Maple Spice and Everything Nice!
Continuing on the spice train, we do not have anything pumpkin spice today, but we do have the almighty MAPLE SPICE! If I could sum up the the main food themes of the Fall, it would be: pumpkin, spices, and maple. That is the Fall trinity, and I dare you to fight me if you believe otherwise. But moving on, today, we have a Maple Spiced Granola!
Spice is Life
This Maple Spiced Granola was kind of inspired by Trader Joes’ Gingerbread Spice Granola. I wasn’t trying to replicate it exactly, but I wanted the granola to have a slight gingerbread essence, which is why I added in a few tablespoons of molasses.
Side note: Yes. I am proudly in the Trader Joes cult where I think everything Trader Joes is amazing and would happily shop there everyday if I had one close by.
The Cluster Club
I don’t know about you, but I love the giant granola clusters and think they’re the best part of a new package or batch of granola. So what’s the secret to getting them? Egg whites! I remember reading an article that said that the egg whites act as a glue to help everything stick together.
Another tip is to disturb the granola as little as possible. During the baking process, you want to refrain from stirring it too frequently. And when the granola is done baking, do not mix it until it has cooled completely.
Stay Tuned to Get Another Spiced Surprise
I love granola! It’s perfect for topping your yogurt or smoothie bowl, and it’s even great just for snacking! If you stay tuned to next week, I will have the perfect recipe to pair with this Maple Spiced Granola with. So try this recipe out and let me know what you think! Have a great day, and I’ll catch you next week with another spice-filled recipe!
Maple Spiced Granola
Ingredients
- 2 cups Old Fashioned Oats
- 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Cardamom
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp Ground Cloves
- 1/2 tsp Allspice
- 1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
- 3/4 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/4 cup Chia Seeds
- 1 cup Chopped Hazelnuts
- 1/2 cup Pumpkin Seeds (also known as Pepitas)
- 1/3 cup Maple Syrup
- 3 tbsp Molasses
- 1/4 cup Melted Coconut Oil
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 Egg White (beaten until foamy)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300˚F.
- In a large bowl, combine the first eleven ingredients listed. Mix until everything is evenly distributed.
- In a separate bowl, combine the maple syrup, molasses, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract. Mix with a whisk until everything is combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of oats and mix with a rubber spatula until all the ingredients have been evenly distributed and coated with the wet ingredients. Then mix in the foamy egg white.
- Distribute the mixture onto a sheet tray lined with parchment paper or a silpat mat. Use the rubber spatula to create an even layer of granola.
- Once the oven has preheated, place the sheet tray into the oven for about 30 minutes. Stir the granola halfway through the baking process. When the granola has finished baking, remove the sheet tray from the oven and set it aside to cool completely. Enjoy!
