Big-Cluster Granola Recipe
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Say goodbye to the store-bought stuff—this homemade granola is full of flavor and loaded with giant clusters, all thanks to one simple trick. Perfect over yogurt, with milk, or by the handful.
Think of this homemade granola not just as a recipe, but as your go-to, foolproof method for the crunchiest, most cluster-packed granola ever. I originally developed it to combat the humidity that was making my bed and breakfast granola lose its crispness—and now, it’s the only way I make it! (Though many readers still swear by the B&B version too!)
It’s simple and flexible: Start with old-fashioned rolled oats, then mix in whatever nuts and seeds you like for crunch and protein. For sweetness, use a combo of brown sugar and either maple syrup or honey—whichever you prefer. Bake everything to golden, toasty perfection, then toss in a handful of your favorite dried fruit once it’s cooled.
The secret to those irresistible clusters? A single egg white. As the granola bakes, the egg white firms up, acting like a natural glue that holds the oats and nuts together, giving you those perfectly crunchy clusters in every bite.
“I’ve been in search of granola with lots of clumps – I’ve found it! I add it to yogurt parfaits for breakfast or have it as an afternoon snack. The BEST!”
What You’ll Need To Make Granola
- Vegetable oil or melted coconut oil: Adds moisture and helps everything stick together while it bakes.
- Maple syrup (or honey) and light brown sugar: Sweeten the granola and give it that craveable flavor—maple syrup and honey work equally well, so use whatever you prefer.
- Egg white: Helps bind the granola into those crunchy clusters and cuts back on the amount of oil needed.
- Vanilla extract, cinnamon, salt: A simple mix that brings warmth, flavor, and just the right balance.
- Old-fashioned rolled oats: The base of the granola—go with regular rolled oats, not the quick-cooking kind.
- Nuts and seeds of your choice (such as almonds, walnuts, and/or pecans): Add crunch, protein, and nutty flavor.
- Shredded sweetened or unsweetened coconut: Brings a hint of tropical flavor; feel free to leave it out if you’re not a fan.
- Dried fruit (such as raisins, cranberries, and/or dried blueberries): Adds a chewy, sweet contrast to the crunchy ingredients.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Whisk the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, egg white, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt until smooth and well combined.
Step 2: Add the dry ingredients. Toss in the oats, nuts, seeds, and coconut (if using) and stir until everything’s evenly coated.
Step 3: Spread on a baking sheet. Pour the mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and press it into an even layer. Pressing it down firmly before baking helps it bake into clusters instead of loose crumbs.
Step 4: Bake and stir. Bake at 300°F for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven, give it a gentle stir, and press it back into a compact layer. Return to the oven and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until golden and toasty.
Pro Tip: Keep an eye on the edges during the last few minutes—they tend to brown first.
Step 5: Cool and finish. Let the granola cool completely on the pan (resist the urge to dig in right away!)—it will crisp up as it cools. Once cool, break it into clusters, stir in the dried fruit, and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days (or freeze for longer storage). Happy snacking!
Granola Goals: How to Get It Just Right
- Line your pan. Always use parchment paper—it helps the sweetener stick to the oats instead of the pan, which is key for forming clumps.
- For big clusters, go easy on the stirring. Press the granola into the pan before baking, stir once halfway through, and press down again. After you remove it from the oven, don’t touch it(!) until it’s completely cool.
- Add dried fruit at the end. It’ll burn in the oven—just stir it in once everything’s baked and cooled.
- Endless Variations, Same Crunchy Results. One of the best parts of homemade granola is how easy it is to customize—swap out the nuts, seeds, dried fruit, sweeteners, and spices to suit your taste—just stick to the same ratios to keep it crunchy and well-balanced.
Video Tutorial
Got Oats? Other Delicious Ways to Use Them
Granola
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
- ¼ cup maple syrup or honey
- ¼ cup (packed) light brown sugar
- 1 large egg white
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1¼ cups nuts of your choice (such as almonds, walnuts, and/or pecans), roughly chopped
- ¼ cup seeds (such as sunflower seeds and/or pumpkin seeds), or replace with more nuts
- ½ cup shredded sweetened or unsweetened coconut, optional
- ½ cup dried fruit (such as raisins, cranberries, and/or dried blueberries), optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C) and set a rack in the middle position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, egg white, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Add the oats, nuts, seeds, and shredded coconut (if using).
- Spread the mixture into an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven. Stir the mixture with a rubber spatula, and then press into an even, compact layer on the baking sheet. Return to the oven and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden, without stirring.
- Remove from the oven and allow the granola to cool completely on the baking sheet. It will become crunchier as it cools. Once cooled, break the granola into clusters of your desired size and add the dried fruit. Store the granola in an airtight container at room temperature for about 10 days, or freeze for longer storage.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Comments
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Hello! Love the recipe but was wondering if you could send me the old one as well? I like to switch it up 🙂
I have made this recipe twice and have gotten the same results both times…no chunks. I followed the recipe exactly as written. I pat the mixture firmly before and after each bake. I let the mixture cool several hours without stirring before adding the dried fruit. This is when it just crumbles. The granola itself is delicious but I prefer granola chunky. Please help!
I’m sorry you’ve had a problem with this (twice)! Have you been including the egg white? If so, have you made any ingredient substitutions or adjustments to the recipe?
Yes, I did use the egg white and I never made any additions, adjustments or substitutions. It is still delicious and makes a good topping for yogurt parfaits!
Considering your response, it’s a bit of a headscratcher for me as it should definitely be chunky. Glad that you’re enjoying it despite the lack of clusters!
Hi Jenn,
I absolutely loved your original recipe for granola (the one with the wheat germ in in). I had made it so often that I knew it by heart, but now it has been a while and I have forgotten the quantities of some of the ingredients. I noticed that you were able to send it out to several others. Would you kindly send it to me as well. Thank you.
Hi Christine, I just emailed it to you. 😊
May I get a copy of previous granola ? I loved that one
Hi Margaret, here it is. Enjoy!
Hi Jenn,
I absolutely love this recipe and make it often. Can you tell me if the nutritional information includes the coconut and dried fruit? Also, is your original recipe still available?
Thanks,
Chris
Hi Chris, Glad you like it! The nutritional info includes the coconut but not the dried fruit (I don’t include the optional ingredients in nutritional info). And I’ll email you the old granola recipe. 😊
I love that this can be tweaked depending on what you have on hand. I sub out the brown sugar for Swerve brown sugar and, while the end result is slightly less crunchy, it’s still delicious and so much more healthy than store bought. Thanks for another winner, Jen!
I made the granola as instructed, however, the granola was in individual pieces not as crunchy clusters after it cooled. Any thoughts on how to obtain larger clusters?
Hi Elizabeth, Sorry you had a bit of a problem with this. After you stirred it (after 15 minutes of baking), did you press it into a compact layer?
I love your recipes and can’t wait to try this! I just wanted to clarify… is it raw nuts you use?
Yes, you’d want raw nuts here. Enjoy!
Did this recipe used to be the one you posted awhile back from The Inn at Occidental? That was my favorite, but it’s not on your site anymore. It had wheat germ in it. Maybe you had to revise it for legal reasons??
Hi Marti, Yes, I updated the recipe and preferred this one overall, but will email you the old recipe. (I didn’t need to change it for legal reasons; I’ve been spending some time in Florida, where the humidity is higher than that in Maryland, and realized that the humidity was making the original version lose its crispiness.)
Hi Jenn, I absolutely LOVED the original recipe! I don’t have a humidity issue here in Vegas, so is it possible for you to send me THAT original recipe too!?! Like you did for Marti Jo?
Thanks Much!
Gigi B
Hi Gigi, just emailed it. 😊
Hi Jenn, I loved the original as well. Can you email me the recipe too? Thanks sooo much. Can’t wait to eat this delicious granola again.
Just sent it!
I just made this and it is really delicious and dare I say, my favorite granola ever! I used olive oil, pecans, walnuts, and maple syrup and followed everything else. I’ve had shredded coconut burn on another granola recipe so I was really worried about that happening again but that didn’t happen at all and the wet mixture coated everything very nicely and protected it from the heat and toasted everything to perfection. It’s also not very sweet which I really like about it. I doubled the recipe and it turned out great. Thanks for this! It’s amazing! (I also love your double chocolate biscotti!)
Forgot to ask: can this granola be made with 1/2 c. maple syrup or 1.2 c. honey or 1/4 of each and skip the brown sugar?
Hi Jane, that should be OK, but because honey is pretty strong and flavor, if you want to go that route, I’d probably stick with the maple syrup.