Gluten-Free Granola Recipe

I love granola – I always have.  But going gluten-free meant eliminating store-bought granola: partly because of the gluten-contaminated oats and partly because most granolas use wheat germ in their recipes.  There are some great gluten-free granolas commercially available, although they tend to be a bit pricey, and many do not contain oats.

So I decided to hunt around for a recipe to make my own granola.  I found one at USA Weekend by Pam Anderson, but it included the problematic wheat germ.  Apparently, the wheat germ mixes with the liquid ingredients to create a type of “mortar” that helps hold the granola together in clumps.  I racked my brain to think of a gluten-free substitute that would work, and all of a sudden, it hit me: ground flax seed!  Ground flax seed mixed with warm water forms a gooey paste that serves as a substitute for eggs in baked goods.  Maybe it would work in this application?

I gathered my ingredients, including my gluten-free oats from Bob’s Red Mill.  These oats are less expensive than many other brands (less than $7 for a 32 oz bag) and widely available at several grocery and specialty food stores in my area.  It was fall, so I selected pumpkin seeds and cranberries for my “flavors.”

I must say, the results are delicious – sweet but not sugary, full of nutty flavors from the pumpkin seeds, flax and oats.  The only problem is that it’s so good, it doesn’t last very long… I need to start doubling my recipe!

Gluten-free Granola Ingredients

• 2 cups gluten-free, old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup ground flax seed
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds (shelled)
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup sweetened coconut flakes
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 3 tbsp light vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp water
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat liner
3. In a large mixing bowl, mix together oats, ground flax seed, brown sugar, salt, pumpkin seeds, and coconut flakes.
4. In a small saucepan, combine maple syrup, oil, water and cinnamon and bring to a simmer.  Drizzle over oat mixture and stir to combine.
5. Pour mixture onto prepared pan.  With your hands, squeeze small amounts together to form clumps.
6. Bake in middle of oven for 30 min.  Stir in dried cranberries and bake for another 15 min.  Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

I enjoy my granola over unsweetened yogurt and berries (my family eats it “straight up” as a snack); no wonder it disappears so quickly!  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.