I rarely want to bake anything in the summer because of the way it heats up the house, but apple cinnamon raisin granola is the exception. The first time I made the recipe, it smelled so wonderful that I couldn’t wait to taste it. Immediately scooping it into a bowl, the added milk made it sizzle. Believe me, it was worth it.

I adapted this version from my friend Joy’s recipe. It’s easy to customize: You can replace the pecans with other varieties of nuts, omit the raisins altogether, or add in a half-cup of peanut butter for extra protein. It fills up the better part of a tightly-closed gallon jar. It would probably last a few weeks in the pantry, but we eat it so quickly, it never lasts that long at our house.

Apple Cinnamon Raisin Granola

Dry ingredients:

  • 8 cups oats (quick-cooking or regular, not steel-cut)
  • 1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
  • 1-2 cups chopped pecans
  •  ½ cup sunflower seeds
  • ½ tsp. salt (may use up to a full teaspoon, depending on your preference)
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 cup raisins

Wet ingredients:

  •  ½ cup honey
  • ½ cup applesauce
  • 2/3 cup coconut oil
  • 1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix wet ingredients separately and add to dry. Spread mixture on two large, greased cookie sheets and place in oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes until lightly golden.