Fruit and Nut Granola (Chrissie's Granola)

Ingredients

• 3 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup almonds
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 0.5 teaspoons salt
• 0.33 cups packed brown sugar
• 2 cups dried fruit , such as cranberries, pomegranate, cherries, or blueberries
• 1 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 0.5 cups dark chocolate chips

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly grease a large baking sheet.

2. 2

   Pour the oats into a large bowl. Add almonds, cinnamon, cocoa powder, salt, brown sugar, and dried fruit into the oats respectively, stirring each into the mixture before adding the next.

3. 3

   Mix maple syrup and vanilla extract together in a small bowl. With a rubber spatula, add the maple syrup-vanilla mixture to your dry ingredients. Fold the two together until mixed and all dry ingredients are well coated.

4. 4

   Bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes, stir, and continue baking until golden brown, about 25 minutes more. Set aside to cool slightly, about 20 minutes.

5. 5

   Gently fold chocolate chips into the granola mixture, allowing the chocolate to coat the granola as it melts slightly. Cool completely before storing.