Big-Cluster Granola

How do you make those chunky, crunchy clusters of granola that easily stick together?

They’re part of commercial, store-bought granola, but how do you recreate them at home?

And how do you nail the dry vs. liquid ingredients ratio, so that you get crispy, crunchy, not-oily, not-too-sweet granola?

I read about adding an egg white into the mixture, but I wasn’t impressed—the granola still broke down into little pieces.

Instead, I played with flaxseed, which is used as an egg alternative in vegan baking.

How to use flaxseed to create granola clusters:

Flaxseed is wonderful for this, because after 30 minutes it soaks up the water, and turns into a gluey mass that will bind all your granola ingredients together.

Also, flaxseed is the most concentrated source of essential omega-3 fatty acids. It has tons of fiber too.

So excited for you—you’re getting a delicious breakfast AND regular bowel movements. Total win-win!

Here’s how the granola comes together:

1. You’ll mix the dry ingredients together: oats, shredded coconut, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt.
2. Throw in the chopped almonds and pecans.
3. Add the wet ingredients: soaked flaxseed as well as melted coconut oil, honey, and vanilla extract.
4. Mix everything together thoroughly.

You’re now ready to bake your granola:

The brown sugar and honey will caramelize during baking, and will help the flaxseed to hold the mass together.

After about 30 minutes, you’ll take it out of the oven, and let it cool slightly. Then you can start breaking the granola into bite-size crunchy clusters.

Snack on this!

I always have granola around. It’s my go-to breakfast staple and also something to snack on during the day, or sprinkle on vanilla ice cream.

It’s so much cheaper to make granola at home, plus you get to be the boss and decide what goes into it. Store-bought granola is usually crazy expensive, too oily or too sweet.

Try these other breakfast recipes:

Another delicious granola recipe: Chocolate Granola With Pistachios, Almonds and Dried Currants
My favorite gluten-free bread: Paleo Almond Butter Bread

Want to eat your granola in style? Get these Czech hand-thrown ceramic bowls

Now you.

What kind of granola is your favorite? Do you eat breakfast or skip it?

Tell me in the comments.

Big-Cluster Granola

• Author: Michal Martinek
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: About 8 cups 1x
• Cuisine: American

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Description

Granola with chunky, crunchy clusters that stick together. Made with almonds, pecans, flaxseed, coconut, honey and spices.

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Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• ¼ cup (50 g) flaxseed
• ¼ cup (60 ml) cold water
• ¼ cup (60 ml) melted coconut oil
• ¼ cup (60 ml) honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups (350 g) rolled oats
• ½ cup (55 g) unsweetened shredded coconut
• ¼ cup (60 g) brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup (70 g) almonds, chopped
• ½ cup (58 g) pecan halves, chopped

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C and position a rack in the middle of the oven.
2. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with vegetable oil or brush it lightly with vegetable oil. (I used a classic half-sheet pan, which measures 17.25  x 12.25 x 1” or 44 x 31 x 2.5 cm).
3. Place the flaxseed in a small bowl, add the cold water and stir. Let stand for 30 minutes until the flaxseed soaks up the water and becomes gluey.
4. Combine the coconut oil, honey, and vanilla extract in a small bowl.
5. Mix the oats, coconut, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the almonds, and pecans.
6. Add the flaxseed and coconut mixtures, and stir to combine.
7. Transfer the granola mixture to the prepared baking sheet, and spread evenly by lightly pressing and tapping down.
8. Bake in the oven until golden brown, about 25–30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Scrape (because of the sugar caramelizing, the granola might stick to the pan in places) from the baking pan, breaking it into smaller pieces. Let cool completely on the pan.
9. Store in a container with a lid for up to 2 months.

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Notes

Modify and experiment:

• 100% GLUTEN FREE: oats by nature are gluten-free, but they might be processed in places that also handle wheat, barley etc. If you’re gluten intolerant, make sure to buy gluten-free oats.
• VEGAN version: replace honey with brown rice syrup
• SPICES: add dried ginger, ground cardamom or all-spice to add extra flavor
• NUTS: you can use just one kind of nuts; substitute walnuts for pecans; pistachios are great too
• DRIED FRUIT: mix raisins, dried cranberries, blueberries or currant into the cooled granola
• Try the granola sprinkled on vanilla ice cream!

Keywords: granola