OMG, BACON GRANOLA. Here’s the recipe.

You guys… I came upon a friend’s FB post the other day, about how to dispose of bacon grease after cooking.

The post indicated that instead of disposing of grease in a way that creates problems ( NEVER put hot oil down the drain!), waiting for it to cool on the counter, etc., they suggested using oats to soak it up, and then putting the oats outside for birds to eat! (Another note: as is true for humans, bacon grease is not a good idea to feed to animals on a regular basis.)

The idea was bouncing around in my mind for a couple weeks, and then one day it hit me: Wait, Bacon Granola! YESSSS!

Maple syrup, pecans, apples, bacon, you can almost taste it, right? It’s really tasty.

In anticipation of questions: Yes, it can be made with turkey bacon or veggie bacon (add olive oil if needed), the key is the balance of salty to sweet. As Alfred Molina once said to me (yes, really, in person and everything), “Savory with sweet… Didn’t you Americans invent that?” (He was talking about the scones I had made, and adding olive tapenade to them.) Yes, the quinoa is included to add nutrition as well as texture. It’s a good idea. Trust me.

Yep. I made it. So can you. Here’s how:

Print Recipe

Maple Apple Bacon Granola

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

Loading...

Breakfast, snack

By Tamara Berg – Serves: 8

Prep Time: 5 minutes – Cooking Time: 15-25 minutes – Total Time: 20-30 minutes

Sweet and salty, crunchy and delicious, this special treat is fantastic as a snack, on yogurt, or even as a topping for ice cream. Enjoy.

Ingredients

• Dry Ingredients:
• 1-1/2 Cups, Old Fashioned Oats
• 3/4 Cups Pecans, chopped
• 1-1/2 Tbsp. Coconut Sugar (can substitute Brown Sugar)
• 2 Tbsp. Uncooked Quinoa
• Liquid Ingredients:
• 2 Tbsp. Bacon Fat
• 1/4 Cup Pure Maple Syrup
• Add Ins:
• 3 - 4 Pieces Bacon, chopped
• 1/2 Cup Freeze Dried Apples, chopped

Instructions

1

Preheat the oven to 350°

2

Cook the bacon in a frying pan until crisp. Set aside on paper towel to drain. Once cooled, chop bacon.

3

Allow bacon fat to cool a little. Measure 2 tablespoons of fat into a small bowl.

4

Add maple syrup and stir to combine. If necessary, heat in microwave for a few seconds to ensure mixture combines completely.

5

In a large bowl, combine oats, chopped pecans, coconut sugar and quinoa. Stir to mix.

6

Add liquid ingredients to dry, and stir to combine well. Pour this mixture onto a rimmed baking sheet and place in oven. Cook for 15 to 25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Granola is done when it's medium golden brown and crispy.

7

When done cooking, remove from oven to cool.

8

After mixture is cool, add in chopped bacon and apples. Eat within 5 days, refrigerate or freeze any leftovers.

Notes

You're welcome. For me, this recipe has the perfect salt/sweet/tang balance. Play around with your taste preferences. If you want more "salt," add another strip of bacon. If you crave more of the sweet/tart flavor, add some more apples. This recipe can be made with turkey bacon or veggie bacon. Add olive oil if needed to bring fat to 2 Tbsp.