Gingersnap Granola

I LOVE gingersnaps. As a kid, I used to eat those spicy Nabisco gingersnaps in the big orange box like potato chips. And the other day, as I was making my way through a bag of Whole Foods gingersnaps, I was thinking how nice it would be to wake up to a bowl of gingersnap cereal. If you tried to use actual gingersnap cookies, they would quickly turn to mush in milk. So how about a homemade ginger granola?  The best thing about making your own granola is that you can control exactly what goes into it, which is especially nice for those with food allergies. It's also nice to be able to control the sweetness and fat content, since a lot of commercial granolas are packed with sugar. 

This granola is loose, crunchy, and not too sweet. If you like a sweeter granola, you can increase the brown sugar content to your liking. With more sugar in the mix, it will set harder, and you'll need to break it into bite-size clumps after it cools.

For approximately 7-8 cups of granola, you will need:

• 5 cups rolled oats (Oats are naturally gluten-free, though they usually aren't labelled as such because of the possibility of cross-contamination with wheat products in factories. If you're highly sensitive or allergic, you can buy certified gluten-free oats in any Whole Foods or health food store.)
• 1 cup raw walnut pieces
• 1 cup raw, unsweetened coconut flakes (Adds a little extra sweetness and toastiness. Coconut is rich, so if you're concerned about calories, it's optional.) 3 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/3 cup molasses (I use regular, unsulphured molasses, as blackstrap is too strong in flavor.)
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark is fine)
• 1/3 cup vegetable, canola, olive, or nut oil (I used walnut for its delicious flavor. Make sure you choose an oil that is suitable for cooking with medium-high heat.)
• 1 cup dried cranberries, cherries, or blueberries
• 1/2 cup candied ginger, chopped into small pieces

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a piece of parchment that is longer than the baking sheet, so that the paper hangs over both short sides of the pan.

In a large bowl, mix together the oats, walnuts, coconut, ground ginger, and cinnamon. In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the water and stir in the salt until it's dissolved. Add the molasses, brown sugar, and oil, and stir until the brown sugar is melted. This should take under a minute. (A tip: measure out the oil, then measure out the molasses using the same measuring cup. The molasses will slip right out of the oily cup.) Using a wooden spoon, stir the oil/sugar mixture into the oat mixture until it's fully incorporated. Spread the granola onto the baking sheet in an even layer. Bake for about 40 minutes, stirring well every 10-15 minutes or so to prevent burning. Watch carefully until the granola reaches your preferred level of toastiness.

Remove from oven and, while the granola is still in the pan, stir in the chopped ginger and dried berries. Now set up a large cooling rack inside a separate baking sheet. Carefully transfer the granola onto the cooling rack, parchment and all, using the overhanging edges of the paper as handles. Spread out the granola as evenly as you can without spilling over the edges of the rack, and allow to cool for about 40 minutes. Store in an airtight container for several weeks, or as Smitten Kitchen recommends, keep it in the freezer to preserve its crunchiness. I like my ginger granola with plain Greek yogurt and a drizzle of honey.