The Best Granola Recipe - Tea-Glazed Granola

Whether you eat granola as a snack by itself, or add it to yogurt for a parfait, or pack it into a bar for on-the-go mornings, you will enjoy this simple granola recipe. This is the easiest and the best granola recipe you will ever make! Once you make this recipe, you will never buy granola again. It's super easy and you can use your favorite loose leaf tea to make it more unique. Piper & Leaf created a seasonal tea blend called Pumpkin Moonshine that adds a spice-laden chai flavor, perfect for Fall weather & treats. For granola, this is my go-to tea choice! Gather your ingredients and let's head into the kitchen.

Ingredients:

• 1 essential bag of Pumpkin Moonshine loose leaf tea (needed to make 1/4 cup of tea concentrate*)
• 3 cups of old fashioned oats (Do not use steel cut oats!)
• 2 cups of nuts and seeds (My favorites are pecans and almonds, with pumpkin seeds or pepitas.)
• 1 cup of fruit, fresh or dried (I personally add cherries with almonds and cranberries with pecans.)
• 1 cup of chocolate or carob chips
• 1/3 cup of olive oil
• 1/2 cup of local honey
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar
• parchment paper-lined cookie sheet

Directions:

* First, we will make the Tea concentrate. Bring 1/3 cup of water to a boil. Remove water from heat. Place 2 tablespoons of Pumpkin Moonshine loose leaf tea into 1/3 cup of boiling water and let steep for 3 minutes. When 3 minutes has passed, strain the tea from the liquid, and place 1/4 cup of the tea concentrate into a small saucepan. Now, in a large bowl, combine your oats, nuts, seeds and set this to the side. Turn your oven on to pre-heat at 300 degrees. In the small saucepan with the tea concentrate, add your olive oil, honey, and brown sugar. Turn your heat on medium low and warm the mixture, stirring it occasionally, until the sugar melts and the liquid is clear. Pour this liquid over the oat/nut/seed mix in the large bowl. Mix well and spread thinly on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Bake your granola at 300 degrees for 20 minutes, stirring once. Do not cook more than 20 minutes or it will taste burnt. Pull the cookie sheet from the oven, and slide the parchment paper off onto a cooling rack, or the table. When the granola is completely cooled, add 1 cup fruit, and 1 cup chocolate chips. Mix well and enjoy! This recipe makes wonderful gifts! Spice up your season by filling a mason jar with your homemade granola and gifting it to local friends, neighbors, mailperson, or other folks who need a smile. And don't forget to share with them, the best granola recipe in the South.