This post is sponsored by Blue Diamond Almonds. Thanks for supporting the brands that make The Seasoned Mom possible!
The sweet-and-salty flavor combination in this Slow Cooker Salted Caramel Almond Granola will leave you craving the crunchy treat for breakfast, snack, and dessert! It can be made vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free...and best of all it bakes slowly in your Crock Pot while you go about your busy life. This granola is the perfect make-ahead breakfast or snack option for Back-to-School season (or for any other time of year)!
I can always use new make-ahead breakfast or snack ideas that don't take long to prepare, that keep well in the pantry, and that everyone in the house loves. This is one of those gems!
Thanks to some help from these incredibly tasty (and totally addicting) Blue Diamond Salted Caramel Almonds, the granola comes together with just a few ingredients.
It's loaded with healthy fat and protein (thanks to the almonds and the almond butter), as well as plenty of whole grain goodness (thanks to the oats). This is powerful food to keep you and your little ones properly fueled throughout the day!
I have a love affair with granola, and it's something that I keep in our kitchen at all times. In my opinion, the homemade stuff is always the best...BUT, I don't always have the time, energy, or desire to hover over a hot oven to make sure that I'm stirring my sheet pan of oats every few minutes and protecting it from burning. Without fail, I always ruin at least a portion of my oven-baked granola because I'm so easily distracted by...um, 3 LITTLE BOYS WHO ALWAYS NEED MY ATTENTION. 🙂
That's why the slow cooker has come to my rescue once again. With the gentle heat from a Crock Pot, I don't have to worry about keeping a close eye on a sheet pan in the oven. So long as I'm around to stir the pot every 30 minutes or so as I cruise through the kitchen, I know that my granola will turn out perfectly every.single.time.
I've made many, many different batches of granola over the years, but I'm pretty sure that this is my new favorite. I still have a soft-spot in my heart for my go-to Coconut Pecan Skillet Granola recipe, but this might just be the new front runner for two main reasons: (1) the oh-so-good Salted Caramel Almonds that make this granola taste like dessert; and (2) the ease of the slow cooker. It just can't be beat!
[Tweet "Salty, sweet, and oh-so-easy: Slow Cooker Salted Caramel Almond Granola! #breakfast #snack"]
Slow Cooker Salted Caramel Almond Granola
Ingredients
- 5 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup coarsely chopped Blue Diamond Salted Caramel Almonds
- ½ cup melted coconut oil canola oil, or other oil of your choice
- ¼ cup almond butter
- ½ cup honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon caramel extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- Optional: 1 cup miniature dark chocolate chips or other chips of choice (butterscotch chips or white chocolate chips would work well too!)
Instructions
- Spray inside of a large (6-quart) slow cooker with cooking spray. Add oats and almonds to the slow cooker; toss to combine.
- In a small bowl, combine oil, almond butter, honey, vanilla extract, caramel extract, and salt. Warm in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds, or just until soft. Whisk together until smooth.
- Pour liquid mixture over the oat mixture and toss to combine.
- Cover, and cook in a vented slow cooker (I just left my lid about half-way ajar to let the steam escape) on LOW for approximately 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Different slow cookers cook at different temperatures, so just watch your granola to determine when it’s ready. At the two-hour mark, check to see if it’s toasted and golden brown. If so, you can take it out of the slow cooker. If not, continue to stir and cook in 30-minute increments until it’s done.
- Spread the granola onto waxed paper and cool completely. As it cools, the granola will get really crispy! If desired, stir in chocolate chips and store in airtight containers.
Do you love granola as much as I do? Here are a few other delicious versions:
Healthy Slow Cooker Apple Cinnamon Granola
Kristi @ My SF Kitchen
Great recipe! I love granola in the mornings for breakfast, and I am totally looking forward to making this!
Blair
Thanks for stopping by, Kristi!! I hope that you enjoy it!! ?
Jesse
I would obliterate bowls of that for breakfast daily 🙂
Blair
Thanks, Jesse! Me too!! ?
Kim | Mom, Can I Have That?
I love the simplicity of this recipe as well as the flavorful ingredients... and crockpot for ease? Genius!
Blair
Thanks so much, Kim!! It's definitely a keeper. 🙂
Katie
Can you use regular peanut butter instead of almond?
Blair
Hi, Katie! Yes, you can definitely use peanut butter (or any other nut butter of your choice). 🙂
Katie
Thanks! I'm super excited to make this. The gluten free granola is so crazy expensive!
Blair
Awesome! Enjoy, Katie!
Regina Caputo
Can you bake this granola?
Blair
Hi, Regina! I think so, but I have never actually tried. You could probably bake it just like you bake other granola -- low and slow until it's golden and toasted. I would say about 250 - 300 degrees for at least one hour, but you have to be sure to stir it very regularly when it's in the oven so that it doesn't burn. Let me know if you give it a try!
Sarah Grace Spann
hellllllo delicious!! Mmm mmm mmm 🙂 LOVE making my own granola too Blair!
xo,
Sarah Grace
Blair
Thanks, Sarah Grace!!! This stuff is GOOOOOOOD! 🙂
Jessica
I'm obviously here for the granola recipe and it sounds delish! but could you always tell me where you found those super cute bowls in the picture!?
Blair
Hey, Jessica! Yep -- I love those bowls, too. We use them all of the time because they're the perfect size for snacks, yogurt, and my boys' cereal. They're from Anthropologie!
Faith
Do you cook the mixture on the low or high setting of the slow cooker? I'm going to make this today!
Blair
Hi, Faith! Definitely cook it on low, and keep your eye on it. All slow cookers are different, so if your pot runs hotter, you might need to cook it for less time or stir it more often. 🙂 Enjoy!
LeiZ
Hi,
I just came across your wonderful recipe on Pinterest. I'm planning on making this but I have a question. Do you cook it on low or high for 2 hours? Your recipe says high but your response to one of your readers said low. Help! Thanks for the recipe!
Blair
Hey, LeiZ! Sorry for the confusion! It really depends on your slow cooker, since they all seem to run with slightly different heat and granola can be sensitive to burning. I would definitely start it on low, and if it doesn't seem fully toasted after 2 hours just let it go a bit longer and keep an eye on it. Hope that helps! 🙂
Blair
By the way, I updated the recipe to say "LOW" -- that way it's not as confusing! 🙂
Lisa
I just found this and it looked so good I went right out and got all the ingredients and made it. This is really good. I made mine with gluten free oats. Doing everything in the crock pot was so easy and hardly any clean up. What a simple delicious recipe.
Blair
That's so great, Lisa! I'm glad that you enjoyed the recipe! I agree -- it's so easy, and SO delicious! I'm due for another batch around here! 🙂
Allison
Okay...mine is cooking in the crockpot as we speak. I’m an over thinker so I wasn’t exactly sure what you were saying about venting it. I took my lid and turned it sideways where the two ovals made a “T.” Not sure if that makes sense. Anyhoo...it’s been 2 hours and mine is still really soft. I put the lid back closer to normal with a small vent. Going to cook it longer. Is it supposed to be crunchy before you pour it out onto the sheet pan?
Blair
Hey, Allison! You vented it "correctly," so don't worry! 🙂 It might be taking a little bit longer to cook if you have the lid off more than I did (I think my opening when I vented it was probably a little smaller, but it's not a big deal either way). This allows the condensation to escape so that your granola can get toasted and crunchy, rather than soggy. If it's still soft, just leave it in longer. You will know when the oats and nuts start to get toasty -- you'll see them change color and they'll smell toasted. That's when you want to remove it from the slow cooker so that it doesn't burn. It will continue to "crisp" up as it cools on the sheet pan, too. Enjoy!!!
Suzanne
This looks so good! I wonder what yogurt flavors it goes best with?
Blair
Vanilla or plain is perfect, Suzanne!
Vanessa
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
Blair
Hey, Vanessa! Yes, it keeps for at least a week at room temperature -- or longer in the fridge!
Givwurie
What about pumpkin granola, I have a few cans of pumpkin
Blair
Hi! I do have a recipe for Pumpkin Spice granola, but that recipe doesn't use canned pumpkin (it just uses pumpkin spice): https://www.theseasonedmom.com/slow-cooker-granola-recipe-2/
If you want a recipe to take advantage of your canned pumpkin, you might like this slow cooker pumpkin spice oatmeal: https://www.theseasonedmom.com/pumpkin-spice-slow-cooker-oatmeal/
Hope that helps!