Mom’s Granola ❤️

Mom’s Granola—The Gold Standard

Did you grownup eating granola?

If so, then I’m sure you have fond memories of crunchy goodness, sweet, yet a little salty, with chewy raisins to round out the flavor.

Our family was blessed with a granola-baking mom! And now, my own boys are blessed with a granola-baking grandma, plus me, another granola-baking mom.

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Granola a thousand ways

Over the years, I have tried so many different granola recipes. And I make variations that provide different twists to the classic granola flavor. But, in the end, I really just want my granola to remind me of Mom’s granola. Hers is the best, because it tastes like home.

So, I’m sharing my mom’s granola recipe!

Start your own granola-making tradition! Your family will love it, and you!

My family begs Grandma for her granola–and she willingly obliges them every time!

No granola at Ridge Haven?

For several years, I quit making granola. In our tiny living space, we also use an extremely little oven. So I let my granola making skills lapse. But a little while back, when it occurred to me just how much my husband loves granola, I decided to begin again, as a labor of love.

But that is what love does. ?.

In our home, granola mailing actually takes all day, and really all night. I can only bake one pan at a time, and a smallish pan at that. It feels like granola-making takes about ten minutes short of forever!

But it’s so worth it!

Here’s Mom’s Granola Recipe.

Notice how well-used my recipe card is?

I copied down this recipe during my high school Home Ec class, when I had to put together a collection of favorite recipes. I’ve used this recipe over and over, through the years! And every time I make it, I am literally transported back in time to our yellow house on Carson Court, when I’d come home from school as a teen, and sneak a bowl of Mom’s Granola for a snack–dry. And I know I wasn’t the only one! ?

There’s nothing quite so homey as Mom’s Homemade Granola!

Mom’s Granola has lifted my spirits so many times through the years!

• Tucked into a care package during academy and college days!
• After a long school or work day
• As a stand-alone meal when nothing else sounded good
• On a hot day
• Mailed across the miles to a remote Indian village in the heart of the Amazon rainforest–yep! There I was, thrilled with my own Mom’s Granola!
• Shared “just because” even when I was married! (You can bet my husband appreciated this too!)
• For breakfast, of course!
• Shared with my own kids–the Grandkids!

This recipe doesn’t look like your mom’s granola?

No matter! Seek her out, and track down your own mom’s granola recipe, if you are still able! I still wish I owned a copy of my husband’s mom’s granola recipe. That would be nice for him. Because, believe me, nothing says home like your own mother’s recipe!

And it’s funny! I am not a strict recipe person. I kind of go by mental recipes, and proportions, rather than by exact measurements. But there are some areas where knowing what Mom did really helps. And this is one of those for me! That and her cornbread.

Here’s the crazy thing. The recipe calls for certain things. But I can tell you with ? certainty that my mom never added wheat germ, and never used sesame seeds. We didn’t have fancy stuff like that growing up! . The recipe is very basic, and you can adjust it and add your own variations as you please!

Mom’s Granola

8 cups oatmeal

(1 cup wheat germ)

3/4 c brown sugar

1/2 c oil

(1 c sesame seeds)

1 c coconut

2 tsp salt

1/2 c water

2 T vanilla

Add raisins later, after baked

Mix all together (except raisins) and put in shallow pans. Bake at low oven (250-300 degrees) til lightly browned.

If you bake it overnight, I guarantee everyone will wake up hungry, because the smell is heavenly!

Here’s the thing:

Tips for Mom’s Granola:

• I always double or quadruple this recipe. Using a 42 oz oatmeal canister, you can double it easily.
• Use a huge bowl for mixing
• Your hands work best for combining the ingredients
• Shallow pans work best, and you can layer them in the oven on different racks.
• You can heat for 30 mins at 350 degrees, then turn oven on the lowest setting, or pilot light, if you have gas, and leave overnight to dry out.
• We like the clumps. These form when you’ve mixed the granola well, but don’t squish out every lump. ?
• Make a lot!

Sometimes I change it up, and adjust things.

My basic variation to this recipe uses less sugar but is just as sweet because of Stevia.

Mom’s Granola, Laurie’s Variation:

• Cut sugar in half and add 1-1/2 Tsp Stevia Powder for each 8 cups oatmeal
• I often use half regular/half quick oats
• Substitute Flax Meal for Wheat Germ
• Substitute Chia or Flax Seeds for Sesame, or just omit completely.
• Since we’re short on space, I store the baked granola in the original canisters the oatmeal comes in.
• Everybody here throws in chopped dates, especially the hubby! ? We purchase ours in bulk, to keep everyone happy!

I like this vanilla, which is double strength, and I find it at our local bulk foods store–Yoder’s or Troyer’s both carry it. It’s economical and strong.

Our favorite ways to enjoy Mom’s Granola!

• The usual way–with sliced bananas and non-dairy milk!

• Loaded up with fresh or frozen berries
• Sprinkled on top of our favorite fruit smoothie!
• Layered with Vegan Yogurt
• By the handful!
• Sprinkled on top of baked apples for a quick apple crisp dessert
• On Ice Cream
• Atop warm or cold applesauce
• On top of pancakes
• In a trail mix with dried fruit and candy chips

Whatever way you decide to eat your granola, I hope you enjoy it, and think of your own Mom, who loved you and spent time making whatever special treat you loved that reminds you now of home.

Hey–let me know in the comments if you make this recipe, or your own memories of granola! I like to hear from folks who’ve stopped into my little space!