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Crunchy Applesauce Granola

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 6 cups

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1 cup mixed nuts, chopped almonds, pecans, walnuts
  • ½ cup sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Wet Ingredients

  • ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons tahini or almond butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Optional Add-Ins (after cooling)

  • ½ cup dried cranberries or raisins add after cooling
  • ½ cup coconut flakes add in last 10 min of baking

Instructions

Make the Granola

  • Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl, combine the rolled oats, chopped nuts, sunflower seeds, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well.
  • In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the applesauce, maple syrup, and tahini. Whisk until smooth and just starting to simmer. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
  • Pour the warm wet mixture over the oat mixture. Stir with a spatula until everything is evenly coated.
  • Spread the granola onto the prepared baking sheet in an even layer. Press down firmly with the back of the spatula to compact the mixture.
  • Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven, stir, and press the granola back down flat. Return to the oven and bake for another 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
  • Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the pan without stirring, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. The granola will crisp as it cools.
  • Once completely cool, break into clusters. Stir in dried fruit if using. Store in an airtight container.

Notes

  • Oil-free: This granola uses applesauce and tahini as binding agents instead of oil. Same crunch, much less fat.
  • Clusters: Press the granola down firmly before baking, stir only once, and don't touch it while it cools. That's the formula for big clusters.
  • Nut-free: Replace all nuts with extra seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, hemp). Use sunflower seed butter instead of tahini.
  • Sweetness: Reduce maple syrup to 1 tablespoon for a less sweet granola. The applesauce provides enough natural sweetness for most tastes.
  • Storage: Keeps 2-3 weeks in an airtight container at room temperature, or up to 3 months in the freezer.