Homemade Crunchy Granola Clusters (Printable)

Golden, crunchy clusters made with rolled oats, assorted nuts, and honey. Ideal for breakfast or snacking.

# Ingredient List:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
02 - 1 cup mixed nuts (such as almonds, pecans, walnuts), coarsely chopped
03 - 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut (optional)
04 - 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas) or sunflower seeds
05 - 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
06 - 1/4 tsp fine sea salt

→ Wet Ingredients

07 - 1/3 cup honey (or maple syrup for vegan option)
08 - 1/4 cup melted coconut oil (or neutral oil)
09 - 1 tsp vanilla extract

→ Optional Add-ins

10 - 1/2 cup dried cranberries, raisins, or chopped dried apricots
11 - 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, nuts, coconut, seeds, cinnamon, and salt. Stir to mix evenly.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together honey, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract.
04 - Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients. Stir until everything is evenly coated and clumps start to form.
05 - Spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet in an even layer. Gently press down with a spatula to encourage clusters to form.
06 - Bake for 22-25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until golden brown.
07 - Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the baking sheet without stirring (this helps clusters set).
08 - Once cooled, break into clusters. Mix in dried fruit or chocolate chips if desired. Store in an airtight container.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You get actual clusters instead of sad crumbs at the bottom of the jar.
  • It costs a fraction of store bought and tastes fresher every single time.
  • You can toss in whatever nuts or seeds you have lying around and it still turns out great.
  • It keeps for weeks in a sealed container so you can make it once and enjoy it forever.
02 -
  • Do not stir the granola while it cools or you'll end up with loose crumbs instead of clusters.
  • Pressing the mixture down hard before baking is the difference between chunky clusters and disappointing dust.
  • If your oven runs hot, check it at 20 minutes to avoid burning the edges.
03 -
  • Use a light hand when stirring after adding the wet ingredients, you want clumps, not a uniform paste.
  • Let the granola cool on the pan for at least 30 minutes without touching it, patience here pays off in serious cluster size.
  • Double the batch and freeze half, it thaws in minutes and tastes just as fresh as the day you made it.
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