I know that my posts of late have been rather verbose (by the by, thank you so much for your incredible responses to yesterday’s post). As a result, I’ll try keep to today’s short-and-sweet for you.
1. This vegan Maple Coconut Tahini Granola is quite possibly the best granola I’ve ever made (although I’ll always have a soft spot for The Tall, Dark, and Handsome Granola of Your Dreams, aka my Spiced Fig, Pepita, and Molasses Granola).
2. It’s sweet but not-too-sweet, as the tahini, sesame and sunflower seeds, and dried fruit contribute a rich depth that nicely balances out the floral maple syrup.
3. The coconut oil lends not only a beautiful aroma and subtle flavour to this granola, but also the most incredible crispiness and actual, actual, actual granola clumps that I’ve never managed to create before.
4. I made this granola for my brother, who is without a doubt the very best brother in the entire world.
5. I know this to be true because he’s the only brother I’ve ever had. Bow before my logic!
6. But really, E.TeacherLord is amazing. His courage, talent, humour, kindness, generosity, handsomeness, and ability to do crazy things like run marathons represent but a smidgeon of his incredibleness.
7. E.TeacherLord is wonderful because he not only has my back, he also takes care of my heart and soul by unfailingly supporting, encouraging, and laughing with me.
8. Although he did once sit on my head.
9. I may not have done maths since Year 12, but I know that perfect granola + perfect brother = the right thing, always.
10. Luckily for you, you don’t have to be my brother to make or enjoy this granola. You just have to be human.
11. Wait, no, you don’t even need to be human. You could also be a gorgeous puppy-bear.
Maple Coconut Tahini Granola
aka Quite Possibly My Best Granola Yet
- 2 2/3 cups (245g) rolled oats
- 2/3 cup (65g) oat bran
- 1 cup (75g) desiccated coconut
- 1/2 cup (60g) sesame seeds
- 1/2 cup (60g) sunflower seeds
- 1/3 cup maple syrup (I used Grade A here)
- 1/3 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar (or, if your pantry is a bit bare like mine, use caster sugar plus an splash of golden syrup)
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 3/4 cup (90g) dried cranberries (craisins)
- 3/4 cup (90g) sultanas
- Preheat oven to 170°C (340°F).
- In a large bowl, mix together the oats, oat bran, coconut, sesame and sunflower seeds.
- In a small saucepan over low heat (or in the microwave), stir together the maple syrup, coconut oil, sugar, and tahini until all is melted and combined.
- Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry and stir to combine.
- Spread the granola mixture between two large baking trays and bake in the oven for 18 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
- Stir in the dried cranberries and sultanas, then bake for another 6-8 minutes until the granola is turning golden brown and the deliciousness of the aroma is making your heart do a happy dance.
- Leave to cool, emitting little squeaks of joy as you notice that, for once, you’ve managed to make a granola that truly has clumps of utter deliciousness. When the granola has cooled, start taking spoonfuls to everyone in your house for them to try. It’s best if you tower over each person, proclaiming “Tell me this isn’t the best granola you’ve ever tasted!”
- Nod sagely every time they admit it really is the best granola they’ve ever tasted.
- My work here is done.
I’m submitting this to Ricki’s latest Wellness Weekend and Lisa’s Allergy-Friendly Lunchbox Love!
{ 85 comments… read them below or add one }
What a lovely post! And your maths is perfect!
Teehee, thank you! I did once get the Maths prize
Tahini granola is such a great idea!!! I can’t get enough tahini lately.
Cute puppy.
I think she is
Sounds incredible. I’ve tried something similar but without tahini and maple syrup. Never thought that tahini would find its way into granola, we live and learn. And I’ve never tried sitting on someones head, I find a chair to be more comfortable.
As someone who has been the head, I will say that the chair is definitely more comfortable from my perspective too
The tahini works brilliantly here! Adds a subtle nuanced depth
That does sound very good. It certainly is clumpy, which is indeed a coveted granola quality.
Isn’t it just? I’ve never created the magic of clumps before
Tahini in granola = brilliant!
And bravo on the clumps
*bows* Thank you, m’lady!
I just made this! Since I’m on a golden syrup kick, I subbed that for the maple syrup. So good! Whee zing roasty toasty deliciousness ahh!
It’s, like, Hannah week over here!
I think every week should be Hannah week, because this is bringing me SUCH GLEE YOU WOULDN’T BELIEVE IT.
I’m so glad you like it! And, by extension, me, because I am my granola and my granola is me. The end.
(So much coffee this morning.)
Now guess what I just went and did? I made granola bars. Out of this granola. Winning.
3/4 cup PB + 1/4 cup tahini + 1/2 cup brown rice syrup + 1/4 cup agave + 2 Tbsp maple syrup + pinch of salt + 1 tsp vanilla, all heated until melty on the stove, then poured over 5-6 cups granola. Press into pan, freeze. Sticky, peanut-buttery granola bars a la Hannah. Voila.
Oh my holy pumpkin patch, that sounds INCREDIBLE. So much winning. And the only reason I’m not incredibly-petulantly-demanding that you mail some over to me ASAP is that I’m currently on a five-day food blogger holiday in Melbourne and I’m so deliciously full of cake for breakfast and frozen yoghurt for lunch and laughter with friends that I have only smiles for the world right now.
I also have a slight suspicion there is a blogpost up about this creation of yours…. now, to find time in the holiday for Google Reader
xoxoxo
P.S. I can’t wait to be deliciously full and happy with you!
LOVE THIS! And LOVE that star bowl – …..I believe I also own one
Thank you! I wish I could say it was mine, but I made this at my parents’ house
Yum that recipe sounds good. Especially the tahini!!
Thanks Casey!
HOLY LORDY JESUS MOTHER OF GOD BAA-BAA-BLACK-SHEEP-HAVE-YOU-ANY-WOOL THIS LOOKS AMAZING.
Uhmmm so like… for my next birthday? This. Just THIS.
Squeeeee! Really really? You don’t need no birthday, lady, for me to make you this! I would love to
This is both sweet (you guys are so great, beyond great, really) & incredibly ingenious. a) using tahini, so nutty and delicious, I’m sure and b) yes! yes! coconut oil makes the best clumps, of couuuuuuurse!! see, ingenious. You’re the bomb.
Heidi xo
If I’m the bomb, then you’re the bomb-diggity-dog! And I’m totally prepared to say that publicly on Twitter too
Thank you Heidi! I’m so happy about your excitement over this, and about sister-brother-love
xo
This granola looks perfect! With these ingredients, it must be so yummy!
Thank you Melanie! It truly is wonderful
Aww “gorgeous puppy-bear”… love it!
Teehee, I always think that’s what she looks like when she’s this fluffy
Awww, such a gorgeous post. And your recipe instructions are too cute and infallible!
YUM. Going to make this for sure! Just as soon as I find out what ‘sultanas’ and ‘tahini’ are. Google here I come…
PS is that your pup? So, so cute!!
Oh! Raisins!! I get it now.
Teehee! I think sultanas and raisins are actually a tiny bit different, because I think they come from different grape varieties? But for all intents and purposes, they’re the same
And any nut butter would work, I’m sure! Yay learning! 
P.S. How did the maple berry muffins turn out for you?
YUM. Tahini and maple syrup are such a good combo… I thought you didn’t like coconut though? Or am I going crazy? Anyway, sounds absolutely delish. Coconut oil gives granola such a nice crunchy chewiness too. What a good sister you are
I didn’t, but I’m slowly coming around. As long as it’s not too dominant a flavour, coconut can be quite nice to my mind
And thank you!
This does sound good but I do like the sound of the tall, dark and handsome granola. Just because a man comes with every packet right?
Oh, absolutely! And each Man free with your Granola comes with a handy Bathroom-Cleaning Accessory Kit if you call now!
Oh my i have to try tahini in granola! I have never thought of using this nutty goodness in granola! Wonderful Hannah xo
Thank you Leah! The tahini works really well; definitely give it a try!
I agree with Laura. The idea of tahini in granola is awesome and something that I haven’t ever thought of. Yum – oh and like your math too.
Food maths is the only kind of maths I like
Golly, how funny! I had no idea I was doing anything unusual when I decided to give tahini a try! Hopefully tahini granola takes the world by storm in coming months 
Yay for you for providing a print version for your recipe. I wish more food bloggers would do it! Oh, and I have tasted this and it is yummo!
Thank you Mum!!! I just discovered this plugin and was going to ask people if they thought it was helpful. If so, I’ll go back and add it to all the others
Guess what? I think I’m now desperately looking forward to watching Big Love with you tomorrow and updating all my recipes to this print thingy at the same time. Yay! (I’m such a geek.)
This sounds so good I might actually get around to making my own museli! Where do you source your tahini?
Just from the supermarket! I get the unhulled one from Coles/Woolies, often in the Health Food section, but you could get the hulled one too. I think the unhulled is slightly stronger/more bitter?
The best huh? That is an impressive claim
Would you forgive me if I confessed to not liking tahini? I could pretend, but I honestly don’t! I like the look of this anyway though (and of course, tahini in this form might be just my thing). And I always like reading about your relationship with your brother
Just call me Hannah “Hyperbole” [Last Name]. (Totally just wrote my surname then realised that wouldn’t be the greatest idea
)
Definitely forgivable! I completely understand that dislike, because when I first bought it I was *so* disappointed that eating it on a spoon was, well, horrible.
But you can’t really taste it here that strongly, it’s just a contributing factor to the amazingness of the overall flavour. That said, just substitute with something like almond butter if you’re still wary 
Thank you, Kari! That means so much. Two gushy-gushy posts in a row, teehee!
xo
Ah, you see, therein lies my problem – eating it off a spoon!! Note to self: try being an adult and spread your spread on something
I will give it another go! Teehee.
Being an adult is so competely over-rated, particularly when it comes to nut butters
That said, yes, don’t eat the tahini with a spoon until you’re super hardcore and have got to the point where you also like vegemite on a spoon, and not just to taste test 
What a great idea to use tahini, it sounds so yummy!
Thank you! It really was
Looks yummy. Agree with everyone else – great dish and dawgy
Can you please tell me where you get coconut oil from? Please don’t say Costco! (like the dried cherries)
*laughs* Definitely not Costco! I got this Loving Earth coconut oil from Mountain Creek in Griffith, but you can get other extra virgin coconut oils from health food stores (like Healthy Life, they usually have a few brands). Just make sure you get virgin olive oil not refined. To be honest, I’ll be sticking with the Loving Earth one myself, but I’m sure the others would also be fine!
Thanks heaps Hannah. I found some at my local supermarket this morning and bought it before seeing your reply. What’s the best it is going to be the wrong type
Oh well. Next time I venture over ‘the line’ 
I shall have to head into Griffith shops. I used to live at Red Hill and had a PO Box at Griffith shops – I miss that place.
‘bet’. *sighs*
Oh, I’m sure what you’ve bought is fine! As long as it’s virgin/unrefined, you’re golden! Particularly as in Australia we can’t get proper coconut butter anyway. What brand did you get? I used to work at Griffith Shops (at the chiropractor) so I miss the area too!
I love your granola dish. Where did you find a star-studded bowl???
*laughs* Love that description of it! But alas, I won’t be able to help you much, because I found it in my mum’s cupboard
I’ll try to ask her where she found it though!
Mums always seem to have a wealth of all sorts of things in their cupboards. I hope there’s a matching dinner set to go with that bowl!
Oh, I wish, but I’ve never seen it! Do you want to help me convince my mum that she should give that bowl to me for keeps, for the sake of the blog?
You have such a good blog that your mother should definitely stand aside and let you rummage through her cupboards and take away whatever you fancy!
Not on her nelly! This was a gift to me and it’s mine, all mine! (It mostly comes out at Xmas) However, I’ll be happy to see it star on her blog every now and then!
*laughs* I love your response! Much more than my mother’s response. Harrumph!
Oh, I’ve never thought to use oat bran in granola! Or tahini! Too much fun to discover such flavor pairings. Thanks Hannah!
Oh gosh, thank you Alisa! It’s funny how simply using what’s on hand and sounds good in your own mind can be exciting to others too
I never want to buy tahini since I never think I’ll finish it, but now I want to buy it so I can make this! Lovely post about your brother
Thank you Errign
I say buy the tahini, and just keep making this until the jar is gone 
Oh! This granola! I have some going in the dehydrator at the moment but next batch will involve maple and coconut and tahini, I think! (Especially since we brought home a litre of maple syrup that my aunty makes.)
Also, hi! We’re back, so now I am going to work on getting caught up on blogs (and, well, marking essays, but in terms of priorities that one isn’t so high).
Oh, I’m so incredibly envious of your maple syrup stash! Mine is from Costco but, because it’s Grade A, it’s not the most delicious of maple syrups. Works here though
I’d love to see what you could do with the flavour combination!
Blogs are soooo, like, totally, like more important than work.
Also… Welcome home!!!
I love posts and recipes dedicated to siblings, and by this fact alone I do believe that this is your best granola yet
And this is one of my favourite comments from you yet
*hugs*
you are lucky to have one brother – easy to say he is the best – I must tread carefully in making such claims with three brothers
However I am totally with you on the granola – looks like just my sort of muesli – I was a bowlful – btw do you just eat it plain or do you have milk or juice on it?
I bet you could come up with reasons why each of them is best in a different way
Hmm, mostly I eat my granola plain, and sometimes on top of ice cream or yoghurt. I don’t like how milk gets rid of the crispiness
Ahhh, yes! I love tahini and I never really find uses for it except for hummus.
I’m envious of your relationship with your brother. I have a brother that’s two years older than me but we’re not close in the slightest. We used to never talk despite living in the same house, but thankfully we can at least be civil to each other now! I hope we can be close one day
Fingers crossed you will! I’m so happy to hear you can get along, kinda, with your brother now, and hopefully later in life you’ll find yourselves able to understand each other more
*hugs*
I am pretty excited to say that I have this in the oven right now! My first ever granola. Yummm. And the coconut oil was organic virgin, so it wasn’t the wrong thing after all. I can’t wait to try this granola when it’s finished baking. Thank you Ms Wayfaring Chocolate
OH MY GOSH! For serious?! *does a happy dance* Please please please let me know how it turns out for you
Hey Ms Hannah, the granola is mind-bogglingly good and I have just made my second batch. It’s awesome to share with friends and I think makes a wonderful little gift inclusion in a nice container with a ribbon for good friends. I am planning on making most of my Christmas gifts this year and cute jars of variations of your granola are going to be a feature
I can’t think of a word that accurately describes my feelings at this point in time, but wheeeeehurrahyayshabangkaboomSQUEE comes to mind
I’m so incredibly honoured that you like this enough not only to make it twice, but to give it Christmas gift status! I myself have been thinking along those lines myself 
*hugs*
I love this recipe! Anything with maple and coconut in it is great!
Thank you Kim!
I made this today! I am SO EXCITED (see? caps lock) about having it for lunch all this week. Tahini and coconut and maple syrup are just some of my favourite flavours in the world, and you’re right, it really does clump properly! Oh and if you make it again and you have it, I used some palm sugar in it and it was delicious.
Love how well you and your brother get on, and also that you included that most adorable hound at the end of your post. Brava as per usual!
Wheeeee! *heel click* Laura, I’m so glad you love this as much as I do and that it turned out perfectly clumpy and delicious for you too! Hurrah hurrah! Palm sugar is a brilliant idea! I also want to try a really really dark muscovado sugar, perhaps with golden syrup as the main syrup, and also try a version with spices in it, and….
Really, I just want to eat this granola forever. Preferably in the company of you. You and my brother and my puppy-bear. That would be a nice life, I think.
i just recently discovered tahini and its pretty addicting. i love the salty flavor of it!
i find it crazier how people use tahini for desserts, but i think the salty would balance the sweet perfectly now thinking about it. this is an awesome granola!
How intriguing, your tahini must be really different to mine! Mine isn’t salty at all, just really, really dense and nutty and almost bitter. But yes, sweet and salty is always good in desserts!
I am, once again, terribly behind and horrendously late commenting here. So I’ll keep it short: awesomesauce.
What is *truly* awesomesauce is that you always make time to comment. HUGGLES.
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