The Best Homemade Granola Ever: Homesteader’s Special
The healthiest homemade granola ever! With beef tallow and maple syrup, this granola is the perfect cereal replacement with no seed oils!
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A Healthy Cereal Alternative
Like most people, my husband grew up on sugary and addicting cereals laden with evil seed oils. Years ago, when we cut them out of our diets, I could not for the life of me, find a suitable, satisfying replacement!
After scrolling on Pinterest and researching online, all of the homemade cereals out there seemed like a ton of work for a mediocre reproduction. As the mom of a growing family, I just didn’t have the time to be hand rolling thousands of mini Cheerios. There had to be a better way.
And there is! The easiest and best cereal alternative is my “homesteader’s special” homemade granola recipe! I have made this recipe to be extremely easy and versatile for the health conscious family who hates seed oils.
This granola uses beef tallow, maple syrup, and honey to make the perfect cereal replacement for a no seed oils family.
Beef Tallow FAQ
What is beef tallow?
Put simply, beef tallow is rendered beef fat. Meaning that the beef fat has been cooked off and separated from any other animal by product, leaving behind purified fat. Tallow is pure beef fat.
What are beef tallow benefits?
There are amazing beef tallow health benefits! For example just look at beef tallow vs seed oils: beef tallow is a whole, natural food, full of essential fat soluble vitamins. Seed oils, on the other hand are highly processed, highly oxidized, rancid, bleached, and laden with chemicals.
Can you use beef tallow for cooking?
Yes! Beef tallow has a very high smoke point, which makes it ideal for cooking, especially frying. It is also extremely versatile and flavorful!
Can you use beef tallow for skin?
Yes again! Beef tallow is moisturizing and works naturally with the human body. Not only is it good for skin, but you can also use beef tallow for face and for your hair.
How to make beef tallow at home:
Check out my extensive post How to Render Beef Tallow the Easiest Way! for a simple and easy way to make beef tallow at home.
Tools
Large Cast Iron skillet or Dutch Oven
Wooden Spoon
Ingredients for Homemade Granola
- 1 cup coconut oil
- 1 cup sugar of choice (brown sugar, honey, maple syrup or a combination)
- 5 cups rolled oats (check out these glyphosate free oats!)
- 1 cup chopped nuts of choice (pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, cashews, etc)
Optional Additions
- cinnamon
- chia seeds
- hemp seeds
- flax seeds
- chocolate chips
- chopped, dried fruit
- coconut flakes
Instructions for Homemade Granola
Toast
First, begin by preheating your dutch oven on medium heat. Then, once it is up to temperature, melt the coconut oil, beef tallow, and sugar of choice together.
Next, add the oats and stir until they are fully coated with the oil and sugar mixture. Then add the nuts. Toast the oats for a couple minutes.
Bake
Transfer the oat mixture to a 9×12 glass pan and bake at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes.
Then, take the pan out and stir all the granola up. Continue to bake it for another 10 minutes.
After you take the granola out of the oven, stir it again, and allow it to cool. Make sure not to leave the granola in the pan too long and accidentally burn it!
Additions
Before transferring the granola into a storage container, add any extra ingredients you like. This could be toasted coconut flakes, dried fruit, and/or chia seeds, etc. Then pour it all into a quart Mason jar and enjoy it for the next week!
Storage
Make sure you allow the granola to completely cool before closing the lid on it. This will let any excess moisture escape, thereby preventing it from going bad quickly.
Granola keeps for at least a week on the countertop.
How to Serve Homemade Granola
Parfait
Make a classic yogurt and granola parfait! Start by layering unflavored Greek yogurt with the granola. Add your favorite fresh berries such as strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries in any combination. Lastly, finish your parfait with a little maple syrup or raw honey. Yum.
Cereal
This homemade granola is the PERFECT cereal substitute! Simply serve it with raw milk and enjoy! Add any of your favorite cereal toppings such as sliced banana, a little honey, or even sprinkle a little cinnamon.
Homemade Granola Recipe
Homesteader's Granola
The healthiest homemade granola with beef tallow and maple syrup.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup beef tallow
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 1 cup sugar of choice (brown sugar, honey, maple syrup or a combination)
- 5 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup chopped nuts of choice (pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, cashews, etc)
Instructions
- Preheating your dutch oven on medium heat. Once it is up to temperature, melt the coconut oil, beef tallow, and sugar of choice together.
- Next, add the oats and stir until they are fully coated with the oil and sugar mixture. Then add the nuts. Toast the oats for a couple minutes.
- Transfer the oat mixture to a 9x12 glass pan and bake at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes.
- Take the pan out and stir all the granola up. Continue to bake it for another 10 minutes.
- Take the granola out of the oven, stir it again, and allow it to cool. Make sure not to leave the granola in the pan too long and accidentally burn it!
- Before transferring the granola into a storage container, add any extra ingredients you like.
- Allow the granola to completely cool before putting the lid on the container.
Notes
Optional Additions:
- cinnamon
- chia seeds
- hemp seeds
- flax seeds
- chocolate chips
- chopped, dried fruit
- coconut flakes
Granola keeps for about a week on the countertop.
Serve with milk as a cereal alternative with no seed oils or make yogurt parfaits with fresh berries!
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Comment
Have you tried this homemade granola as a healthy cereal alternative? Please leave a review in the comments below!
