This is a low and slow recipe. Hazelnuts are notoriously easy to burn so this granola is one you have to carefully watch over.
By Khalilah Ramdene
My breakfast sentiments fluctuate between two opposing poles. On certain mornings I wake up ravenous and my thoughts are peppered with savory eggs, crispy bacon and stacks of buttery pancakes. On those mornings I would like nothing more than to spend my time in the company of the finest maple syrup. But no matter how lovely those things are, my average morning meal is yogurt and granola, and while this is no bacon-studded frittata nor eggy dutch baby, the granola I use I make myself and that just about changes everything. I also opt for cream-topped yogurt because I like to live my life on the decadent side. 
Vanilla Maple Granola with Hazelnuts
- Total Time: 1 hour 7 minutes
Description
This is a low and slow recipe. Hazelnuts are notoriously easy to burn so this granola is one you have to carefully watch over.
Ingredients
- 3 cups old fashion rolled oats
- 1 cup brown sugar or Sucanat
- 1 cup grapeseed oil
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup crushed hazelnuts or almonds
- 1 cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°. Combine the wet and dry ingredients separately then mix
- Transfer mixture to a lipped baking sheet and spread into one layer
- Transfer to oven and bake until oats become crisp, about 1 hour
- The granola should be lightly turned every 15-20 minutes during the baking process to avoid sticking and burning
- Store granola in an airtight container for up to 2 week
- Prep Time: 7 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour
This granola is made for the mature palate. It’s full of complex ingredients like Sucanat, a raw cane sugar that blooms into a smoky molasses flavor when baked, along with vanilla, and maple syrup to round out the sweetness. But the real flavor, the one that lurks underneath and remains after the others have subsided comes from the hazelnuts. I tend to keep a bag of these stowed away in my cabinet to add to green beans — delicious by the way — or add to anything that has chocolate in it. Mostly, I like cooking with hazelnuts because they’re a little fussy and require you to pay close attention to them while you’re cooking. They toast easily and can burn even faster but with the elegance and refined flavor they lend to a dish, they are well worth all the trouble..
