Over the years, I’ve sampled plenty of store-bought and homemade varieties. While I have many favorites, this Cherry Almond Granola with Vanilla Crumbles is at the top of my list.
Dried Cherries and Almonds Make a Great Pair
Toasted almonds add robust depth to this granola, while vanilla crumbles provide an unexpected (but addictive) sweet and salty flavor burst. Combine all of that with chewy and not-too-sweet cherries, and it’s a morning meal made in heaven. Almond and cherry are a classic combination, and when paired with the floral sweetness of vanilla, this granola becomes extra delicious.
Add Some Vanilla Crumbles
The vanilla crumbles are an adaptation of a recipe from Christina Tosi’s Momofuko Milk Bar. She uses them as topping for cakes and other sweet creations. For today’s granola, I reduced the amount of salt, added vanilla, and baked them for a longer period of time to make sure they were really crunchy. These crumbles are an uncommon addition to granola, but one worth investing the time to make. They add a layer of crunchy texture without the chewy nature of oats. They hold up in a bowl of milk and the flavor profile adds an irresistible burst of sweet and salty in every bite. Visually, the lightly colored crumbles brighten the otherwise brown color of the granola. Once you make them, you’ll want to add them to everything. That being said, if you are short on time, you can skip the crumbles or make them later and add them in when time allows. The granola still tastes great without them.
Storing Your Granola
With the crumbles this granola will keep for about two weeks in an airtight container at room temperature. It will keep for a month or more without them.
More Granola Recipes to Try
Crunchy Banana Nut Granola Peanut Butter Honey Granola Bars (These are also good crumbled into chunky granola!) Holiday Spice Granola
6 tablespoons nonfat dry milk (such as Carnation) 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1/8 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons melted butter 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, or 1 vanilla bean, seeded and scraped
For the granola:
3 tablespoons oil 2 tablespoons maple syrup 1/3 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon almond extract 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 1/4 cup slivered almonds 3/4 cup dried cherries
Slowly pour the butter over the dry ingredients while tossing with a fork until it forms clumps and all the dry ingredients have been incorporated. It will look like sandy gravel. Your largest pieces should be no larger than the size of a pea. Store in an airtight container for up to one week, or cool and use stir into granola. Serve over your favorite yogurt with sliced bananas and a drizzle of honey.
