Best Homemade Granola

I've tried a few homemade granola recipes over the last year, but this is hands-down the best one. I think, with more experimentation, I'll be able to modify it and make other versions (like banana walnut or pumpkin spice). It seems that the ratio of sugar/syrup and oil to the rest of the ingredients is a key factor in getting the right texture.

The original recipe comes from Cook's Illustrated, but since only the most current recipes remain accessible online without a membership, I went looking for a blogger who had posted about this recipe. And I found this version from Frugal Girl. Two great things about it: you don't have to constantly stir it, and it actually clumps together. Also, because of the high amount of vanilla, your whole house will smell divine while it's baking!

The first time, I followed the recipe pretty closely, including the raisins, adding in some ground flax seed and omitting the coconut (from FG's version). The next batch, I tried walnuts instead of almonds and added in a mashed banana, but despite reducing the oil and syrup a bit, it was a chewy rather than crunchy. Next time, I'll try decreasing the liquids even more. In this current batch, you'll notice that I opted to include the coconut but leave out the other fruit, and customize it with each serving. This morning, I added fresh strawberries. I also have raisins, dates, and dried cranberries to choose from as I keep eating. Yum!