No, this granola is not burnt. That charred look is all thanks to what I used in place of refined oil in this recipe: black sesame tahini!
If you’ve never had black sesame tahini before, it’s similar to regular tahini, but a bit nuttier and bitter which pairs well with the sweet, hot honey and caramel like deglet nour dates.
You don’t have to use honey or dates if you don’t want to though! One of the best parts of this recipe is how customizable it is depending on what you have on hand. Don’t like spice? Use regular honey instead...wimp. Vegan? Dump some maple syrup in there. Dates aren’t your thing? Replace them with cranberries or raisins. Don’t have pecans? Substitute them with any nuts or seeds you please. This granola is basically a choose your own adventure in a breakfast. All you have to make sure is that the ratio of ingredients remains the same.
If you like your granola with thiccc chunks, then you are going to need to make this immediately. Even without oil, this recipe produces the crunchiest, chunkiest granola pieces. The secret: chia seeds, cooking it at a low temperature, and NOT stirring the granola while it’s cooking. I repeat, do not stir the granola. I know it’s tempting, but the spatula down, Karen!
The chia seeds help the granola clusters to bind together while cooking. There will still be a bit of moisture when you first take it out of the oven, but it will crisp up as it cools. Once it has cooled down, break the clusters up into your desired size (and if that size is just one giant granola bar, you do you).
This also could not be an easier meal prep option. It’s as simple as throwing everything in a bowl, giving it a good mix, baking, and eating. You may need to make a double batch to last you the whole week though, this stuff tends to go fast!
If you make this recipe or any others on my blog, tag me in a photo on Instagram @figisisters . I would love to see your recreation!
Recipe:
Makes about 16 servings
Ingredients:
90 g - Rolled Oats
41 g - Brown Rice Cereal
21 g - Black Sesame Seeds
12 g - Chia Seeds
45 g - Raw Pecans - Roughly chopped*
80 g - Deglet Nour Dates - Roughly Chopped
50 g - Hot Honey - Sub: Honey + ¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper. Vegan Sub: Maple Syrup + ¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper
64 g - Black Sesame Tahini
¼ tsp - Salt
½ tsp - Cinnamon
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 300F.
In a bowl, mix together oats, rice cereal, sesame seeds, chia seeds, pecans, salt, and cinnamon.
In a small bowl, whisk together black sesame tahini and honey until well combined.
Pour black sesame tahini mixture over dry ingredients. Stir until black sesame tahini mixture is evenly incorporated.
Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Pour mixture on to the baking sheet and flatten with a silicone spatula. Leave small air pockets to allow heat to escape and clusters to form.
Bake mixture for 15-17 minutes in the oven or until oats are golden brown. Flip the baking sheet halfway through to ensure even baking*.
Remove from the oven. Place granola on a cooling rack. Sprinkle over chopped dates and allow it to cool completely. It will still be slightly damp coming out of the oven. It will harden and crisp up as it cools.
Break granola into chunks and store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 weeks.
Enjoy with milk, sprinkled on top of yogurt, or as a snack.
*Notes:
- If your pecans are not raw, add them in after baking with the dates. This will avoid them from becoming burnt during baking.
- Do NOT stir the granola while it is baking if you want large clusters.
Want another way to use black sesame in a recipe? How about this black sesame tahini bread?
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