Stale Granola? Stop! Before Tossing, Try This Trick to Revive It (2024)

FAQs

Stale Granola? Stop! Before Tossing, Try This Trick to Revive It? ›

All it takes is spreading the granola in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and heating it in a 400 degree oven for five minutes — essentially re-baking it. You'll want to be sure to avoid piling up the granola, so if you've got a lot, it's best to grab a second baking sheet.

There are a few simple yet effective methods to restore the crunch to stale granola, from a quick toast in the oven to a light pan-warming technique. These approaches not only re-crisp the granola but can even intensify the flavors, elevating the taste experience with a renewed depth of warmth and aroma.

Microwaving heats up the oils absorbed by the granola and re-toasts the nuts and grains. I usually place the few spoonfuls I'll be eating that morning into a ramekin and give it about 10 seconds on HIGH.

If you're willing to re-bake it a bit, a drizzle of honey or agave syrup will make clumps. Just bake for about 20 minutes, and start with hot syrup.

It depends on conditions like humidity, insects, atmospheric impurities, and the ingredients used to make granola. If granola can be protected from all the above mentioned conditions and if the ingredients used to make granola are not easily oxidized, you can store it safely for months.

Higher temperatures can cause ingredients like nuts, seeds, and coconut to burn before the batch has a chance to properly dry out and crisp up, Perry says. Stick with a low temperature, keep an eye on your mixture, and stir it from time to time to help it brown evenly.

Let it cool before diving in.

Your homemade granola will continue to crisp up as it cools.

Using a low oven temperature helps dry out the granola without over-baking it. Keep in mind that the granola won't be dry right out of the oven — it will dry as it cools. So take it out of the oven when it looks lightly toasted and smells like cooked honey.

If you want a less clumpy granola, stir and then add the nuts, flaxmeal, and coconut on top of the half-baked granola. If you want a more clumpy granola, don't stir before adding the additional ingredients. Return the sheet to the oven and bake 10 minutes more until everything is lightly toasted.

How do you keep granola from getting soggy? ›

The Savory Pantry also found that layering fruit between the granola and the yogurt helped prevent the granola from getting soggy too quickly, though that does depend on the moisture content of the type of fruit you're using — avoid frozen fruit and consider adding dried fruit to cut down on moisture.

Surprisingly, long-expired food is still considered — by the regulators, at least — good enough to eat. That outdated granola bar packed with soft oats or that chocolate bar now displaying a whitish bloom may not taste very good, but they can still be consumed without making you sick.

In an airtight container, it will stay fresh and crispy for at least 6 months. You can extend the shelf life even longer by freezing it. Is your granola organic?

If they are soggy after storage, they may have been stored while still warm. To fix this, spread the granola on a baking sheet and heat it in a 400-degree oven for about 5 minutes. This quick high temp bake is only for reheating and should only be done for a few minutes to prevent burning.

Salt and Spice

For flavorful granola, don't skip the salt! Too little and your flavors won't sing. I prefer using fine-grain sea salt in this one (I always cook with fine-grain sea salt), but regular salt will do, too (just use a little less). I added cinnamon to this batch for some subtle warming spice.

Here, a full cup of hot tap water is stirred into the dry oats, then left to sit for 15 minutes before you proceed with the recipe (which also skips any stirring during baking). The idea is that the water softens the oats, and stickiness from the starch will create more clumps, which won't be broken apart by stirring.