Time: 15 minutes to put together, an hour-plus to bake

Anson Mills oats are bias-cut from whole grains—not flattened, like regular rolled oats. So cookies and granola made from our oats are different—in pleasing ways. For one thing, our oats have a full, toasty aroma right out of the bag—a direct baking benefit in terms of taste. For another, the grains are short and round. Translation: crunch. We weren't going for pebbly granola with discrete oats or even oat clusters—not "granula," in other words (see About Granola at right). We wanted a shaggy, chewy-crisp sheet of granola that could be broken up into bark and eaten with milk or not. That texture comes with the selection and balance of binding ingredients: sticky, aromatic honey rather than maple syrup, and butter instead of oil. That texture is also achieved by not stirring. Press and bake. Nothing that tastes this remarkable should be so easy.

Fresh and crackling with subtly warm winter spices, toasted oats, coconut, and vanilla, Anson Mills Granola Bark would be sure to make anyone's list of top 10 winter baking smells.

Equipment Mise en Place
For this recipe you will need a large mixing bowl, a small heavy-bottomed saucepan, a wooden spoon, a rubber spatula, a sheet of parchment paper, an 18 by 13-inch rimmed baking sheet, and an offset spatula.

Working Ahead
This granola bakes better if the assembled ingredients are refrigerated in the pan overnight and baked in the morning.

Ingredients
3 cups (18 ounces) Anson Mills Toasted Stone Cut Oats
2 cups (6 ounces) raw, sliced almonds
1 cup (3 ounces) unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup (4 ounces) raw sunflower or pumpkin seeds
3/4 cup (3.75 ounces) raw, hulled sesame seeds
2 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter
Scant cup (9 ounces) honey
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions
1. Place an oven rack in the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 250 degrees. Line an 18 by 13-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment and set aside.

2. Place the oats, almonds, coconut, sunflower or pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and spices in a large mixing bowl and toss to combine.

3. Heat the butter and honey together in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat until the butter melts. Stir in sea salt and vanilla. Remove from the heat.

4. Pour the hot liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until the dry ingredients are evenly moist. Turn the granola onto the prepared pan and press firmly with an offset spatula to create an even layer, about 1/2 inch thick. Bake until the granola is firm to the touch and a deep golden brown, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. (The granola will become crisper as it cools.) Cool in the pan, then lift an edge of parchment and break the granola into pieces. Store in plastic bags at cool room temperature. The granola will keep at the height of its texture and flavor for 2 weeks. Serve with dried or fresh fruit and milk or yogurt, or eat out of hand.

Makes about 3 pounds