This granola is inspired by my love of the morning bun, with flavours of cinnamon, cardamom, and citrus. This granola turned out so good that I decided to take all of my favourite dessert recipes and turn them into granola recipes. It’s been so much fun. It’s also very affordable. Read more about granola in my newsletter.
Since originally publishing this recipe I started (and shut down) a commercial granola business. I’ve updated the recipe and steps to match what I learned in that process. The commercial recipes were vegan, so replace the butter with olive oil if you’re vegan.
Method
In commercial product, I’ve found these steps lead to the best texture and finished product.
Pre-heat the oven to 300°F: Pre-heat the oven to 300°F and line a half-sheet with parchment paper. If you are using smaller baking sheets, use two sheets.
Coat the oats in oil: Melt the butter. In a large bowl, add the oats and butter. Stir to coat, around 30 seconds.
Add water to maple syrup: Add the maple syrup, water, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, and orange zest to a medium bowl. Whisk until it’s combined, then pour onto the oats. Stir for 30–60 seconds until it’s well combined.
Add the seeds: Add the pecans and chia seeds, stirring until evenly distributed.
Transfer to a baking sheet: Pour the granola mixture onto a baking sheet and press down until it’s firm and even. This will help the granola form clusters after it bakes.
Bake: 30–40 minutes, until fragrant, oats are golden brown. The surface may still feel moist but will crisp as it cools. Granola will bake faster if you are using convection.
Cool, then crumble: Remove to a cooling rack and allow to cool fully, at least 1 hour. This will help the granola cool into firmer, crispier clusters. The granola will feel like one big mass, but will easily break once you pick it up. Break it into smaller pieces and move into a storage container.
Store: Store in a glass jar for up to a year, but it will taste best eaten within 3 months (the seeds will change in taste after 3 months).