I needed a baking break! For a solid two weeks there has not been a blessed thing I’ve wanted to bake. It’s a strange and disturbing feeling…but it has finally passed! On Friday while at work I saw the phrase “carrot cake granola” somewhere on Twitter and my brain exploded. I have been obsessed with the thought ever since and finally got around to making some yesterday, and all I can say is HOLY YUM.
If you’ve read here long at all, you know that I am a granola junkie! I love granola and almost never buy it, because it’s so easy to make and because I like to know exactly what I’m eating. This is my favorite granola recipe to date…and quite possibly the healthiest I’ve ever made! I dragged myself out of bed this cold and rainy Monday morning with the promise of granola for breakfast. It definitely helped.
One thing of note here is that I used bagged, pre-shredded carrots rather than grating them myself like I’d usually do for carrot cake. I had half a bag of shredded carrots sitting around and decided to go for it. Granola (and laziness) success! Because bagged, pre-shredded carrots are inherently more loosely packed and drier than freshly grated carrots, if you decide to grate the carrots yourself, I’d follow the original recipe’s guidelines for carrot and applesauce amounts. This is the lazy version! Because sometimes a girl needs a shortcut.
Carrot Cake Granola
Adapted from Make it Naked
I realize dates aren’t exactly a traditional carrot cake flavor, but what can I say, I had a date epiphany yesterday and felt in my soul that they needed to be included. They are SO DELICIOUS. But if you don’t like dates, use straight raisins all the way, or try some dried pineapple. Or skip the dried fruit altogether. I am not the granola police.
Makes about 6 cups of granola
2 1/2 cups oats
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup bagged, pre-shredded carrots
1/4 cup + about 1 tablespoon unsweetened applesauce*
1/8 cup agave nectar or honey
2 heaping tablespoons ground flaxseed
Zest of 1 large orange (or 2-3 small ones, i.e. clementines)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon canola or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup raisins
3/4 cup chopped dates
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl, stir together oats and walnuts. In a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients except for raisins and dates.
Pour wet mixture over oat mixture and stir thoroughly until everything is moistened. Spread evenly over baking sheets and bake for 30-40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until granola is just short of desired crispness (it will crisp up a bit more once removed from the oven – mine baked perfectly in 30 minutes, but my oven runs a bit hot).
Let granola cool completely, then transfer to a large bowl and stir in raisins and dates. Store in an airtight container and enjoy!
*I used one of those little individual applesauce containers (about 3 ounces), which was just the right amount!
Are you a granola freak like me? Find more delicious goodness here!
