Blueberry Granola Crunch Pancakes

It's not a secret that I love the Tupelo Honey Cookbook as evidenced here, here, here, here, and here.  So I'm thrilled that they have asked me to help promote their Tupelo Honey Cafe Holiday Recipe Contest!

Do you have an original holiday side, dessert, or leftovers recipe that receives rave reviews?  If so, enter it in the contest to when a chance at a $200 gift card to be used at the Tupelo Honey Cafe Online Store or at one of their restaurants!  The online store not only features great Tupelo Honey Cafe merchandise but also beautiful handmade stoneware, aprons, and other fabulous goodies that you will love to have in your kitchen.  Participants will also be entered in a weekly drawing to win a copy of the Tupelo Honey Cookbook.  Full contest details can be found at Tupelo Honey Cafe.

To get my creative juices following, I pulled out their cookbook and decided to make their Blueberry Granola Crunch Pancakes.  First step - make the THC Granola.  For those of you that have never made granola before - what are you waiting for?  It's super easy and you can customize it to include only the stuff you like.  Tupelo Honey's granola includes loads of oats, almonds, sunflower seeds, dried fruit (I used blueberries), maple syrup, and coconut.  It's addictive.

The pancakes are fairly standard and includes lots of buttermilk making them tender and delicious.  I added a splash of vanilla to the batter because I haven't found much that a splash of vanilla doesn't improve.  The finished cakes are topped with the granola, some more blueberries, butter, syrup, and a dusting of powdered sugar.  I loved the crunch of the granola paired with the tender pancakes.  It was a stack of deliciousness and the perfect way to start a Sunday morning.

Don't forget to check out Tupleo Honey Cafe's contest!

Note:  I halved both of these recipes and still had enough pancakes to feed four and a ton of granola.

Blueberry Granola Crunch Pancakes
Tupelo Honey Cafe:  Spirited Recipes from Asheville's New South Kitchen, Elizabeth Sims with Chef Brian Sonoskus

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
5 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 cups buttermilk
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon honey
1 cup dried blueberries, reconstituted in warm water and drained
2 cups THC granola (recipe follows)
2 tablespoons melted butter
Powdered sugar, for dusting

Combine the flour, salt, sugar, baking soda, and baking powder in a large bowl.  In a medium bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, and honey.  Pour the liquid mixture into the flour mixture and blend well.  Cook the pancakes over medium-high heat in a skillet or on a griddle, using about 1/2 cup batter per pancake, for about 3 minutes per side, or until brown on both sides.  Top with blueberries and granola and drizzle with the melted butter.  Dust with a sprinkling of powdered sugar.  

THC Granola

1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup shelled sunflower seeds (about 4 ounces)
1 1/2 cups sliced almonds (about 4 ounces)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 cup diced dried apples or other dried fruit of your choice (about 4 ounces dried fruit)
1/2 cup coconut flakes, toasted

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.  In a small saucepan, combine the canola oil and maple syrup and bring to a boil.  Remove from the heat and add the vanilla.  

In a large bowl, combine the oats, sunflower seeds, almonds, cinnamon, and dried fruit.  Drizzle the syrup mixture over the dry ingredients, mixing well.  Spread out the oats mixture on a rimmed sheet pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until light brown.  You'll know it's done by tasting the almonds.  They should be toasted and not chewy. 

Remove the granola from the oven and cool.  On another rimmed sheet pan, toast the coconut for about 5 minutes, or until just golden brown.  Mix the coconut with the granola mixture.  Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Linking to:
Ingredient Spotlight - Oats