Free of oil, low on sweetness, big on crunch, and heavy on the almond, this is one of my favorite granola recipes. Great with yogurt, any milk of your choice, or scooped by hand out of the jar during a mid-afternoon snacking rampage.
Last Year: Crisp Spiced Nuts and Kicking Off the Holidays
Cherry Almond Granola Recipe
6 cups rolled oats (not quick cooking)
1 cup sliced almonds
¼ cup wheat germ (optional)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of sea salt
1 cup unfiltered apple cider
¼ cup grade B pure maple syrup
1/3 cup almond butter
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
½ cup dried cherries, roughly chopped
Preheat oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a large baking dish, combine oats, almonds, wheat germ, cinnamon, and sea salt. Stir with a wooden spoon or toss with your hands to combine.
In a medium bowl, or in a large measuring cup, whisk together apple cider, maple syrup, almond butter, and almond extract. Pour the apple cider mixture over the oat mixture, and stir to thoroughly combine.
Bake the granola in the center of the oven for 2 hours, stirring once or twice just to keep the granola from sticking to the bottom of the baking dish, until the mixture is crisp and golden. Remove from oven, stir in the dried cherries, and allow to cool completely before packing away in an air-tight container.
Savory Salty Sweet 
Oh my, this sounds so delicious, and I am thinking, a great holiday gift for friends and neighbors. Thank you for sharing your creative skills with your followers.
sounds really good…..
Homemade granola is the best! I also prefer dried cherries and almonds in mine. (And lots of cinnamon, and unsweetened coconut!) 🙂