *hint hint* 😉
The granola looks good, is that possible? Only you can make granola look good! You’re a great photographer Quyen!
Deb @ knitstamatic: I love mangoes too! I can’t wait unti you try it! Take care!!
Yuri: Happy Monday to you too!! Oh…I’ve nevered tried drying my own fruit…yum!!
Louise: I’m so happy that I got the Michael x2 approval!! Woothoo!
Patti at Worth the Whisk: I know I said I was bring the kahlua pecan pie home for Derrick…but I confess I ate it all by myself..shhhh don’t tell him!
Priscilla – She’s Cookin’: Haa,haa! It keeps real well in an air tight container…you could save him some if you want to…or not 😉
The Cilantropist: I agree edible gifts are the best!! hint taken! Let’s get together soon!!
Renee: Thank you!! It’s amazing how a little splash of red can make even granola look…good 🙂
This post came at the perfect time – I’m supposed to develop a new granola recipe for work this week and your beautiful photos and ideas have given me the inspiration to create! Thank you, thank you (as usual)! 🙂
absolutely delicious! thank you for sharing!!!
Who would have thought that granola would look so beautiful! I noticed you don’t use any oil in your recipe. I will have to try it out!
Emily (Roots + Platters): Oh yay! I can’t wait to hear what new granola recipe you came up with! Take care!!
Amy: woothoo!
Laura @ Family Spice: Thank you!! Hope you like it!
I just ran out of granola and needed to make more, and you came to my rescue with this awesome recipe! I have all these dried mangos to use up (of course I bought the huge costco size) so this is absolutely perfect.
Chung-Ah: Yay! Glad I was able to help! 🙂 Hope you like the tropical spin on the granola!