Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine oats, shredded coconut, chopped walnuts, chopped almonds, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.
Prepare Butter Mixture: Melt butter in a small pot over medium heat. Mix in maple syrup and a pinch of salt. Take it off the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
Combine: Pour the melted butter and syrup mix over the dry oat and nut mixture. Stir everything together until it's evenly mixed.
Add Apples: Gently fold diced apples into the mixture.
Prepare for Baking: Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner. Spread the granola mix evenly across the sheet. Bake in a preheated oven for 10 minutes.Note: The total baking time is 40 minutes. To ensure even cooking, you’ll need to stir the granola every 10 minutes.
Stir Granola: After the first 10 minutes, take the baking sheet out and stir the granola. This helps it toast evenly. Spread it back out and return it to the oven for another 10 minutes.Pro Tip: It's important to spread the granola well. There is a lot of moisture in the granola from the chopped apples. Spread the granola evenly so that the granola bakes up crispy.
Continue Baking: Keep baking, removing the sheet every 10 minutes to stir, until you reach 40 minutes total.
Cool and Store: Once done, let the granola cool on the sheet. Then, transfer it to an airtight container for storage.
Notes
Customize it! This recipe is your starting point. Swap in your favorite nuts and dried fruits, keeping the overall amounts similar.
For chunky granola: Press the mixture into small ovals on the baking sheet during the first 10 minutes of baking for satisfying clusters.
Let it cool completely: This allows the granola to crisp up properly before storing or enjoying.
Re-crisp if needed: If your granola softens, spread it on a baking sheet and bake at 300°F for 7-8 minutes to restore its crunch.