How you can Make Granola Clusters

The large crunchy clusters are simply the very best bites of granola, so why not bake a batch of solely clusters?! This recipe for home made granola clusters produces a healthful, scrumptious anytime snack that’s straightforward to make and simpler to eat. Bake the maple almond granola combination in a 9×13-inch baking pan, earlier than breaking apart into items and returning to the oven. (That’s the cluster trick!) You want simply 8 components for this naturally vegan, dairy-free, egg-free recipe.

Anybody who enjoys snacking on granola can most likely relate… have you ever ever fished round within the container or package deal to pick the enormous clusters? Simply me?

As a result of aren’t these massive crunchy clusters (that virtually take up a complete spoon) the very best?! Now you can discover granola clusters in some shops, however it’s straightforward to make them at residence with a handful of straightforward, healthful components. I’m speaking about a batch of JUST clusters. Deliver on the crunch.

I printed this recipe again in 2012—it was one in every of my first recipes shared on this web site! And it’s nonetheless a constant favourite in my home. Over time, I’ve discovered you actually don’t want the entire wheat flour. As a substitute, use simply almond flour to assist bind the oats and create these giant clusters. By eradicating the entire wheat flour and if utilizing licensed gluten-free oats, this recipe is gluten free. Sliced almonds add taste and texture, and also you’ll love the flavors from maple syrup, brown sugar, and vanilla. (Truthfully, like a crunchy granola model of maple brown sugar cookies.)

Abstract of Home made Granola Clusters:

• Made with minimal components, no want for the rest
• Simple recipe, nice for newbie or younger bakers
• Healthful deal with made with oats, almonds, and maple syrup
• A bit of salty and candy, fantastic maple taste
• Vitality-packed snack you’ll be ok with consuming
• Vegan, egg-free, and gluten free if utilizing licensed GF oats
• Make the clusters as giant or small as you want—you’re in management right here!
• A lot satisfying texture and crunch in each chew

8 Components & Why Every Is Essential

1. Oats: Complete rolled (old style) oats are the nutritious coronary heart of those granola clusters. I don’t advocate fast or prompt oats right here—you want entire.
2. Almond Flour: Almond flour is a fairly widespread ingredient lately, and most grocery shops carry it. You want this ingredient to ensure that the granola to clump. When you have any left over, problem your self with a batch of French macarons. And when you can’t discover almond flour within the retailer, you may make it at residence. See recipe Notes.
3. Salt: A bit of salt brings out all the opposite flavors, making these the tastiest granola clusters.
4. Sliced/Slivered Almonds: Nuts add texture, and you’ll definitely depart them out if desired. When you solely have entire almonds, give them a tough chop. I like to recommend utilizing unsalted.
5. Coconut Oil: Don’t depart this out! The fats retains granola from turning right into a mushy mess and provides crunch and richness to each cluster. You’ll be able to substitute butter if wanted, however not a liquid oil. You want a fats that’s strong at room temperature.
6. Brown Sugar: The brown sugar provides sweetness, however can also be wanted to thicken the sticky “sauce” that will get poured over the dry components. You’ll be able to substitute coconut sugar, if desired.
7. Maple Syrup: Pure maple syrup provides these clusters probably the most scrumptious taste, and it’s an unrefined sweetener. It additionally helps the granola stick collectively, cluster-style.
8. Vanilla Extract: One other taste enhancer!

FAQ: Can I Make This With out Brown Sugar?

We’re sweetening these granola clusters with maple syrup and brown sugar, and I don’t advocate utilizing solely maple syrup. You actually need a dry sugar to assist thicken the sauce poured over the dry components. When you’d favor to make use of an unrefined sugar, strive utilizing coconut sugar as a substitute of brown sugar.

Bake the Combination in a Baking Dish (That’s the Trick!)

Soften the coconut oil, brown sugar, and maple syrup collectively on the range earlier than pouring over and mixing into your dry components. Press the combination right into a lined 9×13-inch baking dish, as when you had been making granola bars. That’s the actual trick right here:

Rotate the pan each 10 minutes. When the granola “slab” has baked for about 40 minutes, take away the baking pan and let cool for five–10 minutes, however preserve the oven on. Fastidiously—it’s scorching!—raise out the marginally cooled slab of granola (simply choose up the entire thing by the perimeters of the parchment paper) and lower into squares, then break aside into items. These are your clusters!

Return the clusters again to the pan, or unfold on a lined baking sheet this time, and provides them one other 10 minutes within the oven to realize crispy, crunchy clusters.

FAQ: Can I Embrace Some Add-ins?

If you wish to add some further goodies to your maple almond granola clusters—corresponding to pumpkin seeds (pepitas) or sunflower seeds, raisins, coconut flakes, dried cranberries—you possibly can, however preserve the entire quantity of add-ins to about 1 and 1/4 cups, together with the sliced almonds within the recipe. So use 3/4 cup sliced almonds and 1/2 cup of every other add-in. Too many add-ins = clusters will disintegrate and also you’ll simply have common granola. Not a foul factor, simply not clusters!

Different More healthy Baking Recipes

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Maple Almond Granola Clusters

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  Writer: Sally
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  Prep Time: quarter-hour
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  Cook dinner Time: 50 minutes
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  Complete Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes
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  Yield: 5.5 cups
• 
  Class: Snacks
• 
  Methodology: Baking
• 
  Delicacies: American

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Description

Attempt a batch of *simply* granola clusters! Bake the combination in a 9×13-inch baking pan, earlier than breaking apart into items and returning to the oven. (That’s the cluster trick!) You want simply 8 components for this naturally vegan and egg-free recipe. Use licensed gluten-free oats to make sure this recipe is gluten free.

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Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300°F (149°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Put aside.
2. Combine the oats, almond flour, salt, and almonds collectively in a big bowl. Put aside.
3. Mix coconut oil, brown sugar, and maple syrup in a medium saucepan over medium warmth. Whisk till sugar dissolves. It’s okay if there’s a layer of oil on prime. Take away from warmth, whisk within the vanilla, and pour over oat combination. Stir till all the pieces begins to come back collectively. The combination can be sticky.
4. Pour into ready baking pan and, utilizing a spatula, press combination tightly into a good layer within the pan.
5. Bake for 40 minutes, rotating the pan each 10 minutes to make sure the granola “slab” bakes evenly. Take away the baking pan, however don’t flip off the oven. Let the granola slab cool within the pan for five–10 minutes. (The cooling is essential!) Raise the granola out of the pan utilizing the parchment overhang on the edges. Minimize into squares, after which break up into smaller cluster items—watch out, the granola is scorching! Place the clusters again into the baking pan, with or with out parchment, or unfold onto a lined or unlined baking sheet, and bake the clusters for 10 extra minutes.
6. Take away clusters from the oven and funky fully. Clusters change into crunchier the longer they cool.
7. Cowl and retailer the cooled clusters at room temperature for as much as 1 week, or freeze for as much as 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.

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Notes

1. Particular Instruments (affiliate hyperlinks): 9×13-Inch Baking Pan | Baking Sheet | Parchment Paper | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Spatula
2. Almond Flour: You should use almond flour or almond meal on this recipe. Almond flour is finely floor blanched almonds. You possibly can additionally use almond meal, which is coarser. You should purchase almond flour in most grocery shops, and I actually like Bob’s Crimson Mill model. You too can make it at residence, and right here’s how: Pulse about 3/4 cup of entire almonds (blanched or not) a number of instances in a meals processor till the almonds are finely floor. Don’t let it grind for too lengthy or the nuts will launch an excessive amount of of their oil and switch into almond butter.
3. Nut-Free: You’ll be able to swap almond flour for oat flour, and miss the sliced almonds. I discover this model isn’t fairly as crunchy, however it does work.
4. Oats: Complete rolled (old style) oats are the nutritious coronary heart of those granola clusters. I don’t advocate fast or prompt oats right here—you want entire.
5. Coconut Oil: Don’t depart this out! The fats retains granola from turning right into a mushy mess and provides crunch and richness to each cluster. You should use butter as a substitute if wanted, however don’t substitute a liquid oil—you want a fats that’s strong at room temperature.
6. Brown Sugar: The brown sugar provides sweetness, however can also be wanted to thicken the sticky “sauce” that will get poured over the dry components. You’ll be able to substitute coconut sugar, if desired.
7. Add-Ins: If you wish to add some further goodies to your maple almond granola clusters—corresponding to pumpkin seeds (pepitas) or sunflower seeds, raisins, coconut flakes, dried cranberries—you possibly can, however preserve the entire quantity of add-ins to about 1 and 1/4 cups, together with the sliced almonds within the recipe. So use 3/4 cup sliced almonds and 1/2 cup of every other add-in. Consider the clusters could disintegrate extra relying on the add-ins you employ.

Vitamin

• Serving Dimension: 1/2 cup
• Energy: 306
• Sugar: 12.3 g
• Sodium: 107 mg
• Fats: 12.8 g
• Carbohydrates: 33 g
• Fiber: 4.1 g
• Protein: 6.3 g

Key phrases: maple almond granola clusters