If you love clusters in your granola, then this Chunky Cardamom Granola with Almonds & Pistachios is for you! It’s gluten-free and delicious on yogurt.
Every day at about 4 o’clock, I snack on Greek yogurt at my desk. Call me a creature of habit, but I just love it because it has lots of protein to hold me over until dinner time. Usually I just add some fresh berries and a pinch of stevia and cinnamon to sweeten the yogurt, but recently I’ve been craving some crunch for texture.
After scouring the web for new granola recipes, I wasn’t finding anything that suited my needs. I wanted to keep this version low-sugar, but not lose a lot of sweetness and flavor.
In one recipe, I spotted cardamom on the ingredient list and thought that was very unique. Most granola recipes stick to the usuals: maple syrup, honey, brown sugar, and cinnamon. I love cardamom, but I find it stays in my spice cabinet more often than it should, so I decided to put it to use.
I like my granola chunky, and I recently learned a great tip from America’s Test Kitchen to help keep it that way: don’t stir the granola! Every granola recipe I’ve seen instructs you to stir the mixture once or twice throughout the baking time. ATK says for chunkier granola clusters, don’t stir the mixture and just wait to break it up once it is completely done baking. GENIUS!
My granola turned out chunky – just the way I like it. Now I get spoonfuls of delicious granola clusters with every bite. It is also packed with spice from the cardamom and cinnamon, so I don’t find myself missing the added sugars that you see in typical packaged granola.
Update October 2018: I continue to make this granola once a week and often give it to friends and family in gift bags. It is hands-down my favorite granola recipe.
If you love clusters in your granola, then this Chunky Cardamom Granola with Almonds & Pistachios is for you! It's gluten-free and delicious on yogurt.
- 1.5 cups rolled oats*
- 1/2 cup unsalted almonds, slivered or chopped
- 1/4 cup unsalted pistachios
- 1/8 cup sesame seeds (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon salt**
- 1/4 cup honey***
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup raisins (I like to use a mixture of regular and golden)
-
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
-
In a medium bowl, mix the oats, almonds, pistachios, sesame seeds, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt. In a small microwavable bowl add the honey and heat it in the microwave for 15 seconds. Add the olive oil and vanilla to the honey and stir to combine. Pour the honey mixture over the oats and stir to coat.
-
Spread the cardamom granola on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for an additional 20 minutes, until golden brown. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then add the raisins. Once cool, carefully break the granola into clusters and store in an air-tight container.
*Not all rolled oats are gluten-free. Look for certified gluten-free if needed.
**If you only can find salted nuts, only use 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
***Substitute maple syrup to make vegan
Pin this recipe for later:
You May Also Like…
Carrot Cake Granola
No Bake Granola Bars with Oats and Nuts
Christine @ Cooking with Cakes
be honest – that must have smelled AMAZING coming out of your oven!!!
Rachel (littlechefbigappetite)
Haha, I wanted to devour it at about minute 12.
katie @ ohshineon
DON’T stir the granola? Holy heckballs then what have I been doing?!
Rachel (littlechefbigappetite)
I’m tellin’ you, Katie – it’s life-changing!
Elizabeth @ Bowl of Delicious!
This looks soooo yummy- I love cardamom! I never thought to put it in granola. Pinning for later- can’t wait to try, thanks!
Rachel (littlechefbigappetite)
Yay, thanks Elizabeth! I think it is so yummy in granola! Let me know how you like it.
Elizabeth @ Bowl of Delicious!
Oh my gosh, it was amazing! I made my own version with coconut flakes, almonds, and coconut oil and posted on my blog about it (with a link to this page for the inspiration- thank you!) Take a look 🙂 http://www.bowlofdelicious.com/2014/03/08/coconut-cardamom-and-almond-granola/
Rachel (littlechefbigappetite)
YAY! I am so glad you loved it, Elizabeth. I am going to try it with coconut oil and shredded coconut next time, too! How smart.
Emily
Love your tip of not stirring the granola! Gonna give that a try next time! Also, just discovered how wonderful cardamom is in baked goods. Bet it’s delicious in this granola!
Rachel (littlechefbigappetite)
Thanks Emily! I make this recipe at least twice a month. I love it so much!