Golden Hug Granola

I absolutely love Granola. I will eat it for breakfast, lunch, dinner or as a snack. This granola is warm, simple, and just sweet enough—the kind of recipe you’ll want to keep in a handwritten notebook with oat dust on the pages. Made with Bob’s Red Mill extra-thick oats, olive oil for richness, a touch of cinnamon, golden honey, and real vanilla, it bakes up toasty and fragrant. Perfect for layering with yogurt, grabbing by the handful, or gifting in a little jar with twine.

Ingredients

4 cups (356 g) bob red mills extra thick oats
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup (168 g) honey
½ cup (57 g) olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat your oven to 300°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (yes, even if it’s a non-stick pan—it makes clean-up dreamy and keeps the granola golden, not scorched).
Grab a big bowl and pour in your oats and cinnamon. Give it a quick stir with your hands or a wooden spoon. Smell that cinnamon? Already feeling cozy.
In a small saucepan (or just a microwave-safe bowl if you’re in a rush), gently warm the honey, olive oil, and vanilla extract. You’re not cooking it—just melting the honey enough so it flows easily and blends.
Pour the warm mixture over the oats. Stir until every oat is glistening. Take your time here—this is the part where the love goes in.
Spread the mixture evenly on your lined baking sheet. Try to keep it in a single layer so it bakes evenly (clumps are good, but don’t overcrowd).
Bake for about 30 minutes, giving it a gentle stir halfway through. Watch it closely toward the end—every oven is a little different, and golden can turn to burnt in a flash.
Let it cool completely on the pan. This is when it crisps up—don’t skip this part, even if it smells so good you’re tempted to dive in hot.
Break it into chunks and store it in an airtight jar or container. It’ll stay fresh for a couple of weeks (but it probably won’t last that long).