Preheat your oven to 300°F. While it heats, chop your nuts into 1/4-inch pieces—this ensures they toast evenly alongside the oats. Measure out your oats, seeds, and dried fruits, keeping them in separate piles for now. I always use Bob's Red Mill oats for their heartier texture that holds up beautifully during toasting.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, chopped nuts, and seeds. Toss everything together to distribute the nuts and seeds evenly throughout—this prevents clumping during toasting and ensures every bite has the right texture and flavor balance.

Warm the honey and oil together in a small pot over low heat for about 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally until they're combined and slightly warm. This makes the liquid easier to distribute evenly. I use Nature Nate's honey for its clean flavor that doesn't overpower the toasted grains.

Pour the warm honey-oil mixture over the dry ingredients from Step 2 and stir thoroughly until every oat, nut, and seed is coated. Transfer the mixture to a large baking sheet, spread it in an even layer, and bake at 300°F for 20-25 minutes. Stir the granola halfway through baking to ensure even toasting and prevent burning at the edges.

Remove the granola from the oven and let it cool completely on the baking sheet—this is crucial as it will continue to crisp up as it cools. Once completely cool (about 30-45 minutes), stir in the dried fruits and sea salt. The cooled granola will be perfectly crispy, and adding the fruit after cooling prevents it from drying out too much.