Happy September everyone! With the kids back in school and our schedules becoming more hectic, we are on the hunt for delicious and nutritious snacks.

I’ve always adored the sweet and salty flavors of brittle. However, many brittles are made with corn syrup and taste overly sweet. I wanted to create a snack that combines the flavors of brittle with healthier, nutrient dense ingredients.

This brittle tastes like granola without the addition of oats. It is made with chopped almonds, sunflower seeds, raw buckwheat groats, whole millet, cacao nibs and shredded coconut. I’ve only sweetened it with maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon and a heaping tablespoon of orange zest. Do not leave out the orange zest, it is a game changer.

This tasty treat is so versatile that you can make it free from nuts and top 8 free by substituting pumpkin seeds for the almonds( or any other seed of choice) which makes it a great snack to pack for your kids lunch boxes.

You can also swap out or add different spices such as cardamom, cloves or nutmeg. It would taste wonderful with the addition of dried fruit such as cranberries, sour cherries or apricots.  The key here is creativity so enjoy!

The maple syrup helps to bind the brittle together while adding warm notes of caramel. It tastes crunchy, sweet, salty and flavorful all in one bite. Best of all, my munchkins ate it up quickly, pleading for more ❤️

Maple Granola Brittle

Free from: gluten, soy, dairy, egg, peanut & sesame . *See Notes below for tree nut/top 8 free options

Makes one large baking sheet. Serves about 12

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 cup whole almonds ( or pumpkin seeds)
• 1/2 cup millet seed
• 1/2 cup raw buckwheat groats
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 3 tablespoons cacao nibs or mini chocolate chips
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 heaping tablespoon grated orange zest, from 1 large orange
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lay parchment on a large baking sheet.

Combine the first (eight) dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Stir together.

Combine wet ingredients together; orange zest, maple syrup and vanilla. Mix together well using a fork to break apart zest. Add to dry ingredients. Stir, making sure to coat everything.

Lay mixture in the center of the baking sheet and spread evenly, pressing down with damp hands or back of spatula to smooth into a large rectangular shape, about 1/4 inch thick. Keep edges a bit thicker to prevent them from burning.

Bake for 15-25 minutes, rotating pan once to ensure even baking. Check oven at 12-15 minutes to see if nuts are toasted and hardened in the middle of cookie sheet( not soft and sticky).  My brittle was done at 15 minutes but every oven bakes differently so keep an eye on it to make sure it does not burn. If brittle is browning too quickly, lower temperature on oven to 325 degrees for the last 3-5 minutes or until set.

Cool on baking sheet for 30 minutes- resist the urge to touch! It will harden as it cools. Break apart or cut into squares.  Store at room temperature for a few days or freeze for up to two months. It tastes great straight out of the freezer!

Notes: 

• swap out almonds for seeds of choice. A flavor combination I love are pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, currants and mini chocolate chips.
• Use any nuts of choice- the combinations are endless
• Add/ substitute cardamom, cloves, ground ginger or nutmeg. Or sprinkle crushed red pepper for a spicy kick. I would start with 1/4 teaspoon.  Adjust & taste as you go.
• For a more indulgent treat, drizzle or dip tops in dark chocolate and serve with vanilla or coconut ice cream.