Easy Homemade Granola with Crunchy Clusters
This easy homemade granola is buttery, crisp, and full of crunchy clusters. The brown sugar and honey create a smooth coating that clings to the oats, and you can customize the recipe with your favorite nuts, seeds, spices, and sweet mix-ins.
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Ingredients
- 3½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Nuts and Crunch (Choose up to ½ cup total)
- Sliced almonds
- Chopped walnuts
- Pecans
- Pumpkin seeds
- Sunflower seeds
Seeds (Choose up to 2 tablespoon total)
- Chia seeds
- Ground flaxseed
- Sesame seeds
- Hemp hearts
Flavor Boosters (Start with about ½ teaspoon, or adjust to your taste)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- Additional vanilla extract
Sweet Mix-Ins (Add up to ½ cup total after baking and cooling)
- Dried cranberries
- Raisins
- Chopped dates
- Dark chocolate chunks
- Unsweetened coconut flakes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets or sheet pans with parchment paper.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, brown sugar, and honey. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter is melted and the mixture comes to a full boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
- In a large bowl, combine the oats, salt, and any nuts, seeds, or flavor boosters you’re using.
- Pour the hot syrup mixture over the oats. Stir thoroughly, scraping the bottom of the bowl as you mix, until all of the oats are evenly coated.
- Divide the granola evenly between the prepared baking sheets. Spread it into a thin, even layer and gently press it down with a spatula.
- Bake at 250°F for 1 hour without stirring.
- Remove the pans from the oven and let the granola cool completely without stirring. The coating will firm up as it cools and create crunchy clusters.
- Once completely cool, break the granola into pieces and stir in up to ½ cup of your favorite sweet mix-ins, if using.
Notes
For bigger clusters, gently press the granola into the pan before baking and leave it completely undisturbed while it cools.
The honey helps the butter and brown sugar mixture coat the oats more evenly and gives the granola a little more sweetness without making it taste strongly of honey.
Store the cooled granola in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days.
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