As you may know, reader recipes sometimes come in that just have to be shared! This homemade granola looked absolutely divine — so full of yummy seeds, berries, and even peanut butter — all my favorites. Thankfully, reader Dorothy Estrem Harris has generously agreed to allow me to share the recipe with you, too!

As with any granola recipe, feel free to add or subtract other mix-ins that you prefer. Dorothy has even given you some of her ideas at the bottom of her recipe. Serve over yogurt (coconut is my favorite!), ice cream, milk or on its own. Remember to only use certified gluten-free oats, so you are certain they are not contaminated with gluten.  I prefer using my instant gluten-free oats, as they offer the same nutritional benefits of regular oats, but are more tender and absorb more moisture from the yogurt or milk.

Hearty Gluten-Free Granola

5 cups certified gluten-free oats
¾ cup flax seeds
2 cups coarsely chopped almonds
1 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 ½ cups dried cranberries
1 cup golden raisins
¾ cup crunchy peanut butter
¾ cup maple syrup
¼ cup agave nectar
¼ cup honey
2 tablespoons canola or other vegetable oil

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Mix together the oats, flax seeds, almonds, and pumpkin seeds in a large roasting pan (it’s much easier to stir the ingredients thoroughly in a roasting pan than on a baking sheet). Sprinkle the cinnamon, ginger, and salt over the top and then stir well.

Add dried cranberries and raisins – you may want to increase the amount, they definitely add a lot of nice flavor and texture.

Combine peanut butter, maple syrup, agave and honey in a two-cup Pyrex measuring cup and microwave for 30-40 seconds – just to soften the peanut butter. Stir together and then drizzle evenly over the surface of the oats mixture. Mix all ingredients together thoroughly.

Bake at 350° for about 40 minutes, stirring the mixture well every 10 minutes. Let the granola cool completely before eating; package in airtight containers or freeze smaller portions for future snacks.

Makes 8-10 cups.

Other alternate ingredients:
Sesame seeds
Dried apricots, cherries, apples
Flaked coconut