Homemade Cracklin' Oat Bran Cereal

 

I love Cracklin' Oat Bran cereal but it's very expensive so I seldom buy it. I decided that I could adapt a granola recipe that I like to make it at home.  I made a batch and with only three of us in the house it disappeared in just a few hours so I made a double batch the next time and it's already about half gone.    Looks like we are hooked.  BTW, this cereal contains coconut oil which has many health benefits.  Buy some and use if for everything from a healthy butter alternative, to an amazing lotion for cracked or damaged skin, to a wonderful ingredient for making soap (more on that in an upcoming post).  Here is my recipe for Cracklin' Oat Bran:

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup maple syrup
• ½ cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 Tbs of cinnamon
• ½ cup coconut oil
• 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 5 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1½ cups raw nuts (I use a combination of almonds and walnuts)
• 1 cup coconut flakes 

INSTRUCTIONS
Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.  Melt coconut oil and whisk in maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt in large bowl.  Pulverize nuts in a food processor then add rolled oats and pulse until they’re pulverized as well (will look like coarse sand).  Add the coconut flakes and pulse until thoroughly mixed.  Pour dry ingredients into the liquid ones and stir until thoroughly coated.

Transfer oat mixture to prepared baking sheet and spread across sheet into thin, even layer (about 3/8 inch thick). Use the flat part of a stiff metal spatula to compress oat mixture until very compact (another alternative is to nest an identical baking sheet down on the mixture and press to make an even compressed sheet of the mixture). Bake until lightly browned, 40 to 45 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool on wire rack to room temperature. Break cooled cereal sheet into pieces of desired size (I laid the sheets on a wooden cutting board and chipped away with an ice-pick). Cereal can be stored in airtight container for up to 2 weeks (not to worry though--it will never last that long).