CANDIED NUTS

Makes 6 cups (1440 ml) of granola Having changed what you eat, you probably miss cereal from time to time. We’re not going to lie: we miss cereal, too. Granola has always been a favorite, but with the traditional variety containing oats, we have to pass it up at the store. The good news is that this recipe tastes just like a granola cereal, and it’s perfect with a bowl of coconut or other milk! Give this recipe a shot; we think you’ll love the nutty and crisp texture of this granola. Once you’re good at making it, mix up the flavors and nuts with ingredients you love. Our boys have really love dried cranberries, but raisins or any variety of dried fruit would work well. Maybe you’d prefer pecans instead of walnuts. Anyway you’d like it, we think you’ll love eating granola again! INGREDIENTS • 1½ C sliced almonds • 1½ C coconut flakes, chopped • 1 C (35°F) walnuts, chopped finely or puréed into a meal • 1 C (35°F) macadamia nuts, chopped finely or puréed into a meal • 1 C (35°F) dried cranberries • ½ C fresh medjool dates, chopped to same size as cranberries • ½ C coconut oil, melted (extra for greasing pan) • 1/3 C (35°F) honey • 2 tsp (10 ml) cinnamon INSTRUCTIONS AND HOW KIDS CAN HELP 1. Combine almonds, coconut flakes, nuts, and fruit in a bowl. 2. Whisk together oil, honey, and cinnamon. 3. Pour oil-honey mixture over nuts and fruit, then mix. 4. Spread onto a WELL-greased baking sheet. 5. Bake for one hour at 275 degrees, stirring every 15 minutes to prevent burning. 6. Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to several months.

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Candied nuts that eat like the granola we thought we'd given up: sliced almonds, coconut flakes, walnuts, and macadamias clustered with dried cranberries and medjool dates in a honey-cinnamon coconut-oil glaze, baked low and slow at 275°F. Six cups of oat-free, grain-free granola come out of one sheet pan — pour it over a bowl of coconut milk and breakfast is back.

Pro Tips

• Grease the baking sheet WELL — the honey glaze bonds to bare metal, and a lightly greased pan means chiseling clusters off instead of sliding them off.
• Stir every 15 minutes of the hour-long bake; those four stirs are the difference between evenly candied nuts and a caramelized slab with raw pockets.
• Chop the walnuts and macadamias finely or pulse them into a meal — smaller pieces catch the glaze and form clusters, while whole nuts roll around uncoated.
• Cut the dates to about the same size as the cranberries so they distribute through the mix instead of clumping into one chewy bite.
• Let the granola cool completely on the pan before transferring; the clusters crisp as they cool and break apart cleanly once fully cooled.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why bake candied nuts at such a low temperature?

275°F for an hour candies the honey slowly and evenly. A hotter oven burns the honey and coconut before the nuts in the middle of the pan get crisp.

How long does this grain-free granola keep?

Stored airtight at room temperature it stays crisp for several months — assuming it isn't eaten first.

Can I change the nuts and fruit in the mix?

Absolutely — raisins or any dried fruit stand in for the cranberries, and pecans are a natural swap for the walnuts. Keep the total volumes the same so the honey-oil glaze still coats everything.

Is this really grain-free if it's granola?

Yes — there are no oats anywhere in it. The cluster texture comes from nuts, coconut, and honey, which is what makes it work as paleo granola over coconut or other milk.

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