Homemade Granola Clusters (Printer View)

Golden oat and nut clusters baked to a crunchy finish, great for breakfast or snacks.

# Components:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
02 - 1 cup mixed nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts), coarsely chopped
03 - ½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut (optional)
04 - ¼ cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas) or sunflower seeds
05 - ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Wet Ingredients

07 - ⅓ cup honey (or maple syrup for vegan option)
08 - ¼ cup melted coconut oil (or neutral oil)
09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Optional Add-ins (after baking)

10 - ½ cup dried cranberries, raisins, or chopped dried apricots
11 - ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, mix rolled oats, nuts, coconut, seeds, cinnamon, and salt until evenly combined.
03 - Whisk honey, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl until blended.
04 - Pour wet mixture over dry ingredients and stir thoroughly until clusters begin to form.
05 - Spread mixture evenly on prepared baking sheet and gently press with spatula to promote clumping.
06 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until golden brown.
07 - Remove from oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet completely without stirring to set clusters.
08 - Break cooled clusters into pieces; stir in dried fruit or chocolate chips if desired. Store in airtight container.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It actually tastes like butter and honey instead of cardboard, and costs a fraction of what the fancy stuff at the store charges.
  • Your whole house smells incredible while it bakes, and the texture stays crispy for days in an airtight container.
  • You control every ingredient, so you can load it with nuts you actually like or skip the ones you don't.
02 -
  • Don't stir the granola while it cools or you'll shatter the clusters; patience here makes all the difference between chunky clusters and fine crumbs.
  • The granola will continue to crisp as it cools, so it might seem a touch soft when you first pull it from the oven—that's exactly right.
  • Add dried fruit and chocolate only after it's cooled completely, or they'll melt into the warm granola and cause it to clump into a solid brick.
03 -
  • Toast your nuts and seeds separately for 5 minutes before adding them to the oats if you want them to taste even more deeply nutty and roasted.
  • Don't skimp on the salt—it makes the honey taste sweeter and rounder, and prevents the whole thing from tasting flat.
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