Toasted pecan granola.

Lured by their un-missable yellow and blue roadside signs on I-75, I stopped at Adcock Pecans during a recent road-trip to Florida and picked up 2 bags of genuine Georgia pecans. When I got home, I tossed one bag right into the freezer, and then dry-toasted the other bag of whole pecans by spreading them on a baking sheet and baking them at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.


I coarsely chopped (make that very coarsely) a generous cup of my toasted pecans and made probably the best batch of homemade granola I’ve ever made. Which says a lot, because I make granola so often it’s practically my job. You can add dried raisins or cranberries after baking, if you like—but I prefer the full flavor of toasted pecans to come through in this granola recipe, so I omitted the fruit.

toasted-pecan granola recipe

3 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup very coarsely chopped toasted pecans
1/4 cup light or dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp. agave nectar
2 Tbsp. honey
3 Tbsp. maple syrup
2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg white whisked with 1 Tbsp. water

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment. In a large bowl, mix together oats, sunflower seeds, nuts, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the egg white and water; add agave, honey, maple syrup and vanilla, and whisk until mixture is blended and slightly frothy. Pour agave mixture over oat mixture and, using a large rubber spatula, fold ingredients together until the dry ingredients are well-coated. Spread granola on baking sheet; if you want some clumps, press down on the mixture with a spatula. Bake for 15 minutes. Using a spatula, turn the granola gently, moving the mixture from the outer edges of the pan toward the middle and vice versa. Bake 8 to 10 minutes more until lightly browned. Reduce oven temperature to 250; return pan to oven and bake another 15 to 20 minutes until the granola is toasty brown and mostly dried. Remove pan from oven and let cool. Store in a plastic bag or container.

6 thoughts on “Toasted pecan granola.

  1. There’s nothing like Georgia pecans! I made some granola bars the other day, and for the first time, was a little disappointed. I followed Ina Garten’s recipe (again) but this time a so-so batch. Good only for dunking in coffee.

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