This fun and fragrant Banana Bread Granola features a trio of nuts, mashed banana, and an extra sprinkle of cinnamon to make it positively irresistible!
Pre-heat oven to 300°F with wire rack in the center/middle position. Line an 11×17-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for best results.
In a large bowl, combine oats, pecans, walnuts, and almonds.
In a small bowl whisk together melted coconut oil with maple syrup, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon.
Mash banana until smooth and add to the wet ingredients. Pour over oats/nuts and mix well to coat.
As written this granola is lightly sweetened by the maple syrup and ripe banana. The riper the banana, the sweeter it will be. If your banana is just lightly spotted or you have a sweet tooth, you can add a little honey, brown sugar, or coconut sugar.
Use a silicone spatula or bowl scraper to transfer the granola mixture onto the parchment paper lined baking sheet and spread out very well in a super thin layer. Almost all the parchment paper should be covered by granola. Pat to flatten.
Bake on the center rack at 300°F for 20 minutes. When timer beeps, rotate the pan 180 degrees for even toasting and continue to bake an additonal 10-15 minutes (I do 15 typically) or until golden and cripsy. Keep an eye on it and yank from the oven once it's your idea of crispy golden perfection.
NOTE: I don't stir at the halway mark so I can break it into chunky clusters when it cools off. If you like your granola stirred and separated, you can do this at the halway point.
Once you remove your granola from the oven, allow it to cool on the baking sheet until completely cooled. This will give it the necessary time to get that signature crunch we all know and love. (The granola will not crisp up until it has cooled.) If you're adding the optional chocolate chips, add them at this step.
Once it's cooled and crispy – dig in! Granola will keep for up to two weeks in a lidded airtight container. Enjoy as a snack, in your favorite trail mix, or on top of yogurt with fresh fruit and all your favorite toppings.
Notes
For a gloriously gluten-free granola, simply check the label on your oats to ensure they’re certified gluten-free. Easy peasy!Recipe yields 4 cups of granola total. Nutrition Facts below are estimated per 1/2 cup serving using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed and enjoy!