Crunchy Golden Granola Clusters (Printable)

Golden clusters of rolled oats, mixed nuts, and honey. Crunchy, versatile, and easy to make for breakfast or snacking.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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
04 - ¼ cup pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
05 - ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Wet Ingredients

07 - ⅓ cup honey or maple syrup
08 - ¼ cup melted coconut oil or neutral oil
09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Optional Add-ins

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

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 325°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, nuts, coconut, seeds, cinnamon, and salt. Stir until evenly mixed.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together honey, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.
04 - Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients. Stir until everything is evenly coated and clumps begin to form.
05 - Spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet in an even layer. Gently press down with a spatula to encourage cluster formation.
06 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until golden brown and fragrant.
07 - Remove from oven and let cool completely on the baking sheet without disturbing to allow clusters to set properly.
08 - Once cooled, break into clusters of desired size. Mix in dried fruit or chocolate chips if using. Store in an airtight container.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • These clusters actually stay together unlike those disappointing store-bought granolas that turn to dust at the bottom of the bag.
  • The ratio of honey to oil creates that perfect sweet-but-not-cloying flavor that makes you reach for just one more piece, then another, until half the batch mysteriously disappears.
02 -
  • Do not stir the granola while its cooling or youll end up with loose oats instead of those coveted clusters.
  • The granola might seem slightly soft when you first remove it from the oven, but it crisps dramatically as it cools, so dont be tempted to overbake it.
03 -
  • For extra-large clusters, press the granola mixture very firmly onto the baking sheet and dont break it apart until completely cooled, even if that means waiting overnight.
  • Adding a beaten egg white to the wet ingredients creates even more dramatic clusters with incredible crunch, a technique I learned from a pastry chef friend.
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