Cinnamon Roll Granola
It probably will surprise no one to know that my favorite part of a road trip is – you guessed it – the snackage. (Is that a word?)
I require snacks on road trips. It’s like sunshine needs sunglasses, spaghetti needs meatballs, peas need carrots. You get it. But I especially require them when I am on a solo road trip. Which happened to be the case I was in a couple weekends ago. As I frantically, at the last minute, prepared my things to hit the road, I remembered that I hadn’t done any snack shopping.
Peering into the pantry I immediately noticed a brand new bag of oats and my mind went straight to granola. I didn’t have a ton of mix-ins so I stuck to simple flavors – coconut, brown sugar, cinnamon, honey, and vanilla.
I quickly whipped up a batch, based on this vanilla-walnut granola recipe. I let it cool, stuck it in a container, and packed it into my car.
I had been on the road for all of 6 minutes when I started feeling ravenous. Maybe not ravenous, just bored. So I started shoveling it in my face only to taste the best granola I’ve had in a while. It tasted exactly like an oatmeal cookie, which happens to be my favorite. The following week I made another batch to blog about and Paul walked in proclaiming that it smelled of cinnamon rolls in the loft. He ran with the idea and suggested that I make a cinnamon roll drizzle for the granola and then he proceeded to tell me that my food would suck without him. Yes, the cnamon roll granola thing was a great idea but I wouldn’t go that far.
So ice it if you want it to taste like cinnamon rolls; leave the icing off if you want it to taste like oatmeal cookies. Add some raisins if you like that sort of thing in your rolls or granola. Just know that this cinnamon roll granola is simply amazing.
Cinnamon Roll Granola
Yield: 2 cups granola
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Homemade granola recipe packed with cinnamon and vanilla and drizzled with a traditional cinnamon roll glaze.
Ingredients:
for the granola:
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup coconut flakes
1 Tbs. ground golden flax seed
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. sea salt
3 Tbs. grapeseed or canola oil
1 Tbs. honey
1 Tbs. pure vanilla extractfor the glaze:
2 Tbs. cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamonDirections:
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line a 9x13 baking sheet with parchment or a Silpat liner.
In a large bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, coconut, ground flax, cinnamon and sea salt. Set aside.
In a small sauce pan or microwave bowl, heat the oil, honey and vanilla until combined.
Slowly pour into the oat mixture and stir until well combined.
Spread onto the baking sheet in an even layer and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
Allow the granola to cool and break up any large pieces. While the granola cools, mix the glaze by combining the cream, powdered sugar, vanilla and cinnamon in a small bowl. Place some granola on a plate or bowl and drizzle the glaze over the top.
Store in an airtight container.
Cassie’s Notes:
This recipe can be easily doubled.Measure the oil before measuring the honey, the honey will come out of the measuring spoon much more easily when it follows the oil.
If you don’t like coconut, feel free to leave it out or use less. I’m not a huge fan but for some reason, I love it in granola. When it is cooked, it adds a bit of a nutty flavor that I love.
I prefer Bob's Red Mill coconut flakes and organic golden flax. They didn't pay me to say that, I just prefer their brand. They are easy to find, affordable, and I always have good luck with their products in my recipes.
Print Recipe
Oh yes. Pinned for this Friday’s breakfast!
I’m just bummed I can’t eat this for breakfast right now!
Looks amazing, lady!
Oh this would be perfect swirled in with vanilla yogurt too!!
I love road trips! And snackage is essential – this looks incredible, Cassie!!
Mmmm–I have been craving some homemade granola lately, and now that the temps have cooled down for a few days, maybe this one will be the winner! I do love me some oatmeal cookies. 🙂
“snackage” = yep, totally a word! I went on a road trip this weekend too and made granola! Tropical granola full of some of my favorites. I’m a granola girl, so I’m most definitely saving this recipe Cassie! We’re very similiar in our taste preferences. 🙂
Both ways – good grief girl. Delicious!
Oh my Lord, I have to have food with me in my purse WHEN I LEAVE THE HOUSE. If I’m running errands and discover I don’t have snacks in my purse? Fugget it.
I want this.
Snacks are my favorite part of road trips too, though mine are definitely not as healthy as yours 🙂 The granola looks awesome!!
I wish I would’ve had this for breakfast today! Sounds SOOO yummy!
I’m totally with you on road trip snacks. Almost the best part, and blasting songs your would ordinarily be embarrassed to be seen in the company of (aka Bel Biv Devoe). Oh, and this granola looks so amazing.
my favorite part of road tripping is the snackage, too! and this granola looks amazing. love the glaze ‘swirl’ on top – so pretty!
Ok – I just had to Pin and tweet this. I love granola and a cinnamon roll flavour sounds amazing. Love it Cassie
I would totally ice it!
cinnamon roll anything is soooo good and I bet your house smelled divine while this was baking!
OMG I woul deat the whole dang batch. I love cinnamon roll anything!
Wish I could have some for my breakfast tomorrow!
Gooooood morning to this! Love! 🙂
And yes, snackage is the best word ever. It should be my middle name!
what a great idea!
haha i totally agree with you — i think it’s just more boredom than hunger that makes me snack an entire car trip..jason probably thinks i’m so lazy, i snack and nap. this sounds really delicious!
This looks delicious! I love homemade granola, and since the heat wave finally broke in New England, I might be able to turn on my oven tonight! Woohoo!
Love this and can’t even put into words how much I adore anything “cinnamon roll”.
Oh I am making this asap! I’ve been looking for some granola inspiration and I think this is it!
Haha. I love this. Snacking is by the best part of any trip. We went to the zoo on Saturday and after we saw the very first animal, I said, “Oh! Oh! Benches! Let’s eat our sandwiches.” And we had been gone from home for all of 30 minutes. Silly.
Anyway, this looks amazing! I love the thought of cinnamon roll granola. Or cinnamon roll anything. 🙂
This sounds delicious! I love, love, love homemade granola!
Oh, this sounds amazing!! I love oatmeal cookies!
You said it perfectly! Snackage is a must! Not just for road trips but for anytime of the day, especially in the 10PM-2AM realm. Can’t wait to give this one a try – and I will most definitely ice it. It would be a crime not too!
Yum!! What a great granola!!! I can see snacking on this all day!!!
Amazing idea, I’d love this for my afternoon snackage! 🙂
I think I’m with your husband on this one! I kind of like the sweet swirliness on top!
Oh my gosh that sounds amazing and the glaze is such a smart idea!
This might be the best granola ever, Cassie!
Homemade granola is one of those things that just makes you feel goooooood. It smells awesome in the oven, you can eat it for breakfast (or in the car on the road) with just about anything, use it for dessert…I just LOVE it! Given how much I adore granola, it’s surprising how infrequently I make it. Your recipe looks awesome, so I’ll have to take a trip to the bulk bins to pick up some granola ingredients!
My favorite part of road trips are the snacks too. I totally use it as an excuse to eat things I normally wouldn’t allow myself. 😛
This granola looks awesome! I love coconut in my granola and I especially love that you put a glaze on top!
Yum! I love cinnamon rolls and I love granola!!
This looks delicious! I’m all for making decadent cinnamon rolls into something healthyish like granola.
You’re killing me with this granola! I would eat it by the spoonful, or on top of ice cream, or by the spoonful, or on top of yogurt….sigh. You get where I’m going with this…haha 🙂 Seriously thought it looks great…delicious!
OK I fgeel like having this for dinner!!!
Looks amazing!!
Trust me cinnamon roll yumminess in a healthy twist…YUM!!!
I eat ridiculous amounts of snacks when I’m road-trippin’! This sounds perfect.
I am with you on needing snacks when riding for more than 1 hour in the car! This sounds divine and just perfect for the next trip we make!!!!
“ravenous” and “bored” are sometimes very hard to tell apart for me also. And really, it’s all semantics because either way I’m going to end up snacking! Love the sound of this! Definitely perfect road trip or breakfast material.
Oh yes, this is my kind of snackage! I am always whipping up granola to top my yogurt or to snack on. I am definitely make this recipe on my next batch. Looks amazing!
Lovely ‘snackage’. Looks amazingly tasty!
You had me at cinnamon roll.
Looks delicious! Snacks are always a necessity.
I love to snack in the car also! This granola looks to-die-for Cassie! I have bookmarked this recipe already to give as a Christmas gift!
I do believe that “snackage” is a word. If not, it is now. I love homemade granolas – I get to control the fat, sugar and sodium.
I know road trip snacks all too well! Granola bars are definitely a favorite, but I’ve never made homemade granola for a car snack. With the icing, this looks exactly perfect!
Great mixture and perfect for those road trips. That is exactly what I do as well when heading out, have to make sure the snacks are in the car.
this looks SO good! i just want it while i’m sitting around the house. no car needed.
what a fun breakfast idea! loooove it!
What a fun granola! I really need to make my own, I have been putting it off for far too long!
I am making your Mexican Quinoa Salad tonight!
Oh my! This is genius! Totally making it as snackage 🙂 PS: My Hubs will want icing too 🙂
So basically you were barely out of the driveway before you were ravenous?? :)I hear ya, I’m the same but with salted peanuts…
I love your blog Cassie! I look forard to your posts! They are always so happy and wonderful and your photos are incredible! I have nomintaed you for the Food Stories Award for Excellence in Storytelling! http://foodstoriesblog.com/food-stories-award/)
OMG, this granola looks amazing! I’m with you on snacking on a road trip- it’s an absolute must. My grandmother always gave us a brown bag full of goodies for our trip back home after our visit, and the tradition still stands at age 28.
Love this idea! Cinnamon roll anything is awesome in my books. I love granola to begin with so this is even more amazing 😀
Umm YES please! This looks amazing! 🙂
I’m sure I enjoy licking these glaze where I’m supposed to be eating together with granola. =) Looks delish!!
This looks so good, Cassie! What a great idea!
I’m with you on the road trip snackage. I do like that word! 🙂 And this looks delish!
I am completely in love with this recipe. It makes me want to cry. And eat. At the same time? Now I really want granola for dinner.