How To Make a Slow Cooked Granola Recipe

I love discovering new-to-me little luxuries that elevate every day life with out depleting my checking account. This month’s hyperfixation? Utilizing my sluggish cooker to bake heat, nutty, cinnamon-spiced granola.

The arrival of the autumn season has formally reignited my ardour for this breakfast meals—served alongside greek yogurt and contemporary fruit—and I’ve began each morning with a giant bowl of the stuff since September kicked off.

I wished to dial up my recipe in probably the most hassle-free manner potential, and headed to the web to search out the very best hacks for making granola that do not require a lot time (or cash, or legwork). I ended up discovering an excellent methodology from one in all my favourite wholesome recipe bloggers of all time, Erin Clarke of Effectively Plated, who likes to make slow-cooked granola. I feel Clarke’s granola-making methodology is genius as a result of it permits you to toast up a giant batch of oats, coconut flakes, nuts, and so forth with out utilizing (learn: making a large mess of) your oven in any respect.

The most effective time to meal prep sluggish cooker granola, IMO, is after I’m making dinner the diner earlier than. Merely toss your elements within the sluggish cooker, set, and neglect—simply give it a toss each thirty minutes or so to maintain the warmth evenly distributed. Main bonus: Choosing a slow-cooking course of not solely makes issues low-maintenance but additionally prevents your elements from burning.

If you happen to’re out there for a brand new sluggish cooker, we’re massive followers of this glossy $50 Hamilton Seaside cooker that additionally makes rice and veggies, however your Instantaneous Pot will work, too!

The best way to make sluggish cooked granola at residence

All you must do is solely grease up the underside of your slow-cooker with a little bit butter, oil, or cooking spray of alternative, toss in all of the elements of your favourite granola recipe, and cook dinner over excessive for 2 to 2 and a half hours. When you’ve got the flexibility, giving the elements a fast stir each half-hour will guarantee all the pieces toasts evenly. Plus, your kitchen will replenish with the granola’s nutty, spicy aromas alongside the best way that may fill your kitchen with the very best fall aromas.

One of the underrated facets of creating granola in a slow-cooker is which you can make a large batch directly with minimal clean-up. In response to Clarke, granola might be saved in an hermetic container for as much as two weeks, good for meal prepping or for serving up at your subsequent at-home brunch. She additionally notes which you can freeze granola for as much as three months for those who gained’t be capable of devour all of it in time—simply omit any dried fruit you propose so as to add till serving. To freeze, place the granola in an hermetic container and press a sheet of plastic wrap excessive, eradicating as a lot air as potential.

Discover Effectively Plated’s nutrient-rich sluggish cooked granola recipe under. And remember which you can customise it together with your favourite nuts, kind of sweetness, and the addition of different spices—nutmeg can be scrumptious!—to attain your final morning ritual.

Erin Clarke of Effectively Plated’s Gradual Cooked Granola Recipe

Substances
4 cups old school rolled oats
1 1/4 cups uncooked nuts or seeds, corresponding to almonds, walnuts, pecans, or pepitas
1/4 cup floor flaxseed meal or extra 1/4 cup uncooked nuts
1 tsp floor cinnamon
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 giant egg whites at room temperature (use extra 1/4 cup coconut oil to make vegan)
1/2 cup pure maple syrup or honey
1/4 cup coconut oil melted and cooled, or very gentle olive oil
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup dried fruit chopped into items if giant (I used low sugar dried cranberries and apricots)

Directions
1. Spray the underside and sides of a 5-quart or bigger sluggish cooker with cooking spray. Place the quaint oats, nuts and/or seeds, flaxseed, cinnamon, and salt within the sluggish cooker and stir to mix.

2. In a small bowl or giant measuring cup, whisk the egg whites till frothy. Add the maple syrup (or honey), coconut oil, and vanilla extract. Stir to mix, then pour over the dry elements within the sluggish cooker and stir with a wood spoon till the elements are evenly moistened.

3. Cowl the sluggish cooker, leaving the lid barely askew in order that steam can escape. Prepare dinner on excessive (leaving the lid askew) for 2 to 2 and a half hours, till the nuts are toasted and the granola feels dry to the contact, stirring the granola each half-hour. Be certain that you allow the lid askew after every stirring.

4. Flip off the sluggish cooker, then stir within the dried fruit. For optimum crispiness, unfold the granola out onto a baking sheet to chill fully. The granola will proceed to crisp because it cools. You can too let it cool within the sluggish cooker, but it surely won’t be as crisp.