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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Finding commercial varieties too sweet and hard, I have never been a granola fan but I wanted to give this recipe a try and it is another keeper!
Simple to make and delicious!
I did not have heavy duty aluminum foil the first time I made it, the granola stuck to the foil. The second time I made it I used foil and parchment paper on top, perfect but perhaps the granola did not brown as much as when baked directly on foil.
You may want to experiment with different varieties of honey. I made by last batch with blueberry honey which gives the granola a distinct, yummy flavour. I’m making my 3rd batch today, again with blueberry honey.
Another winner, a favourite in my household. Thanks again Jenn.
Love the granola. I didn’t have wheat germ or sunflower seeds so subbed with more walnuts, pecans and almonds. I used my large baking tray but as my first try at this I want expecting it to fill the whole pan thickly. I used heavy duty foil but it stuck and I will try the parchment paper next time. I was wondering if you take the granola off the foil warm or cold. I tried both, and both stuck to the foil. Having said that it makes a good amount so there was still plenty. Another delicious recipe!
Just made this for the first time. Delicious but one issue-as it cooled, granola stuck to the foil a bit and I had to peel it off. Normal or anything I can do to fix? Parchment? Thnx!
Hi Marit, sorry that you had a problem with the granola sticking – Have you tried Reynolds Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil or Reynolds Non-Stick Foil? If you can’t find either (or have already tried them), try parchment paper – it should work great.
I just made this granola and I love it. Real easy to make and this was my first time every making granola. I added vanilla, just because. I will not buy granola from the store again…thanks for the recipe
Hi Jenn
Would quick cooking oats (quaker) work just as well as old fashioned??
Thanks
Vanita
Hi Vanita, They’ll work but you’ll get a nicer texture with whole oats. Enjoy!
My husband has diabetes. Can I use stevia instead of honey in the granola??? Thank you, Marsha
Hi Marsha, I’ve never used Stevia, so I can’t say for sure, but I suspect the liquid form should work). I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Hi, Jenn! Mine is an odd question (of course). At a local farm market last summer, I bought a bottle of Sweet Potato Syrup. It has sugar in it but no corn syrup. The texture is more like maple syrup than honey. What do you think about replacing the honey with it? Know that my all time, to die for, granola recipe is your Maple Blueberry one from the cookbook. Might I be better to substitute there? I just wanted to try this one for a change, expecting a stickier consistency. Do you think I should adjust the oil?? Thanks….
Hmmm… I’m not familiar with sweet potato syrup, so I’m really not certain, but I suspect it might work. (I wouldn’t adjust the amount of oil in the recipe.) LMK how it turns out!
The sweet potato syrup worked well for my taste. My sense is that this granola’s texture was more sticky due to the honey, which is not really my preference. The sweet potato syrup has sugar in it rather than honey or syrup, which kept the texture nicely crisped. I used organic apricots, which I would not do in the future, simply b/c of their texture. I think a berry would be better. Thanks for another 5 star recipe, Jenn! Will buy more bottles at the farm market this summer!
This recipe is fantastic and very versatile! I left out the dried fruit, wheat germ and salt. Added pumpkin seeds and used coconut oil, maple syrup and rice malt syrup. I used a large non stick pan and used the stove top…toasted the nuts, seeds and coconut first and set aside. Then toasted the oatmeal, added the oil, sweeter mixture and nut/seed mixture. Worked for me as I didn’t want to heat up the oven. Very nice with greek yogurt and fresh fruit.
This has been my go-to granola for a couple of years. Recently, though, I cut down on sugar in my diet. I switched to plain yogurt with homemade applesauce for breakfast, but I would love to be able to top it with some low sugar/low fat granola. Any ideas?
Hi Paula, I think you could use this recipe, but just cut back on the honey. It will still be good; it just won’t clump as well. Hope that helps!
I made one batch of this and love it. Unfortunately my wife does not like coconut. Any suggestions on substitution?
Glad you like it, Steve! And yes, you can omit the coconut; just use more of any of the other dried ingredients in the recipe.