Crockpot Gluten Free Granola Recipe
Granola is a healthy snack that uses nuts, grains, and fruit to give us nutrients and a delicious treat. The healthy snack is packed with the things our bodies love, except for one thing: gluten. Luckily, we can make our own crockpot gluten free granola recipe for an even healthier version.
This crockpot gluten free granola recipe takes store-bought granola to the next level using nothing more than simple ingredients. Granola is an enjoyable snack to make. It is a basic snack that doesn’t really require a whole lot to make at home.
In fact, that is part of the problem for many. Granola that we get from a store usually comes with grains, nuts, and seeds, a mixture of dry ingredients, and it’s simple enough. However, we may find some granola that includes dried fruit or even chocolate chips.
What do we put in our homemade granola? That is the confusing part for some. Then, the idea of cooking granola in a crockpot brings it to a whole other level. Not everyone knows that cooking granola is what gives us the flavors we love.
Sure, most of the ingredients can be enjoyed raw, no one is thinking about putting a granola mixture onto a baking sheet and tossing it in the oven. However, granola is cooked, and it is far easier to cook granola in a crockpot.
It all starts with picking out the right ingredients for the best gluten-free granola recipe. Here’s a secret: this recipe should be considered a base level or a starting point. A homemade granola recipe can be customized in so many different ways.
What to Add with Granola
The best part of making granola at home is deciding what to put in your granola mixture. There are a ton of ingredients you can add to granola to make it delicious. This recipe uses specific ingredients like rolled oats, chia seeds, and more.
However, you do not have to stick to everything exactly. In fact, you can remove some ingredients and replace them with others. It all comes down to your personal preference. However, there are some common ingredients people reach for when they make granola.
The goal is to stick within food categories; for example, sliced almonds, whole raw almonds, cashews, and peanuts all fall under nuts. We want nuts for the protein they provide, which gives us natural energy in a healthier form than energy drinks.
We also want some sort of oats in the mix, like steel cut oats. One very important tip is to stay away from quick oats. We aren’t making oatmeal here. We can’t forget the seeds like sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds.
Lastly, we want some sweeteners, which can be tricky. Dry sweeteners include cocoa nibs or coconut chips. Dried fruit or even fresh fruit is an even better choice. Fresh fruit should be added to the mixture after it has been cooked.
However, wet ingredients can also impart sweetness.
What Ingredient Makes Granola Stick Together?
Granola is made with wet and dry ingredients. In fact, this crockpot gluten free granola recipe uses agave nectar to help the oats and nuts stick together, and some sugar is added to the mix. Of course, this can be customized as well.
People often eat granola with Greek yogurt, but that doesn’t mean we put it in the recipe to cook. Instead, we want things like pure maple syrup, peanut butter, almond butter, or organic honey.
The end result is crunchy clusters that go perfectly with a large bowl of almond milk, ice cream, or yogurt. The best granola recipe also adds some more flavor to the batch of granola, like vanilla extract, orange zest, coconut sugar, or brown sugar.
This is not the granola we get from a grocery store. This is a delicious homemade treat that everyone, even those with celiac disease, can enjoy.
Crockpot Gluten Free Granola Recipe Ingredients
- Old-Fashioned Oats: The most specific this recipe is going to get is with the oats. We want to use old-fashioned steel cut oats for the best texture and taste. We also have to make sure they are certified gluten-free oats.
- Nuts of Your Choice: No ingredient from the nut family won’t fit in a homemade gf granola recipe. They all will provide a delicious crunch and the health benefits we want from our granola.
- Chia Seeds: Seeds can also be switched out if you’d like. This recipe uses chia seeds. However, you can use any seeds you enjoy eating most. After all, this is your own granola; why not make it fit your tastes?
- Ground Cinnamon: Here is where the added flavor starts. Ground cinnamon goes really well with oats and nuts. However, you can swap this out for something spicy, like chili powder, for a spicier treat.
- Sea Salt: We can’t have a granola mixture without some salt. Sea salt is perfect because it is not as strong as table salt but still enough to taste. It also spreads out that saltiness and adds a tiny bit of crunchy texture.
- Avocado Oil: We use avocado oil to help speed up the cooking process. Otherwise, many of these dry ingredients will take even longer to roast properly.
Ingredients (cont.)
- Agave Nectar: Here is how we will get those clusters we love so much. Agave nectar is another staple that should not be committed unless you want to replace it with honey.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: No one wants to enjoy a granola without any flavor. Vanilla is a safe bet for most and will give the granola a bit of caramel flavor when mixed with the nuts.
- Toasted Unsweetened Coconut: Coconut is already sweet enough as is; there is no need to add coconut that has been sweetened with more sugar. We will have just the right amount of sweetness without the added stuff.
- Dried Unsweetened Cranberries: This recipe uses dried cranberries. However, it is another one that can be swapped out for something else. Be sure to replace it with another dried fruit of your choice.
- Cacao Nibs: Lastly, chocolate. There is nothing like the combination of salty and sweet when the saltiness comes from seeds, and the sweetness comes from chocolate.
How to Make Crockpot Granola
Spray the bottom and sides of your crockpot with cooking spray. Add the oats, nuts, chia seeds, cinnamon, and salt. Stir to combine the ingredients. In a small bowl, stir together the oil, agave nectar, and vanilla. Then, pour over the dry ingredients in the crockpot and stir until coated evenly.
Place the crockpot lid on slightly ajar to leave a little room for steam. This will keep your granola from getting soggy. Cook on high for 2 ½ hours, stirring occasionally.
Once the oats look golden brown and feel dry, turn off the crockpot and mix in the cranberries, coconut, and pour the granola onto a cooking sheet and spread out evenly to cool. This will let your granola get nice and crispy.
Once the granola is completely cooled you can enjoy it right away or store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for about a week.
Crockpot Gluten Free Granola Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 Cups Old-Fashioned Oats, Gluten-Free
- 1 1/2 Cups Nuts of Your Choice, Raw
- 1 Tbsp Chia Seeds, Organic
- 1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 Tsp Sea Salt
- 1/2 Cup Avocado Oil
- 1/2 Cup Agave Nectar
- 1 Tbsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 Cup Toasted Unsweetened Coconut
- 1/2 Cup Dried Unsweetened Cranberries
- 1/4 Cup Cacao Nibs
Instructions
- Spray the bottom and sides of your Crockpot with cooking spray. Add the oats, nuts, chia seeds, cinnamon, and salt. Stir to combine the ingredients.
- In a small bowl, stir together the oil, agave nectar, and vanilla. Then, pour over the dry ingredients in the Crock-Pot and stir until coated evenly.
- Place the Crockpot lid on slightly ajar to leave a little room for steam. This will keep your granola from getting soggy. Cook on high for 2 ½ hours, stirring occasionally.
- Once the oats look golden brown and feel dry, turn off the Crockpot and mix in the cranberries, coconut, and cacao nibs.
- Pour the granola onto a cooking sheet and spread out evenly to cool. This will let your granola get nice and crispy.
- Once the granola is completely cooled you can enjoy it right away or store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for about a week.
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Crockpot Salsa without Onions Recipe | Making fresh salsa is the only way you will get the true flavors of the dip. Just know that there is no need for onions.
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