Granola: Crock Pot Granola with Pistachios, Coconut, and Cardamom

You could go super fall and do hazelnuts, dried apples and cinnamon.”

So go ahead and turn your slow cooker into a granola making machine with this recipe from Adventures in Slow Cooking by Sarah DiGregorio.

Yields: About 7 cups
Cook Time: 2 hours
Hands-On Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

• ½ cup coconut oil, plus extra for greasing
• 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup pistachios, shelled and unsalted
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (chips)
• ¾ cup pure maple syrup (the darker the better)
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup sliced dried apricots (about 5 ounces)

Directions

Generously grease a 5- to 8-quart slow cooker with the oil. Add the oats, pistachios, and coconut flakes and toss to evenly combine.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the ½ cup oil. Stir in the maple syrup, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add the spiced coconut oil to the slow cooker and toss to evenly coat the oat mixture. Set the slow cooker lid ajar, leaving a gap of about 2 inches. (The vent prevents the granola from getting soggy.) Cook the granola on HIGH until well toasted, about 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes so that it doesn’t burn around the edges.

Pour the granola out onto a baking sheet. Toss in the apricots and spread out the mixture evenly. Cool the granola completely to room temperature, then store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

From Adventures in Slow Cooking by Sarah DiGregorio.