Toasted Coconut Apricot Pecan Granola

This recipe is so easy….you may never buy the pre-made stuff again. Full of toasted oats and coconut, this Toasted Coconut Apricot Granola may be the best yogurt topper you ever had. 

We are oatmeal lover’s here at The Suburban Soapbox. We probably go through several pounds of it a week. Steel cut oats are our top choice but rolled oats and even instant oats (gasp!) come in a close second. Yes, I’m aware the instant oats have tons of sugar if they’re flavored but you can’t beat the convenience….agree?

I always kept a box of instant oatmeal in my desk at work…it is, in my opinion, the perfect filling snack for the mid-afternoon. Then I started buying granola, which is also a great afternoon snack and helped to ward off my crunchy treat cravings. The problem with granola…it was expensive….and didn’t last very long. I could eat a whole bag in two days. Sometimes even one day. It depended on how stressed out I was. And if it had chocolate in it, it was gone in an hour. Given the average bag is approximately $5, this habit couldn’t continue on a daily basis.

Taking matters into my own hands I whipped up a batch on my own. I don’t know why I waited so long to do this, I could have saved a ton of money. OR I could have bought more shoes.

The thing I love about making my own granola is there are really no rules, you can mix in anything you want (within reason) and when the mixture has cooled you can mix in meltables….like chocolate chunks. I have a few granola recipes I’ll share with you over the next couple months but this Toasted Coconut Apricot Pecan Granola is, by far, my favorite. The toasted coconut flakes and vanilla smell intoxicating while its baking. I wanted to scoop up handfuls while it was still hot, I didn’t. I waited….and it is always worth the wait.

Some tips for you:

1) Be sure to buy unsweetened coconut FLAKES, not shredded coconut. It’s just not the same.

2) If you like clumps in your granola, don’t skip the egg whites. If you do skip it……no clumps.

3) Keep an eye on your granola during the last few minutes of baking to make sure the edges don’t burn.

If you can part with any of the Toasted Coconut Apricot Pecan Granola, it makes a great gift for your healthy foodie friends!

Toasted Coconut Apricot Pecan Granola

Makes  10 servings (approximately 1/2 cup per serving)

3 cups rolled oats (I used Bob’s Red Mill)

1 cup pecans, roughly chopped

1 cup chopped dried apricots

1 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (I used Bob’s Red Mill)

1/3 cup Agave nectar

2 large egg whites

1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients thoroughly using your hands. Pour the granola mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment and spread into an even layer using a spatula.

Bake the granola in the oven for 20-25 minutes stirring with a spatula approximately every 5 minutes until the oats and coconut are golden. Remove from the oven and let the granola cool completely. Once the mixture comes to room temperature, break it up using a spatula and transfer to an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to 6 weeks.