Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Dry Base
- 300 g stale sourdough bread, torn into coarse crumbs or pulsed in a processor
- 100 g almonds, roughly chopped
- 50 g pumpkin seeds, raw
- 50 g sunflower seeds, raw
- 4 g ground cinnamon
- 3 g flaky sea salt
Wet Binder
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 80 ml maple syrup, pure
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Mix-ins
- 50 g dried cranberries
- 50 g golden raisins
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 374 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbohydrates
- 40 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 16 g
- Sodium
- 561 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 12 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Potassium
- 256 mg
- Calcium
- 61 mg
- Iron
- 1.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 96 mg
- Phosphorus
- 185 mg
- Zinc
- 1.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 0 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin E
- 6.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 6 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.15 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.31 mg
- Niacin
- 1.4 mg
- Folate
- 24 mcg
- Water
- 7 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the coarse breadcrumbs, chopped almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, cinnamon, and flaky sea salt. Toss to distribute evenly.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract until lightly emulsified.
Pour the wet mixture over the dry breadcrumb mixture. Use a spatula to fold the ingredients together until all the bread pieces are evenly coated and moist.
Spread the mixture out in a single, even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Press down gently with the spatula to encourage clusters to form.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Stir the mixture gently halfway through to ensure even browning, but avoid breaking up the clusters too much. The granola is done when the bread is deep golden brown and fragrant.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the granola cool completely on the pan. It will harden and become crisp as it cools.
Once entirely cool, break any large clumps into bite-sized pieces and stir in the dried cranberries and golden raisins.
Chef's Notes
- The size of your breadcrumbs directly dictates the texture of this granola. Aim for pieces no larger than a standard almond for the best crunch-to-chew ratio.
- Do not add the dried fruit before baking. The high sugar content in dried cranberries and raisins will cause them to burn and turn rock-hard in the oven.
- Olive oil is heavily recommended here. Its peppery, savory notes bridge the gap between the sourdough tang and the sweet maple syrup beautifully.
- Cooling on the pan is not an optional step. The starches in the bread and the sugars in the syrup undergo a glass transition as they cool, which creates the definitive crispness.
Storage
Freezer: 3 months — Store in an airtight container. Thaw at room temperature.
Troubleshooting
Granola is chewy instead of crispy
Cause: The bread was not stale enough initially, or it was not baked long enough to drive off the moisture.
Fix: Return the granola to a 150°C oven for another 10 minutes, then let it cool completely again.
Prevention: Ensure bread is very dry before starting. Leave sliced bread on a wire rack overnight if it is too fresh.
Granola tastes burnt or bitter
Cause: Oven temperature was too high or the mixture was not stirred halfway through baking.
Fix: Cannot be fixed. Pick out the most heavily burnt nuts or bread chunks to salvage the rest.
Prevention: Use an oven thermometer to verify temperature. Stir at the 15-minute mark.
Cultural Context
Upcycling stale bread is a tradition as old as bread-making itself, resulting in classic dishes like Italian panzanella, Spanish migas, and British bread pudding. Applying this zero-waste philosophy to granola bridges historical culinary thrift with modern breakfast habits, turning what would be food waste into a highly textured, nutritious staple.
