– 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (use certified gluten-free oats for gluten-free granola) – 1 ½ cup raw nuts and/or seeds (I used 1 cup pecans and ½ cup pepitas) – 1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt (if you’re using standard table salt, scale back to ¾ teaspoon) – ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon – ½ cup melted coconut oil or olive oil – ½ cup maple syrup or honey – 1 teaspoon vanilla extract – ⅔ cup dried fruit, chopped if large (I used dried cranberries) – Totally optional additional mix-ins: ½ cup chocolate chips or coconut flakes
Pre-heat the oven to 350°F and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix oats, nuts/seeds, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Mix well.
Add oil, maple syrup/honey, and vanilla. Mix well to lightly coat all oats and nuts. Spread the granola evenly on your prepared pan with a large spoon.
Bake until lightly golden, stirring halfway, 21–24 minutes (press the stirred granola down with a spatula for extra-clumpy granola). Granola crisps as it cools.
Allow the granola to cool for 45 minutes without stirring. Add dried fruit and chocolate chips. You can break the granola with your hands to keep big chunks or stir it with a spoon to avoid clumping.
Granola can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1–2 weeks or in a freezer bag for 3 months. Before serving, warm the dried fruit to room temperature for 5–10 minutes to prevent freezing.