Brown Butter Pecan Granola

Yum- I think this is the best granola I've ever made.  The brown butter/brown sugar mixture is caramel-like, the pecans add a delicious sweet crunch, and the fresh orange zest just sends it over the top.  I've made this twice recently.  In fact, my son is sitting by me eating a big bowl right now.  I doubled the oats from the original recipe, and it's perfect.  If you like granola, you should make this immediately.  This recipe comes from Mel's Kitchen Cafe, and she has a great granola tip.  In all of my granola-making years, I never knew this- do not stir the granola after bringing it out of the oven for the last time.  The mixture will harden together and you can gently break it up to have clumps.  I've never had clumps before now.  (It tastes great either way, though.)  I stir it a second-to-last time, and then put it in for 2 more minutes, then remove from the oven.  Mel grinds the pecans up for this recipe, but I just added choppped pecans to the mixture and loved it.  

Brown Butter Pecan Granola

adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

½ cup salted butter
¼ cup dark brown sugar
¼ cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup pecans
4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
½ cup  raw or sprouted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
½ cup  unsweetened coconut flakes
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest, optional (from one orange)
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon coarse, kosher salt

1.  Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Spray a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray OR line a half sheet pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

2.  Over medium heat, melt the butter in a stainless steel skillet or saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until the butter foams and then browns, 5-6 minutes. Watch carefully so the butter doesn’t burn. You just want the itty bitty solids that separate from the butter to turn golden brown. Remove from the heat and stir in the brown sugar, honey, and vanilla. Set aside.

3.  In a large bowl, combine the pecans, oats, pumpkin seeds, coconut, orange zest (if using), cinnamon and salt. Pour the brown butter syrup mixture over the top and stir to combine evenly.

4.  Spread the granola into an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 45-60 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes, until the granola smells fragrant and is a nicely toasted golden color. The granola will look wet as you stir and might even look a bit wet coming out of the oven. It will dry as it cools. (Resist the urge to stir it as it comes out of the oven- let it harden as it cools so you can crumple it into clumps.)  

5.  Let the granola cool completely on the baking sheet. Crumble into pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature (it will keep well for 1-2 weeks).

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