I am a big fan of my slow cooker (I have 50+ slow cooker recipes on my blog); especially recipes that let me set them and walk away (or leave my house) for 4-8 hours. But like a lot of people, I’ve been home quite a bit more, given the pandemic, so I decided to try to make a recipe that requires you to stay a bit closer to your slow cooker.
My mother-in-law mentioned making granola in her slow cooker, and how great the results were, so I wanted to try to make my own version!
This recipe is very adaptable, you can substitute in any nut, oil, liquid sweetener, and dried fruit you prefer. It also makes what seems like a lot of granola, but if your house is anything like mine, it will be gone before you know it!
Ingredients:
- Cooking spray
- 5 cups old fashioned rolled oats (use gluten-free oats to ensure this is gluten-free)
- 1 1/2 cups sliced almonds (or any nut you prefer; omit to make nut-free)
- 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (optional)
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup agave (or maple syrup or honey if you prefer)
- 1 tablespoon almond extract (or vanilla extract to make nut-free)
- 1/2 cup raisins (or other dried fruit you prefer)
Before beginning, liberally spray the bottom and sides of the slow cooker insert with cooking spray.
Add the oats, almonds, coconut flakes, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to the slow cooker, stirring to combine.
In a small bowl, stir together the coconut oil, agave and almond extract.
Drizzle over the oat mixture in the slow cooker and stir until the mixture is fully coated.
Add the top to the slow cooker, keeping it partially open to allow for more moisture to escape (this helps get the granola crunchy).
Turn the slow cooker to high and cook for 5 hours. Stir every hour until the mixture is lightly toasted and golden. Be sure to keep the top partially open following eat time you stir.
After 5 hours, turn off the slow cooker, stir in the raisins, and let cool completely.
Once cooled, store in an airtight container. Serve over yogurt, as a cereal with milk, or any other way you enjoy your granola.
The granola turns a beautiful golden brown color and stays nice and crunchy. It’s important to stir it every hour so that the granola can evenly toast.
Depending on your preferences, you can also adjust the brown sugar/liquid sweeteners to your liking. The recipe above makes a slightly sweet, but not overpoweringly sweet, granola.
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 5 cups old fashioned rolled oats (use gluten-free oats to ensure this is gluten-free)
- 1 1/2 cups sliced almonds (or any nut you prefer; omit to make nut-free)
- 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (optional)
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup agave (or maple syrup or honey if you prefer)
- 1 tablespoon almond extract (or vanilla extract to make nut-free)
- 1/2 cup raisins (or other dried fruit you prefer)
Instructions
- Before beginning, liberally spray the bottom and sides of the slow cooker insert with cooking spray.
- Add the oats, almonds, coconut flakes, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to the slow cooker, stirring to combine.
- In a small bowl, stir together the coconut oil, agave and almond extract.
- Drizzle over the oat mixture in the slow cooker and stir until the mixture is fully coated.
- Add the top to the slow cooker, keeping it partially open to allow for more moisture to escape (this helps get the granola crunchy).
- Turn the slow cooker to high and cook for 5 hours. Stir every hour until the mixture is lightly toasted and golden. Be sure to keep the top partially open following eat time you stir.
- After 5 hours, turn off the slow cooker, stir in the raisins, and let cool completely.
- Once cooled, store in an airtight container. Serve over yogurt, as a cereal with milk, or any other way you enjoy your granola.
What do you think?