Cherry Almond Granola With Vanilla Crumbles

1. Stage

Heat the oven to 250°F

2. Stage

Mix the crumbles: Whisk together dry ingredients—the powdered milk through salt—in a bowl. If using vanilla bean add the scraped seeds to the dry ingredients. If using vanilla extract add it to the melted butter. Slowly pour the butter over the dry ingredients while tossing with a fork until it forms clumps and all the dry ingredients have been incorporated. It will look like sandy gravel. Your largest pieces should be no larger than the size of a pea.

3. Stage

Bake the crumbles: Scatter the crumbles evenly on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake at for 25 minutes until they are dry, but still pale in color. Cool completely on the cookie sheet. Store in an airtight container for up to one week, or cool and use stir into granola.

4. Stage

Increase the oven temperature to 325°F

5. Stage

Mix the granola: Combine oil, syrup, sugar, extracts, cinnamon, and salt in a medium sized bowl. Stir in oats and almonds making sure they are well coated. (Reserve the dried cherries for adding later.)

6. Stage

Bake the granola: Spread mixture evenly onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 10 min. Stir and bake for 10 more minutes. Stir and bake for 5 to 7 minutes more. The granola should be dry and golden. Remove from oven. Let cool completely.

7. Stage

Finish and store: Once the granola is cool, stir in cherries and vanilla crumbles . Store in an airtight container at room temp for 2 weeks. (Alternatively, store the vanilla crumbles separately at room temperature, covered, for up to two weeks, and the granola will keep for 1 month.) Serve over your favorite yogurt with sliced bananas and a drizzle of honey.