This granola reminds me of Christmas.
Which is absolutely absurd considering we’re smack in the middle of summer. If there’s something I have learned in life, it’s to roll with the punches. So lets roll with this whole Christmas granola in July thing.
And let’s get real for a second. Since when is a bite of Christmas so bad? Never. Sort of like puppies not being cute. That NEVER happens. (unless it’s one of those dogs that looks like a shaved cat. In that case, exclude them from this comparison and go adopt a golden retriever).
This is the first granola to be baked in the new house. And for that it is extra special. When it comes to food, or anything I guess, there will always be a reason to make it special in my world. Oh it’s sunny? Special day for pina colada and tacos. Boom, key to happiness.
I am hoping my new roomies love the fact that granola making is second nature to me. So the upstairs will have a scent of oatmeal cookies in the oven 80% of the time and the granola jar will always be filled with homemade loveliness. That’s okay right?
At first, the name of this recipe was just going to be “white chocolate hazelnut granola”. Then after having a total binge fest during the photo shoot it hit me that these clusters of yum taste like a macaroon! A christmas eggnog macaroon! Do those exist?
There is a lot of cinnamon, nutmeg, white chocolate and hazelnut flavors in this which is what brings about that whole eggnog Christmas nostalgia for me. And I used coconut oil which led my taste buds to macaroon status.
The outcome is thick clusters of crunchy granola tossed with cranberries and white chocolate chips. Christmas in July? Yes please
White Chocolate Hazelnut Macaroon Granola
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (or oat flour)
- 1/4 tsp each: cinnamon & nutmeg
- Sea salt to taste
- 1/2 cup white chococlate chips, divided
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup almond milk
- 1/2 cup hazelnuts, chopped (I used roasted hazelnuts)
- 1/2 cup cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees farenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Combine oats, flour and spices in a large bowl. In a seperate, microwave safe dish, melt 1/3 cup of the white chocolate chips and coconut oil together in 30 second increments, stirring inbetween until fully melted and combined. Whisk in the maple syrup and almond milk until a thick mixture has formed. Pour over oats and combine with a large spoon or frosting spatula until the oats are fully absorbed with the white chocolate mixture.
- Stir in the chopped hazelnuts and bake in the oven for 40 minutes, gently stirring halfway. Once done, sprinkle more chococlate chips on the granola and allow the granola to cool. The extra chocolate chips get melted onto the clusters, making it extra yummy! Allow the granola to cool for atleast 20 minutes before serving. Mix in cranberries and extra chocolate chips if desired and store at room temperature.