I am really excited about this Rustic Maple Tahini Granola recipe that I am sharing today. I tested it over and over (and over) again until I perfected it and learned a lot of lessons along the way – which I’ll share, so you can hopefully bypass those errors and make an amazing granola on the first try!
When I first decided to experiment with making granola, I found this Epicurious article, which helped guide me. After experimenting with a couple batches, my proportions slightly differed from their 6:1 ratio (6 parts dry to 1 part wet).
Here are a couple important notes I learned:
1. Lower heat is better.
I found some recipes called for baking the granola at 300-350 F. The first time I tried this, I baked it at 325 F, and the granola got way too hot too quick. I found the perfect temperature to be 250 F.
2. Use parchment paper.
Line your baking sheet with parchment paper. It minimizes clean-up, but it also helps the maple syrup to stick to the granola and not the pan (and subsequently burn).
3. Press the granola into a flat layer on the baking sheet, but not too thin.
Don’t spread the granola too thin – this ensures it doesn’t burn. 1/2 – 1 inch worked well for me.
4. Making clusters is simple and doesn’t require added ingredients.
If you want some clusters in your granola, make sure you flatten/press down the granola with the back of a spatula before baking.
5. Don’t leave the granola in the oven for too long.
The granola gets crispy as it cools, after you take it out of the oven. Don’t leave it in too long waiting for it to get crispy!
6. DON’T ADD DRIED FRUIT (with the exception of coconut) UNTIL AFTER THE GRANOLA BAKES AND COOLS.
Clearly, I’ve made this mistake before (woops!). If you add dried fruit before baking, it will burn. You’ve been warned.
What I love about this granola: it’s perfectly crunchy, not too sweet, and earthy and rustic with hints of cinnamon, coconut, and maple. The tahini adds a nutty taste that, with the sweetness of maple syrup, is almost reminiscent of halva. My love for this sesame paste is strong. It’s used often in the Middle East, and I love it in salad dressings, hummus, cookies, and now, granola. Expect to see many more recipes featuring tahini here!
I can honestly say this is my favorite granola ever, which is why I’m so excited to share it. Not only is it amazing, but making your own granola is really cost-effective – good news for us, considering we go through a ridiculous amount of granola each week. Also, it’s healthy, with less sugars and no unnecessary ingredients. So, without further ado, I present to you the best granola, ever:
- 2 cups rolled oats
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- ½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch of sea salt
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons tahini
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- Add-in after baking: ½ cup golden raisins
- Preheat oven to 250 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, almonds, coconut flakes, pumpkin seeds, cinnamon, and salt.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, tahini, and melted coconut oil. Pour over oat mixture and mix well.
- Pour granola onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Lightly flatten with the back of a large spoon or a spatula into an even layer.
- Bake until golden, about 40-45 minutes. Lightly stir halfway through (and make sure to flatten out again).
- Remove from the oven and let totally cool. Break apart larger chunks and mix in raisins. Store in an air-tight container.
Mona says
May 30, 2016 at 7:27 pmWonderful recipe!
Christine says
June 7, 2016 at 8:32 pmthanks 🙂
raquel says
October 4, 2017 at 12:32 pmthis has become my go to granola recipe– easy, savory, and perfectly crunchy without being hard. breakfast, snack, it is hard not to eat all day long. even my 16 month old tells me “nola! nola!” when she sees it
Christine says
October 18, 2017 at 8:40 pmHi Raquel – thrilled to hear that! It’s my go-to also 🙂 and love that your babe loves it too!