Apple Pie Granola
Crunchy chunky granola clusters that taste exactly like apple pie. No really, I did a taste test and that’s what everyone said it tastes like. Makes 5-6 cups, and lasts for up to one month in an airtight container.
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If you’re like me, you have purchased apple cider for the purpose of making apple cider caramel, and then never actually made it. Or rather, when you tried to make the caramel you forgot about the saucepan and it burned (it took me literal days to clean the jar I put it in). This leads me to the gallon of apple cider that needed to be used, and the experience of making reduced apple cider floating in my brain throughout my days.
When I had the opportunity to work with BELOVED Bath & Body for their seasonal collection, and saw their Apple & Spice scents, I knew this was the perfect excuse to combine my love of granola with the gallon of apple cider languishing away in my kitchen.
If you’re reading this post, hopefully you are like me in that you are always looking for granola that is chunky and full of clusters large enough that they could be a snack on their own. If you are, then look no further than this recipe. It is admittedly, a bit more hands on and takes longer than your average granola recipe, but believe me when I tell you that this granola is DIVINE. I don’t even like apple pie all of that much (the soggy wet mound apples always put me off) but this granola is something else.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Spiced apple cider: Make sure it is spiced, not apple juice, and not carbonated or alcoholic.
Brown sugar: While you technically could use white sugar, you’d definitely miss out on the flavor brown sugar brings. Don’t substitute if you can help it.
Rolled oats: Make sure you use gluten free if that is important to you. Cannot be substituted
Puffed rice cereal: Also known as rice crispies. Purchase gluten free version if that matters to you. Can substitute for 1 cup oats if you prefer, but I love the crunch this adds.
Ground cinnamon: Don’t skip this one, it adds to the vibes.
Sea salt: Can substitute 1:1 for kosher salt. It balances the sweetness and adds complexity to the overall flavor, giving some caramel notes.
Flaxseed meal: You can skip this one, but it adds a little more nutrition to this treat.
Raw unsalted pecans: These don’t need to be pre-toasted, I like to leave them chopped into fairly large chunks.
Dried apple chips: To be added after baking. It gives it an extra recognizable touch that the granola is apple flavored, but the granola still screams apple all on its own.
How to eat this granola
I truly was beside myself in awe at how delicious this granola tastes atop vanilla Greek yogurt (full fat if you want a real treat).
Zuzh up some peanut butter banana toast with this crunchy granola and feel like you’re at a cafe.
This granola is truly snackable on its own, as proven by how my daughters ate it in the car while we were waiting for AAA to come fix our flat tire on the side of the freeway.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can this be made gluten free? Yes! If you pay attention to labels and purchase gluten free oats and puffed rice cereal then it will be gluten free.
Can this be made nut free? Yes, you can substitute the nuts for seeds or leave the nuts out all together.
Apple Pie Granola
Ingredients
Instructions
- Put apple cider in a small sauce pan and simmer until it has reduced to about 1/3 a cup, about 45 minutes. Measure and return to sauce pan if it has not reduced enough.
- While cider is reducing, chop the pecans. Then the rest of the ingredients except apple chips to a large bowl and mix to combine. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Once the apple cider is fully reduced, add brown sugar to the apple cider and cook just enough to dissolve, about three minutes. Combined liquid should be between 1/2-1/3 cup.
- Preheat oven to 300°F.
- Pour the apple cider and sugar mixture into the bowl of ingredients. Mix thoroughly then spread out on the prepared baking sheet in a thin layer, but still touching so they can form those delicious clusters.
- Bake on the center rack for 50-60 minutes until golden brown. Rotate every ten minutes so it doesn't burn. DO NOT mix while baking if you want large chunks. Remove from oven once it is beautifully golden brown.
- Let cool for fifteen minutes then add dried apples and break into chunks.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one month.
Notes
You can skip the flaxseed if you do not have it on hand
Pecans can be substituted for other nuts/seeds or omitted if you have an allergy
