This blog post is made in partnership with California Walnuts. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Confession: I had never made homemade granola until a few months ago. And once I did, and realized how easy it is to make and unreal it tastes, I never looked back.
There are so many things to love about making your own granola. For starters, you get to call the shots about what’s in it and add whatever flavor combinations your heart desires. It also feels really satisfying to make something that – truly – tastes better than store-bought. And, let’s not forget the clusters! When you make your own granola, you can add as many of those ideal, big clusters as you want.
In this Cherry Walnut Granola, I added some of my favorite ingredients. It’s no secret that I LOVE walnuts. Not only are they a super nutrient dense nut, but they’re also deliciously versatile, too.
One ounce of walnuts provides 4g of protein, 2g of fiber and 2.5g of the omega-3 ALA fatty acid. In fact, walnuts contain the most ALA of any nut – an omega-3 fatty acid that’s been studied in its connection with brain health. How’s that for a benefit!
This granola also uses dried cherries because, let’s be real, you can’t have summer without cherries. The tart and tangy sweetness from the cherries tastes so delicious with the roasted walnuts and oats in the granola.
The recipe uses maple syrup to add sweetness and olive oil to bind everything together. The result is a perfectly sweet and crunch snack that is omg so good.
Once you make the granola, there are so many ways you can eat it. Add it on top of yogurt for breakfast in the morning. Put it in a bowl with some milk for a delicious and refreshing snack. You can even sprinkle it on top of a smoothie to add a little crunch!
Oh, and don’t forget eating it plain too. Trust me, once you make it, you’ll see how this granola is so good just straight up on its own.
Notes
- Oats: Make sure to use regular old fashioned oats, not steel cut. Quick or instant oats will work just fine.
- Maple syrup: If you don’t have maple syrup, you can swap 1:1 for honey. Although note that this may change the flavor profile slightly.
- Walnuts: Don’t forget to store your walnuts correctly! Because of their high fatty acid content, walnuts need to be stored in the fridge. Or, if you’re storing them for a month or longer, put them in the freezer. I always keep a big bag of walnuts in my freezer! There’s so much you can do with that big bag of walnuts too! Head to walnuts.org to see everything you can make with them – savory or sweet.
- Dried cherries: I used regular store-bought dried cherries here. I aimed for ones without added sugar, because this granola is already pretty sweet on its own! If you can’t find dried cherries, simply swap for another dried fruit, like dried cranberries or raisins.
Ingredients
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cup old fashioned oats
- 1 ½ cup walnuts roughly chopped
- ½ cup dried cherries
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine maple syrup, olive oil, cinnamon and vanilla extract. Mix well.
- Add oats and chopped walnuts to the bowl. Mix until the oats and walnuts are evenly coated.
- Spread the mixture out in an even layer on the parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, until mixture is golden and sticks together.
- Add dried cherries on top, using a spatula to gently press them into the oats. Place in the fridge for about 1 hour to harden.
- Remove the fridge and, using your hands, break into clusters.
- Store granola in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
So good and simple to make! The flavor is so satisfying!
So glad you loved it!