Remember last fall when I had gotten myself all those apples and made several batches of apple butter, not just to give out as gifts, but because missthing had been on a kick for several years of daily desiring apple butter on her morning carbs and I thought that since I had so many apples and making apple butter was so easy, why not? Also yes, there is that thing about how I love to know exactly where all our food comes from and I prefer to make from scratch as much of our food as possible.
It never fails however, that once I realize she has a fondness for something and I lay in a good supply of my own homemade/homegrown version of it, she decides she’s done with it. It’s been this way since she was a baby, with the exception of carrots, so this is not a new tween thing. Of course this happened with the apple butter, now that I have a good case or so left down on my basement shelves and no one wanting to eat it every day anymore. Short of making her hand it out to all her friends as birthday gifts, I have been trying to figure out what to do with it.
And then one day, on Food in Jars, I discovered this recipe for fruit butter granola. It had been adapted from another website and I adapted it down as well. One cup fruit butter, 3/4 nuts, 2 cups oats, a sprinkle of salt and I pop it in the oven. When it comes out, I mix in a little dried fruit, always raisins, but sometimes craisins, chopped dates, figs, what ever is on hand. Because while a certain someone gave up fruit butter for the time being, she’s okay if I mix it in with the granola. Although, truth be told, she prefers my friend Vikki’s French Chocolate Granola, which I have just started making myself, instead of demanding Vikki make it for me, mashing it up with this recipe, that adds cherries to the mix. Because chocolate and cherries are hands down my most favorite food combination, ever. Right now, everyone seems to be good with the nonstop supply of homemade granola around here, so I’ll keep on making it, hopefully working through my supply of fruit butters, while mixing it up with new ideas. I’ve never done much with granolas, but I feel that I’ve gotten the hang of them here lately, so maybe I will start coming up with my own recipes.
Chicken Wire & Paper Flowers 
Yes! I too had a fevered, apple butter making autumn and now they sit on the shelves with me as their only fan. Thanks, Becky!!!
I usually have a huge applesauce making kick every fall and one thing I do with applesauce that I think would also work well with your apple butter is add it to oatmeal. So. Darn. Yummy.
As for granola, I've been making it for years and it has never once occurred to me to add applesauce or apple butter instead of honey for sweetening. I'm going to try it with my next batch. Yum.
This sounds too good.
Can not wait to try.
There can never be too much granola.
Chocolate and cherry granola? Sounds delicious.
i'm so psyched to have merited a shout out for something i made! but truly, those cherries are an inspired addition and i keep some around all the time now for just that reason.
when you run out of fruit butter, make the coconut almond granola on the two peas and their pod blog. i am never without it now; that and the chocolate granola are our staples.