Breakfast

homemade gingerbread granola

Once upon a time, back when I was in grad school, the girls and I put off studying for our Fall semester final exams by baking Christmas cookies. We preferred gingerbread boys because frankly, they tasted good and never talked back. Oh and we could dress them in raisin sweaters.

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Gingerbread granola nutritionella 09
Speaking of sweaters, can you believe I’ve never been to an ugly Christmas sweater party before? I’m not sure how I escaped my 20s without going to at least one. I’m thinking I may just have to host an ugly Christmas sweater party of our own next year. Want to come? We can turn on some Christmas tunes, bake gingerbread boys and sip Manhattans together in our ugly sweaters.

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Back to the cookies–there was no time for holiday baking this year but I couldn’t let Christmas pass me by without some sort of molasses-gingerbready goodness in my life. As I started ransacking the cabinets to make a batch of my go-to homemade granola over the weekend, I grabbed the jar of molasses and candied ginger and went for it.

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And boy am I glad I did. The only thing better would be eating gingerbread boy cookies for breakfast–which I’m not completely against. Especially if they’re wearing raisin sweaters.

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Ingredients

  • 5 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (about 1, 18-ounce container)
  • 1 3/4 cups raw pecans and/or walnuts
  • 3/4 cup coconut flakes
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup molasses
  • 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil (or canola oil)
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped candied ginger or 2/3 cup raisins (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 300F. Combine dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and mix until combined. In a separate bowl, combine melted coconut oil, molasses and maple syrup and microwave until warm, about 45 seconds, or heat in a small saucepan on the stove. Whisk until oil is incorporated with molasses and maple syrup and pour over dry ingredients, stirring until oats are evenly coated. Divide oats onto two rimmed cookie sheets and press to the edges using a spatula. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 to ensure even baking. When done, stir once while granola cools on the cookie sheets. When cooled, mix in candied ginger if desired.

Christmas baking: What holiday deliciousness has been happening in your oven this season? Oh, and will you come to my ugly Christmas sweater party next year?

PS. Check out these half biscotti, half cookie Gingerbread Bars

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