RECIPE: Toffee Granola

I know. Another toffee themed recipe. BUT before you say anything, I had no plans to post another recipe using the toffee sauce, that was until the lovely @bondsbeach used it to make granola! As soon as I saw that, I had to hop into the kitchen and experiment for myself. It took a few trials to get the flavor and consistency down, but the end result is buttery, crunchy and surprisingly, not overly sweet! So, thank you @bondsbeach for the creative inspiration!!

TOFFEE GRANOLA: {gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free, vegan, refined sugar-free}

What you need:

• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup + 1 TBSP raw tahini
• 1 TBSP raw coconut nectar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp Himalayan salt
• 3 TBSP water
• 1 TBSP avocado oil or grapeseed oil*
• 4 cups gluten-free rolled oats
• 1/4 cup dairy free chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life mini chips)
• 1/2 cup raw pecan halves & pieces**
• 2 TBSP raw hemp seeds (optional)

*In my first trial I used all water, but found that it worked best with 1 TBSP of avocado oil. We’ve also been incorporating more avocado and/or coconut oil into Willow’s diet at the recommendation of our naturopath…so I’m learning to add a little more fats/oils into our meals. For those looking for a completely oil-free recipe, you can add an extra tablespoon of water or add a tablespoon of maple syrup, but know that the oil works really well in this case.

**For a nut-free version, you can replace the pecan pieces for sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds. I personally preferred the buttery flavor that the pecans brought and found that the sunflower seeds brought a little bitterness to the granola. You can also omit the nuts/seeds all together.

How to:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the toffee sauce ingredients > coconut sugar, tahini, coconut nectar, vanilla, salt, water and oil. Mix until smooth – should take 2-3 minutes to get it all incorporated. You can also blend the ingredients until smooth.
3. Next add in the oats, chocolate chips, pecan pieces and hemp seeds. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, stir until well combined and evenly coated.
4. Spread the mixture onto your baking sheet into an even layer. If you don’t have a large baking sheet, you can divide this into two sheets.
5. Bake for 35-45 minutes, flipping/stirring halfway through. You’re looking for a “dry” golden color.
6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes on the baking sheet.
7. Allow the granola to cool completely before storing in airtight containers. I store mine in glass Mason jars.

You can enjoy this with milk, sprinkle it on yogurt or smoothie bowls and use it as a topping for ice cream.

This concludes the toffee sauce recipes…I promise!

Thanks for stopping by!

❤