Cardamom is a really unique, warm, delicious spice that is really infrequently used. I’ve used mine in the past for one recipe only: Norwegian waffles, which I usually make on Christmas morning (I have not blogged about them, but you can read more about them here). When I go to Indian restaurants, I love getting the cardamom flavored rice pudding for dessert. The one thing I never thought of putting it in? GRANOLA! GENIUS! (Thank you to Rachel at Little Chef Big Appetite for the inspiration!)
I love making granola at home for the following reasons: For this coconut granola, I used dried coconut flakes, sliced raw almonds, oats, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds as the base, with cinnamon and cardamom for spice, and a mixture of honey, coconut oil, and vanilla extract to coat.
To make granola, mix together some coconut oil and honey (or, for a vegan version, maple syrup or brown sugar) in a large bowl after microwaving for a few seconds to warm it up. This will allow the mixture to coat all of the ingredients evenly. Then, add the spices (cardamom and cinnamon), as well as some vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Just add in some oats, raw unsalted almonds (I used sliced, but you can use slivered if you want), seeds (a mixture of pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds), and finally some dried coconut and raisins.
Stir together all the ingredients and bake on a parchment covered baking sheet at 325 for about 20 minutes (or until lightly browned). When taken out of the oven, it must cool down before being eaten. The reason for this is two-fold. One: it is insanely hot. Two: it needs to clump together and solidify by cooling down. It will be difficult, but don’t be tempted to nibble too early! After it cools, some of the pieces to stick together creating great granola clumps. (note- more clumps will happen if you use regular white or brown sugar rather than honey, since it solidifies more at room temperature). I also added a little more dried coconut flakes after it had cooled. That way, it had both toasted coconut flavors and that fresh, crunchy flavor of the uncooked dried coconut. Plus, the bright white looked pretty all mixed in!
This coconut granola with almonds and cardamom will last for about two weeks in an airtight container, jar, or bag in your pantry. I like to eat it with plain yogurt and strawberries (which taste so great with the warm cinnamon and cardamom). It’s also great on its own as a snack or with milk. If you like this recipe, you’ll love these DIY no-bake chewy granola bars and these whole grain banana blueberry oat muffins. Here’s the printable recipe- enjoy!
