Who knew you could actually make granola in the slow cooker?!?!?! I tried it for you guys and I’m sharing the pros and cons of using this method to make delicious crunchy golden brown granola!
Hi, friends! How was your weekend????? Mine involved a ton of relaxation, a Stairmaster workout, and some new recipes. I’ll share more tomorrow but today is about a new recipe! I also tried something new to me, making granola in the slow cooker!
Who knew you could get crunchy, sweet golden oats from a slow cooker? Mind-Blown. Plus it’s actually really easy. Spray the slow cooker with oil, then add 4 cups gluten-free oats, 1 cup slivered almonds, 1 cup pecans, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon cinnamon.
Followed by 1/3 cup quinoa, 1/3 cup honey, and 1/2 cup melted coconut oil mix well to combine.
Then cook on high for 2 and 1/2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes to prevent the oats from burning. Next spread the granola on a sheet pan and add dried fruit if desired. Let cool overnight or just completely!
So, I definitely love the taste but I was kind of torn on whether I would do it again so I made a pros and cons list.
Pros of Using Slow Cooker
- Makes A Huge Amount – unlike the traditional method to make granola, where you can only make as much as will fit on a sheet pan in your oven. It’s easier to make a huge batch of granola in the slow cooker, just as long as you have enough space to cool it in one layer.
- Get’s Nice & Crunchy – surprisingly, the slow cooker granola gets nice and crunchy after drying out, just like normal granola!
- Not Clumpy – because of the constant stirring, the granola is loose, not clumpy. I like this because I don’t eat handfuls of it at random, it’s too lose for that.
- No Turning On The Oven – when it’s 100 plus outside in the summer, I want granola but wouldn’t brave the oven for it. This gives me another option!
Cons of Using Slow Cooker
- Takes Longer – typical granola takes 20-30 minutes to make, this method takes 2-2 1/2 hours.
- Consistent Stirring to Prevent Burning – this granola has to be stirred every 30 minutes. I actually had to stir mine every 20 minutes toward the end because it would start to burn otherwise.
- Not Clumpy – I love clumpy granola so I can eat handfuls of it, but then again like I said probably best I can’t.
I think I would definitely use this method again, especially in the summer or if I need granola in bulk (always.) I might stick to the oven method for quick smaller batches with alltheclumps in the winter.
Have you tried it? I’m all for trying new things lately, what’s the newest thing you tried?
Healthy Slow Cooker Granola
Healthy Slow Cooker Granola
Ingredients
- 4 cups oats gluten-free if needed
- 1 cup slivered almonds
- 1 cup pecan halves
- 1/3 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup for vegan
- ½ cup coconut oil melted
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- optional: 1 cup dried fruit
Instructions
- Spray the sides of slow cooker with cooking spray. Add all ingredients to slow cooker and stir to combine well.
- Turn slow cooker on high and cook for 2 to 2 ½ hours. Stirring every 30 minutes to prevent burning on the sides.
- Pour the granola onto a large cookie sheet and let it cool completely. (I did this overnight.) The granola will get crunchy as it cools. If adding dried fruit add now!
- Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place. Granola will be good as long as nuts stay good, so store it in a cool place!
Notes
Nutrition
You may also like slow cooker steel cut oats:
Like this recipe? Pin it for later! Make sure to follow Hungry Hobby on Pinterest and check out my healthy slow cooker board!
Hi, thanks for the recipe! Does the quinoa stay crunchy or does it get soft like cooked rice? This looks SO good!
Thanks,
Deb
Thanks for the pros and cons, I had been wanting to try making granola in the slow cooker but was a bit hesitant and unsure how it would turn out.
yeah that’s how I felt too but I’m glad I tried it, I’ll definitely do it again this summer when the heat is unbearable lol
I love the smell of homemade granola – I’ve never tried it in the slowcooker!
You need to stock up before you pop that kid out!
Granola is dangerous for me to be around. So good I can’t resist eating it all!
I know right! This isn’t too sweet so it’s not terrible, and the fact that it isn’t clumpy helps! ha ha