Coconut Vanilla Granola

I am always looking for recipes to use or incorporate coconut oil in, so when I came across this one I made it right away.  The great thing about granola is you can add and take away what you don't like.  I added sunflower seeds and used the roasted chopped almonds from Winco instead of the sliced.   I am not a dried fruit in my granola kind of girl, but if that suits your fancy, go for it.  This granola is by far my favorite one out there.  Your house will smell amazing and that touch of nutmeg makes it feel instantly like Fall.  

Coconut Vanilla Granola
adapted slightly from Table for Two

4 cups old fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups walnuts, chopped
1 1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
1 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1 cup pure maple syrup
1 T. vanilla extract
2 tsp. vanilla bean paste

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.  Set aside. 

In a large bowl, combine the oats, walnuts, shredded coconut, almonds, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract and vanilla bean paste.  Pour the liquid mixture over the oat mixture and stir until well combined.  Spread evenly on the lined baking sheets and bake for 30-45 minutes or until lightly golden.  Stir every 10 minutes to make sure you get even baking and to avoid burning.  Cool completely and store in air tight containers.

**I baked mine for 35 minutes.

{cooks note}
I purchase my coconut oil from Costco because it is much cheaper than buying it anywhere else.  I also bought 100% pure maple syrup from Costco.  If you do not have vanilla bean paste, you do not want to skip it.  Purchase some here.  You will not be disappointed.  I go through this stuff way too fast.  I usually only use it in recipes where you will actually see the speckles of bean.  

I am obviously no good at taking pictures, but I included this one because it gives you a closer look at what the granola looks like.  

Cinnamon Sugar Graham Crackers

Cinnamon Sugar Graham Crackers
from Kelseyskitchen


1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar packed
1/3 cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoons cinnamon
2 tablespoons sugar

Sift together the all-purpose flour, wheat flour, baking powder and baking soda; set aside.
In a medium bowl cream together the butter, brown sugar and honey until light and fluffy.  Stir in the sifted ingredients alternating between the milk and vanilla.  Cover dough and refrigerate for at least an hour.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Divide the chilled dough into quarters.  On a well floured surface, roll the dough out one quarter at a time into a 5x15 inch rectangle.  Divide into rectangles using a knife.  Place rectangles onto ungreased cookie sheets.  Mark a line down the center of each one, and prick with a fork.  Mix cinnamon and sugar together in a small bowl.  Sprinkle graham cracker dough with cinnamon and sugar before baking.  Bake 7-10 minutes in preheated oven.  Remove from baking sheets to cool on wire racks.

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{cooks note} 

I had been wanting to try and make my own graham crackers for a while now and then finally decided to do it when this recipe popped up.  I'm not totally in love with it, but my kids devoured them.  I took them to nursery as a snack and the leaders said that the kids ate them all gone.  The process is just like making sugar cookies.  My good camera died somewhere in the mix, so I had to pull out my point and shoot which was also giving me problems.  Notice the bad fuzzy pictures.  So, there are many steps missing, but you get the gist of it, right?  One of these days things will work out for me.

All of the dry ingredients in the sifter.

Just after sifting.

The dough ready to be chilled.

I cut my rectangles with a pizza cutter. I then got a toothpick and made lines in each individual rectangle to copy the store bought graham crackers.  Don't forget to prick them with a fork.

Homemade graham crackers...a lot easier than you would think.