The last couple of weeks I didn´t really get to blogging, mostly because I just didn´t have the time, due to University, being sick and other things that just piled up. I became really restless during those weeks, I just couldn´t wait to get back in my kitchen and behind my camera again. This week, I finally had some time so I whipped up this batch of homemade granola for you.

Yes, I know that Christmas is around the corner, especially since the first Advent is this Sunday. And I did make the first Christmas cookies already but the recipe for this granola is rather un-christmassy. But then again I thought, a balanced breakfast is the most important start in the day and this is true all year round, so here we are. If you are looking for Christmas cookie inspiration, you can find the world’s best Vanillekipferl recipe here, and my grandmas Zimtsterne and an explanation as to why Germans go crazy during Christmas time here.

Ever since I found out, that you can make your own granola at home, I rarely resorted to the store bought version. It is just too good. I love to make basic things at home, like chocolate, candy or pasta. It just gives you this satisfaction and also has the advantage that you have total control over the ingredients and can adapt it completely to your liking. This recipe is the end result of my granola experiments during which I threw together all kinds of different nuts, oats, spices and fruits.

Making your own granola is pretty simple. All you need is oats, nuts, spices, dried fruits, water and honey or maple sirup. Throw everything together, bake in the oven for about 15-20 minutes and there you have it. For some more inspiration, hop on over to Green Kitchen Stories or the lovely Josefine from The Smoothie Lover, both of whom have some great granola recipes. And if you want this granola to taste a little bit more like Christmas, just add the typical spices like cinnamon, ground cloves and cardamom.

Makes one large glas jar:

200 g rolled oats
200 g hazelnuts
100 g almonds
50 g walnuts
125 g cranberries
1 vanilla bean
1 tbsp. cinnamon
4 tbsp. warm water
4 tbsp. liquid honey or maple sirup

1) Chop hazelnuts, almonds and walnuts. Mix with the oats. Split the vanilla bean, take out the core and mix well with the oats and nuts. Add cinnamon.
2) Mix water and honey or maple sirup. Drizzle on top of the oat-nut-mixture and mix well. Place on a baking pan, lined with parchment paper and bake in the preheated oven at 175°C for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool completely before adding the cranberries. Store in a large glas jar.