This is the perfect granola recipe…it makes Snacking Granola Clusters..perfect for an on-the-go treat. Big Cluster granola is the best!
I know granola might seem boring.
But can I just tell you that I make the best granola?
Like the besty best?
You wanna know why it’s the best? Because it’s all clumpy and clustery… not all loosey goosey oats.
I don’t eat granola in milk, so maybe that explains my preference…but you know as well as I do that when you open a box of granola you go straight for the clusters. Don’t lie. You do it. So do I.
SO why don’t they make all clusters? Well, people..I did.
And not only is this clustery…it’s also my favorite granola recipe. Perfectly sweet..a touch salty and totally snack-able.
Plus, this recipe is perfect because you can add or not add whatever…don’t like raisins? No problemo. Don’t do nuts? Not an issue!
But I will say I ave a few “secret ingredients” in my granola..so listen up.
Grab your oats. This isn’t the secret ingredient.
I like to use old-fashioned oats in mine, but you could absolutely use Quick Oats if that’s what you have in your pantry.
Next up Corn Flakes…
So these are a secret ingredient that I like to add to give my granola extra crunch. If you’re feeling crazy you could even sub in Frosted Flakes for the Corn Flakes.
You’re gonna need to crush them up. People will never even know they’re in there. Promise.
I LOVE coconut in my granola…
And yes, I add raisins. You could put in any other dried fruit you like, or leave it out completely…Whaterrr.
Now, secret ingredient #2.
Beat up one egg white and mix that into the ingredients.
An egg white helps bind everything, making it more clustery…
Spread all your granola out onto a lined baking sheet and bake at 300° for 20 minutes.
THEN. This is another trick…after the 20 minutes turn off the oven and let it sit..overnight is best, until the oven and the granola are completely cool.
I discovered this method one day when I started making the granola but had to leave the house suddenly. I knew it wasn’t done baking, so I just shut the oven off. Many hours later when I came home I was pleasantly surprised at the results! Not only was it perfectly crunchy, but it held together in big hunks!
The egg white discovery came later, but those 2 things are my tricks for getting all clusters.
When it’s baked and cooled it will look like this…kinda flat…
I like white chocolate chips in mine. You can if you wanna.
Then just peel it off the foil or parchment, breaking it into pieces…
And you’ll have this…
Isn’t it pretty?
Honestly my recipe is perfectly sweet, but not too sweet!
If you’re not a cluster-lover you can stir the granola every 10 minutes while cooking and bake it a little longer, removing it from the oven immediately.
It will look more like this picture….
Either way it’s a success!
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Snacking Granola Clusters
Description
makes approx 10 cups granola
Ingredients
- 5 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 cup raisins
- 2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
- 4 cups corn flakes, crushed
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup salted cashews or any kind of nut
- 1 beaten egg white
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°
- Line a (15×11) baking sheet with sides with parchment paper.
- Mix all ingredients except the white chocolate chips together in a large bowl until evenly coated with butter and honey. Finally stir in beaten egg white evenly.
- Spread mixture onto baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 minutes without stirring.
- Turn oven off and allow granola to stay in oven until cooled.
- Break into pieces.
Notes
Store airtight for up to 2 weeks.
If you prefer not-clustered granola, stir the granola every 10 minutes while baking and remove from oven when done baking. Also, omit the egg white form the ingredients. UP the bake-time to 25-30 minutes.
*loosely based on a granola recipe from Elk Haven Nursing Home Cookbook
is there any substitute to the egg whites?
yum yum yummy. I have made this at least 10 times. Its so versatile. If I don’t have one thing, I sub another and it always tastes great! thank you.
It’s really one of my favorite recipes!! SO glad you liked it!
I just finished putting together a care package to send my husband overseas. I made pumpkin bread, chocolate chip cookies, and this granola. Of all three things, the granola is the one that I can’t stop eating. So glad I made enough to be able to keep some here. This is so good! I’ll definitely be making it again.
Yum! I make this recipe easily once a month if not more. I travel a lot, so I pack it up and keep it in my bag when I need to snack on those long flights. Oh, how I love to snack! Thank you for this recipe and your many other awesome recipes full of yummy goodness. Congratulations on your book as well!! Can’t wait to see it!
Thank you so much! This is one of my favorites too!
I loved this recipe, even with the coconut, which I don’t particularly like. Getting ready to make a second time. This time I will bake a little longer, not crunchy enough last time. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
THanks for the feedback!!
I loved this recipe! I substituted cornflakes for Great grains cereal with raisins, dates and walnuts, but also added salted cashews, craisins and almonds! So Delish! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I made the recipe..it’s in the oven cooling as we speak. I made 2 major mistakes. Thought the recipe read 21/2 T. of brown sugar. Secondly I added the chips into the mix. Thought they would stay whole like they do in cookies. I’m sure it won’t be sweet enough, but I will let you know:)
Wish I had read this first, wasn’t sure so I crushed then measured and my granola wasn’t as clusters as I would have liked. I did add an extra egg white, tasted great!
Oh Darn!! I only put in 2 1/2 T of brown sugar! It is now cooling in the oven. I also added the chocolate chips into the mix, because it wasn’t clear. Hopefully I can remake it if it’s not sweet enough:((( I am an exact recipe reader and my brain wouldn’t think to itself ” that’s not enough sugar” oh well:)
Is it 4cups cornflakes after crushing, or 4 cups, then crush?
4 cups of corn flakes uncrushed…crush after you measure. It will leave you with about 2 cups of crushed flakes 🙂
I’ve been falling (hard) down the rabbit hole that is your wonderful blog. I am so happy you posted this – there is a “snacking granola” that a bakery nearby makes we are obsessed with. Today I had a very disappointing, very hard and unclumpy version, that needed to be added to other things to be eaten. Granola needs to be snacked on – no milk/yogurt necessary!