Granola on the Stove Top Tutorial

Stove Top Granola

8 cups regular rolled oats
1 cup dry sweetener (maple sugar, Sucanat, coconut sugar etc.)
½ cup wet sweetener (honey, agave, maple syrup etc.)
1 cup coconut oil
1 teaspoons flavoring (vanilla, maple etc.)
optional nuts, seeds, raisins, dried coconut etc.
½ teaspoon Real salt

(Option, For a more crunchy granola like you buy at the store, Put about 1 tablespoon oil in warmed large (5 quart or larger) pot.  Add the oats and stir WITHOUT BURNING for almost 5 minutes or until the oats are kind of golden brown.  Pour oats out onto a cookie sheet.  Using same pot follow directions below to finish making the granola.  But remember pan is already quite hot be careful not to burn the coating, you may even want to let the pot cool for just a minute.  See picture tutorial below!)

Melt all ingredients but oats and optional nuts etc. in a large pot (5 quart or larger). Stir until bubbling add oats and stir just until a bit toasty. Pour out on cookie sheets to cool. Stir in optional ingredients. Cool and store in airtight container. To change texture, use more wet and less dry sweetener.

So you are sure not to burn anything have all your ingredients mixed and ready.

Add just the oil and oats to pot and stir until golden brown.  Be very careful not to burn, you may need to adjust the temperature on the stove top.  Then place cooked oats on a cookie sheet.

In same pot add the other ingredients except nuts, dried fruit, etc.  Stir constantly, if pan is really hot wait a minute to add these ingredients so you don't scorch them.

When they start to foam and bubble you can add the oats back in.  The longer you let it bubble the crunchier the granola will be, but be careful it's really easy to burn.  Also you don't want hard tack so don't cook too long.  I usually add the oats really soon after it starts to bubble this makes a more chewy, crunchy granola.

Turn down heat, add oats and stir....

...stir, stir!  You want to kind of toast the oats but again can scorch easy adjust temperature as needed.  Be careful not to burn.

Pour and spread onto cookies sheets to cool!  After it cools down a bit, add any nuts, dried fruit, etc. that you desire!

This recipe has almost endless possibilities!  You can have lots of fun with it.  Here are some things I have tried or thought of:

Maple Pecan:  Use maple sugar, maple syrup, maybe a little maple flavor and add pecans and dates!
Coconut, Walnut, Vanilla:  Use, Coconut sugar, Agave, Walnuts and dried unsweetened shredded coconut!
Cinnamon Raisin:  Sucanat, Agave, Cinnamon,Walnuts, Raisins
Spiced Caramel Apple:  Sucanat, Agave, Vanilla, Butter Flavor, Some Coconut Cream in place of some of the coconut oil, dried apple pieces, apple pie spice
Cran-Strawberry with Almonds:  Date sugar, honey, Almond Flavor, Sliced Almonds, Dried fruit juice sweetened cranberries, freeze dried strawberries
Pina-Coloda:  Coconut Sugar, Agave, coconut flavor, dried unsweetened shredded coconut, dried pineapple
Oats and Honey:  Sucanat, Honey, Vanilla, Pecans, Raisins
Oats and Flax:  Sucanat, Agave, Vanilla, Ground Flax seed, dates

Some of my other granola recipes not done on the stove top:
Oatmeal Cookie Granola
Granola Bars
Great Granola

Is great for Breakfast, on parfaits, ice cream etc.
Also fun to put in baggies for on the go snacking!

What kinds of granola do you make?  What are some of your ideas?