Crunchy Golden Granola Clusters (Printable Version)

Golden, crunchy clusters made with oats, nuts, and honey—ideal for breakfast, snacking, or topping yogurt.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
02 - 1 cup mixed nuts such as almonds, pecans, walnuts, coarsely chopped
03 - 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
04 - 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
05 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Wet Ingredients

07 - 1/3 cup honey or pure maple syrup
08 - 1/4 cup melted coconut oil or neutral vegetable oil
09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Optional Add-ins

10 - 1/2 cup dried cranberries, raisins, or chopped dried apricots
11 - 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips

# Directions:

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

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • These clusters stay perfectly crunchy for days, something I discovered after accidentally leaving a batch uncovered overnight.
  • You can customize every handful to your exact preference, adding more cinnamon when you crave warmth or extra nuts when you need protein.
02 -
  • Overbaking even by two minutes can turn your honey from caramelized to bitter, so set a timer and trust your nose when that toasty aroma fills the kitchen.
  • The granola continues to crisp as it cools, so dont worry if it seems slightly soft when you first remove it from the oven.
03 -
  • For extra-large clusters that stay intact even when served with milk, add 1 tablespoon of beaten egg white to your wet ingredients before combining with the dry mixture.
  • Toasting the nuts separately for 5 minutes before adding them to the mixture intensifies their flavor without risking burnt oats.
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