Homemade Oat Granola
- 10 min prep
- 75 min
- Bake
- Serves 10
- 345 kcal
- 8.3 g protein
Big crunchy clusters of oats, almonds and seeds, sweetened with honey and baked low and slow. Costs a fraction of the shop box and you decide the sugar.
Ingredients
- 3 cups (270 g) rolled oats
- ¾ cup (100 g) almonds, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup (35 g) pumpkin seeds
- ¼ cup (35 g) sunflower seeds
- 2 tbsp (20 g) chia or flax seeds
- ⅓ cup (25 g) desiccated coconut or coconut flakes
- 1½ tsp cinnamon powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅓ cup (75 ml) coconut oil, melted, or a neutral oil
- ⅓ cup (110 g) honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup (75 g) raisins or chopped dates, added after baking
Method
- 1Heat the oven to 160°C and line a large baking tray with baking paper. In an OTG, use both rods on the middle rack; you may need two trays, baked one after the other.
- 2Mix the oats, almonds, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, chia, coconut, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl.
- 3Warm the coconut oil and honey together in a small pan over low heat for a minute, just until runny, then stir in the vanilla.
- 4Pour the warm syrup over the oat mix and stir for a full minute, until every flake looks glossy and nothing dry is left at the bottom of the bowl.
- 5Spread the mixture on the tray in one even layer about 1 cm deep, then press it down firmly with the back of a spatula. Pressing is what makes clusters.
- 6Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the tray halfway, until deep golden at the edges and fragrant. Do not stir if you want large clusters; it will still feel slightly soft when hot.
- 7Leave the tray untouched on the counter for 30 minutes, until completely cool and hard. Break into clusters, then mix in the raisins.
Notes from the Department
- Add dried fruit only after baking. Raisins in the oven turn into little burnt pebbles.
- Watch the last 5 minutes closely; honey goes from golden to bitter quickly, especially at the edges in an OTG.
- Want even bigger clusters? Whisk 2 tbsp of aquafaba (chickpea cooking water) into the syrup before pouring.
Nutrition per serving
- Energy
- 345 kcal
- Protein
- 8.3 g
- Carbohydrate
- 38 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 6.1 g
- Sugars
- 15 g
Why this works
Granola clusters come from three things: enough sticky sweetener to coat every flake, pressing the mix flat before baking, and leaving it alone while it cools. Honey and coconut oil coat the oats and caramelise in the oven; the low 160°C temperature lets the inside dry out before the outside burns. The clusters only set hard once they cool, which is why the tray must sit undisturbed.
Rolled oats are the base here, so a bowl brings whole grains and soluble fibre, plus protein and fat from the nuts and seeds.
Swaps
Use maple syrup instead of honey for a vegan, dairy-free batch. Jaggery syrup works too, though the granola will be a shade darker. Any nut can replace almonds: cashews and walnuts are both good. Leave out the coconut if you do not like it, and use quick oats only if that is all you have, since they make a finer, sandier granola. For gluten-free, buy oats labelled certified gluten-free.
How to eat it
Over thick curd with fruit, with cold milk like cereal, over a smoothie bowl, or straight from the jar by the handful. A ½ cup serving is a sensible portion; the jar will argue otherwise.
Storage
Store in an airtight glass jar at room temperature for up to a month. If it softens in humid weather, spread it on a tray and re-crisp at 150°C for 8 minutes.
Questions people ask
- How do I get big clusters in homemade granola?
- Press the mixture flat on the tray before baking, do not stir it in the oven, and let it cool completely before breaking it up. A little extra honey also helps the oats stick together.
- Why is my homemade granola not crunchy?
- It was either underbaked or broken up while warm. Granola is still soft straight out of the oven and only crisps as it cools. If it is still soft once cold, return it to the oven for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Can I make granola without oil?
- You can replace the oil with 3 tbsp of apple purée or extra honey, but the granola will be less crisp and the clusters smaller. A little fat is what gives that toasted crunch.
Inspired by NYT Cooking. Method, notes and photograph by the Ministry of Oats.
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