Chai Spiced Granola

I avoided making granola for years. I read countless recipes on blogs that extolled the virtues of homemade granola, but for some unknown reason, I just didn’t do it. I kept stubbornly buying granola and was never quite satisfied with the flavor, the crunch, the amount of nuts, etc. I finally went for it a few months ago, largely because one of the doctors I work with brought some granola to work that her child had made. Her 10 year old child. He is 10 years old and he made some incredible granola. I figured if a 10 year old could do it, I probably could too. But still, I was unreasonably skeptical and was worried that it was going to be a failure. I checked on my first batch every few minutes, tending to it a bit obsessively. Luckily, the first batch of granola I made was incredible. It was crispy, light, not too sweet, and had just enough salt to bring me back for another bit. I was in love. I mentally criticized myself for the years of wasted subpar granola consumption! I could have been eating this deliciousness all along! If you are like me and have a mysterious and unfounded granola phobia, please learn from my mistake and make some of your own. Try this chai spiced granola for a delicious place to start! It uses my family’s chai masala which adds a nice bit of warm spice to this delicious granola. 

This granola is unbelievably simple to make, especially if you have a kitchen scale. Then, it becomes a 1 bowl, 1 mixing bowl type of dish. You just dump all of your dry ingredients into your bowl, then add in a mix of olive oil, honey, maple syrup, salt, and chai masala. I had several friends and commenters ask for ways to use up the chai masala, because the recipe does make quite a bit! I tend to make 1/5 of the recipe using a precise kitchen scale for some of the smaller measurements, but also have this recipe and my chai spiced pumpkin pie that can help use up some of the masala. Because chai is a decidedly Indian treat, I decide to echo that by using the classic Indian pairing of almond and pistachio. The pepitas are in there because I think they are such a great texture in a granola! The coconut adds some richness and an extra delicious depth of flavor. The olive oil and salt add a delicious savory element and the honey, brown sugar, and maple syrup add complex sweetness. All in all it’s a simple, but not so simple tasting granola that I hope you enjoy as much as I have. 

I bake the granola at low temperature in the oven until it’s golden brown and the oats seem to have lightened in how they feel. Because the temperature is low, the nuts get toasty throughout but don’t burn like they might at higher temperatures. Once the granola cools to room temperature it is very crispy and very light. This is not a clumping granola, though, it’s definitely a looser granola. I personally prefer this, because I feel like it allows me to customize what I get in each bite and how big I want each bite to be. 

This granola is unbelievably delicious on top of homemade yogurt, with milk, added to a salad, or straight out of hand! Feel free to customize the flavors to your taste by adding more or less chai masala and your favorite nuts. I hope that this granola is the cure for your granola making phobia as it has been for mine. Enjoy!

Chai Spiced Granola

From The Hathi Cooks at https://www.thehathicooks.com/chai-spiced-granola/

Prep: 5 minutes

Cook: 45 minutes

Yield: 10 servings

Total: 50 minutes

Rolled oat granola with chai spices, pepitas, pistachios, almonds, and coconut. Sweetened with honey, brown sugar, and maple syrup, and with a bit of a savory edge from olive oil and salt. A delicious way to add some spice to your breakfast routine!

You'll Need...

• 300 g rolled oats (3 cups)
• 125 g unsalted shelled pistachio (~1 cup)
• 125 g slivered almonds (~1 cup)
• 125 g pepitas (~1 cup)
• 75 g flaked coconut (~1.5 cups)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 honey
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 1/2 tsp chai masala

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 275F.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, pistachios, almonds, pepitas, and coconut until well combined.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the maple syrup, honey, brown sugar, olive oil, salt, and chai masala. Pour over the dry ingredients and combine thoroughly.
4. Spread into a thin, even layer on two sheet pans. Place in oven and bake, stirring every 10-15 minutes. Remove from the oven when the oats are golden brown, usually about 45 mins to 1 hour.
5. Allow to cool to room temperature and transfer to an airtight storage container.

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