This recipe was shared by my cousin Amy Beernink, who got it from someone named Mike, who got it from someone named Cathy, who adapted it from The Tassajara Recipe Book. I have no idea who Mike and Cathy are, nor have I consulted this book, but this is a good recipe for making your own custom granola. Amy says she altered the original recipe, which she thought made a super heavy granola, so you can do what you want.

This makes enough to fill two gallon-sized bags of granola. You can adjust the ingredients to use whatever nuts, fruit, spices, or sugars you want. When I made this, I added pumpkin seeds and substituted some rose syrup for the maple syrup since I had some I needed to use up. Cardamom is a great alternative for cinnamon with rose syrup. I also used almond extract in place of vanilla because of personal tastes. This is very much a “you do you” sort of recipe, so feel free to play around based on your personal tastes.

8 cups oats
1 lb. sunflower seeds
1 lb. almonds (roughly cut)
1⁄2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 lb. or more other nuts, if desired
1 cup oil (safflower is recommended but I used vegetable and it’s fine)
1⁄4 cup honey
1⁄2 cup maple (or other) syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla (or other) extract
1.5 tablespoons cinnamon
Pinch ground cloves
1.5 teaspoons salt
1 lb. each raisins & cranberries or other dried fruit

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a large, ungreased roasting pan (with sides), mix together the oats, nuts, and seeds. Vary the proportions depending on your preferences. Aim for 13-14 cups of dry ingredients. You may have to bake in 2 batches if you have a smaller pan.

Combine the honey, syrup, spices, and salt in a saucepan on the stove & heat until it becomes watery. Mix well.

Pour the wet mixture over the dry mixture and stir it all together.

Bake in the middle of the oven for about 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes or so until the mixture toasts uniformly.

Cool thoroughly in the pan. Add dried fruit and toss to mix. Store in a tightly covered container.