This homemade crunchy granola is quick and easy to make. Enjoy it in the morning with milk for a healthy cereal alternative, use it as a topping with your favorite yogurt, or snack on it by the handfuls all day long.
- Prep Time:
20 mins - Cook Time:
40 mins - Total Time:
60 mins*
* Plus cooling time.
If you’re a granola person (believe it or not, some people aren’t – looking at you, husband) then you undoubtedly have your granola ideal. Almonds vs pecans. Crunchy vs chewy. Seeds vs no seeds. And let’s not even get started on the endless dried fruit possibilities.
For me, my idea of perfect granola is something that is crunchy, slightly sweet, and has clusters of different sizes. I like almonds for nuts and dried apricots for fruit and please hold the seeds. That’s what this granola recipe delivers.
Tips for crunchy granola with big clusters
- Getting granola with a crunchy texture requires the right ratio of fat and liquid sweetener so don’t omit the coconut oil or maple syrup. If you’re not a fan of coconut oil, you can substitute in the same amount of canola oil.
- Press down on the granola before baking to ensure that everything sticks together so you can get big clusters of granola in the end.
- Don’t stir the granola while it’s baking. Stirring will cause the oats and add-ins to no longer stick together and will result in a looser granola.
- Be sure to use old-fashioned rolled oats and not steel-cut oats, quick oats or anything labeled as “oatmeal”.
Crunchy Granola with Almonds and Dried Apricots
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cooling Time: 60 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: About 4–5 cups 1x
- Category: Breakfast, Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This homemade crunchy granola is quick and easy to make. Enjoy it in the morning with milk for a healthy cereal alternative, use it as a topping with your favorite yogurt, or snack on it by the handfuls all day long.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup raw almonds, halved
- 1 cup dried apricots, halved (see Note 1)
Instructions
- Prep. Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking liner.
- Make coating. Whisk coconut oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt together in a large bowl until combined and brown sugar is dissolved.
- Mix in. Add oats, almonds, and apricots (see Note 1). Then fold mixture with a rubber spatula until everything is evenly coated.
- Transfer. Spread oat mixture out on prepared baking sheet into an even layer about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Using a stiff metal spatula, gently press down on the granola with the back of the spatula until very compact (this helps the granola clump together).
- Bake. Bake granola until lightly golden brown throughout (the edges will be slightly darker), 35 to 40 minutes. Rotate the pan once halfway through baking to promote even browning. (see Notes 2 and 3).
- Cool. Remove granola from oven and cool on wire rack to room temperature, about 1 hour. Use a small offset spatula to loosen the granola from the pan. Break the cooled granola into clusters. Add in dried apricots if they weren’t added in Step 3 (see Note 1).
Notes
- Baking the granola with the dried apricots will dry out the fruit a little bit. I don’t mind this. I also look for plump dried apricots. If you prefer, you can wait to stir in the dried apricots until after the granola is baked and cooled.
- To get large clumps of granola, do not stir during the baking process or until it is completely cooled.
- The granola will not be crunchy when it first comes out of the oven but will crisp up as it cools.
- Granola can be stored in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
- Recipe adapted from America’s Test Kitchen.
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