I love granola. Like LOVE granola. I’m one of those people who sits on the couch with a bag of granola and just eats the whole thing. Which is why I never buy it. I remember as a kid, my parents would make massive epic batches of granola. My favorite part was always the dates. I would sit and pick them out and eat all the dates in the bowl.

While this granola doesn’t have any dates, it is full of delicious clumps and dried cranberries! There’s nothing better than a good granola clump. Now you can make this granola with store bought applesauce, BUT it’s definitely better with homemade! And luckily, apples are usually a pantry staple for most people.

Begin by peeling and dicing three apples. Place in a small pot on the stove with a half cup of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat for 12-15 minutes. Once apples are soft, add a teaspoon of cinnamon and mash. I obviously do not have a potato masher, so I used a pastry cutter and a fork. You can also use a ricer or blender, but I like my homemade applesauce a little chunky.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, mix together four cups of gluten free rolled oats, a half cup of chia seeds, and two tablespoons of cinnamon. In microwave, melt a half cup of honey and a half cup of almond butter (or nut butter of choice). Add melted honey and nut butter to oat mixture. Mix together. Then mix in the applesauce. Finally mix in two cups of dried cranberries. Spread mixture out onto lined baking sheets. Depending on your clump preference you can break up the clumps or keep the little chonks!

Bake the granola for 20-30 minutes at 350 stirring at the half way point. Granola should be light brown in color and feel almost crispy when removed from oven. Let the pans cool undisturbed on the counter for 30-40 minutes—this is usually the point where I end up eating half the batch…hopefully you have more self control than I do!

Once granola is completely cooled, store in air tight jars or in a sealed bag. Eat straight out of jars, use a smoothie or yogurt toppings, or with milk. Makes approximately 70 oz of granola.

Cranberry Apple Granola

Gluten Free/Dairy Free/Refined Sugar Free

Make Approximately 70-75 oz. of granola

Ingredients:

Applesauce

3 apples
1/2 cup water
1 tsp. cinnamon

Granola

4 cups GF rolled oats
1/2 cup chia seeds
2 tbsp cinnamon
1/2 cup melted almond butter or nut butter of choice
1/2 melted honey
Approximately 2 cups applesauce, if using store bought. Homemade-see above
2 cups dried cranberries

Directions:

Begin by peeling and dicing apples.
Place in a small pot on the stove with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat for 12-15 minutes.
Once apples are soft, add a teaspoon of cinnamon and mash.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix together gluten free rolled oats, chia seeds, and two tablespoons of cinnamon.
In microwave, melt honey and almond butter (or nut butter of choice).
Add melted honey and nut butter to oat mixture. Mix together.
Then mix in the applesauce.
Finally mix in dried cranberries.
Spread mixture out onto lined baking sheets. Depending on your clump preference you can break up the clumps or keep the little chonks!
Bake the granola for 20-30 minutes at 350 stirring at the half way point. Granola should be light brown in color and feel almost crispy when removed from oven.
Let the pans cool undisturbed on the counter for 30-40 minutes.
Once granola is completely cooled, store in air tight jars or in a sealed bag.
Enjoy!