It all started with a typical weekend shopping trip to Costco where I discovered a delicious and highly addicting snack called Granola Clusters. You can find them in the Bakery section where they are sitting innocently on a table just waiting for unsuspecting passersby to put them in their cart. Little do these people know what will become of them once they decide to let these little morsels into their lives! Suddenly they become like Gollum in Lord of the Rings with their “precious” granola snack!
I admit, I succumbed to the lure of the clusters and became ensnared in their powerful allure! I became obsessed with the idea of replicating them in my own kitchen so I wouldn’t risk running out! (After all, Costco is a good 30 minute drive from my house! What if I ran out and I couldn’t get to Costco right away? I couldn’t take that chance!) So I spent a good deal of the afternoon and evening on Monday trying to create my own version of this evil concoction.
The fact that I couldn’t find any recipes online that were even remotely like this stuff should have been a warning — this stuff should not be replicated! It’s much too addicting and in the wrong hands it could be dangerous. But I ignored all the red flags and carelessly pressed on in my desperate pursuit to make my own “homemade” crack, errrr, clusters!
Eventually I found a recipe that claimed to result in “granola clusters” but maybe I was too far gone in my addiction at this point, because the recipe did NOT turn out how I had hoped! I wasn’t looking for subtle clustering of the granola, I needed big, chunky, chewy, satisfying clusters! Thankfully, I still had enough presence of mind to make some changes to the recipe that resulted in what I think is actually better than the original! Boy oh boy did I luck out on this one! ;-)
Of course it still should have a warning label because it’s still as addicting as sin, but at least it’s homemade! ;-) (And yes, I AM eating it like candy as I type this post! Don’t judge me!) ;-)
Granola Clusters
Adapted from The Traveler’s Lunchbox
Ingredients
- 1 lb quick oats (I used gluten-free)
- 3 cups coarsely chopped raw nuts and/or seeds (I used 2 cups whole, roasted almonds and 1 cup sunflower seeds)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 cups dried fruit (I used 1 cup raisins, 1 cup cranberries)
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, coffee grinder or blender, grind half the oats to a fine powder (this apparently is KEY when making clusters! Helps make the granola hold together better).
In a large bowl, combine the whole oats, ground oats, nuts, spices, and dried fruit.
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the brown sugar, honey, butter, maple syrup and water and heat until the mixture starts to bubble. Stir in the salt and vanilla.
Pour this over the oats and nuts, stirring well to coat.
It should be moist – stir in another tablespoon or two of water if it isn’t. Let stand for about ten minutes.
Spread the mixture out on a large baking sheet and firmly press it down until it is packed nicely into the pan.
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Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven, let cool, then gently break up the mixture into medium-sized clumps. Now put BACK in the oven for another 15 to 20 minutes.
When the granola comes out of the oven it should be nice and golden brown, extra crunchy on the outside and just slightly soft and chewy on the inside. Let cool completely then break it up into clusters and store in a covered container at room temperature.
If you like snacking on granola you simply have to try these. Oh, and don’t worry — I can stop anytime I want to! ;-)
Granola Clusters
Ingredients
- 1 lb quick oats I used gluten-free
- 3 cups coarsely chopped raw nuts and/or seeds I used 2 cups whole, roasted almonds and 1 cup sunflower seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 cups dried fruit I used 1 cup raisins, 1 cup cranberries
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 cup 2 sticks butter
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, coffee grinder or blender, grind half the oats to a fine powder
- In a large bowl, combine the whole oats, ground oats, nuts, spices, and dried fruit.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the brown sugar, honey, butter, maple syrup and water and heat until the mixture starts to bubble. Stir in the salt and vanilla.
- Pour this over the oats and nuts, stirring well to coat.
- It should be moist – stir in another tablespoon or two of water if it isn’t. Let stand for about ten minutes.
- Spread the mixture out on a large baking sheet and FIRMLY PRESS IT DOWN until it is packed nicely into the pan.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven, let cool, then gently break up the mixture into medium-sized clumps. Now put BACK in the oven for another 15 to 20 minutes.
- When the granola comes out of the oven it should be nice and golden brown, extra crunchy on the outside and just slightly soft and chewy on the inside. Let cool completely then break it up into clusters and store in a covered container at room temperature.
Nutrition
THANKS so much for sharing! I can’t keep enough of it around! It’s become a favorite snack here! On our fourth batch. Course chopped the almonds, makes the bites more manageable. The first two times I made this it browned too much, almost burned. So, I waited to add the furit till the second bake and cut down sugar and all that fat. I cut the brown sugar down to 2/3 of a cup for the first bake. I cut the butter in half on the second bake I also used half as much honey as it called for (that’s expensive) and only a couple T of corn syrup. Baked it in a 9×13 loosely for first bake, then back in same 9×13 for second bake, but pressed in as making bars. When almost cool I broke it into the chunks. Very very good and easier then all those muffin tins!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.OMGoodness…this is better than awesome!!!! I feel like I need to hide the jar from myself…lol! I let the granola cool completely in the pan and was able to break it into pieces without a problem. I tried to break it apart while it was hot at first and it did crumble (and those crumbles have made a tasty addition to my yogurt!).
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Just wanted to let you know I made these on Saturday! They turned out wonderful! I didn’t have enough syrup so I used light karo instead and it worked great. Also, I didn’t a batch in the muffin pan and then pressed the rest into my large cookie sheet. I slightly scored the top before putting them back in the oven to make it easier to break apart when they came out. So now we have the clusters and the bars, well kinda bar shaped. The family loves them and so do I. Thank you for the great recipe!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I made these tonight and they are so delicious… my husband didn’t want me to do the second step but I needed to try it so we can decide which way will be better next time, which will be very soon.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Will not do the last step next time… first step was mighty delish. Second step a little too sweet and over cooked
Please log in or create a free account to comment.These sound wonderful except for the maple syrup, can’t stand the flavor! Would love suggestions for substitutions.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.honey or karo syrup
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Agave.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I made this today.. did it Exactly, as stated..I didn’t want to take the chance of it not working by adding all ingredients at the beginning..Once cooled, the clumps were perfect! ..I also added 1/2 cup of flax seeds, and next time I will also add Chia seeds…I coarsely chopped the almonds and added raw sunflower seeds…My husband and I couldn’t stop eating it!!…It’s seriously GOOD!…I think I will try some of the alternatives mentioned here…to cut down on the sugar and butter next time….but I will definitely stick to the twice baked method, as the consistency is perfect!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.On my second batch! soooooo good!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I haven’t made this yet but for some reason I kept thinking about it all day today. I HAVE to make this soon!!!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Just finished trying this recipe…have got to put final product under lock and key and give key to son. A few things I tried that others mentioned wanting to do: I stuck to recipe until the final mixture of gooey ingredients that would help give the sticky factor. Decided to try using CANOLA OIL instead of butter (1/3 cup), AGAVE SYRUP instead of honey(1/2 cup) and MAPLE SYRUP(1/3 cup) . Proceeded as recipe said and had a lovely crispy outside with soft inside. NOT saying they came out of cupcake pans in nice clumps and stayed that way, mainly because of my lack of patience in throwing them in the container! But they could be molded or formed into clumps. Am experimenting with one batch and letting them stay in tins and cool completely to see if they will stay together. One other thing I did add was chia seeds for those of you looking to try these little healthfood gems . In conclusion, what I will do differently next time is cut back on my input of sugar on the front end, (the brown sugar) knowing I will be doing that final coating of sugar and see how that tastes. Just a thought for those trying to be a little more conscious of their sugar intake. Hope this helps someone!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Your post just cracked me UP this morning! These look and sound scrumptious!! I will be making them. I’m thinking I’d better make double batch; some for my secret stash & some for the family.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Does anyone else do that, have a secret stash of goodies…I wonder?!!! Giggle Hey–a girl never knows when she NEEDS something yummy in emergency!
I made this today, adding the extra ingredients into the mixture to be cooked. The problem with it was I think it had too much sugar because it just got dark fairly quickly. I would probably lower my oven temp if I made it again, or I would do it the way Jillee did it and do a second baking with the extra ingredients. I did get clumps but also a lot of loose granola, I did it on cookie sheets with parchment paper because I only have one mini muffin tin and I didn’t want to do this in 3 or 4 batches.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.:( ok I tried this recipe and I was left with a dry cereal type granola mixture, very tasty Bo
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Ut far from clumps, I added the extra ingredients with the others and baked do u think that could b what went wrong?
That’s probably your problem. I used the extra ingredients to form it into the clumps.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Can we say YUMMY
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Aunt Jill these were so good! Maya and Tristan were fighting over that little snack baggie you gave Tristan. They consumed them pretty quick! Now I need to make some Nate would LOVE these! Thanks again for sharing!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.It would be great if you had a “Print the Recipe” button with this!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.*sigh* You’ve voiced my wish!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.i am always just wanting CLUMPS.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I am going to try this but I may cut out some of the butter and add peanut butter to mine. Also coconut sounds good to try out too! Anything to get more granola in my diet!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Several of these snack type things these days are made with rice syrup. I would think you could buy that in the health food section. I believe it has a lower glucose level. Also, in the old days, the granola was made with some oil as part of the liquid. Maybe these two things would help the people who need less sugar, Also the agave as someone else mentioned. Need to do some experimenting.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hi Sue, I love Agave syrup and use it alot so I tried it with this recipe. It worked just fine!! And I also grew up making granola with oil so I tried that instead of the butter. No problem with that substitution. For me, it is a quesiton of which is healthier so I am going to research that. This stuff is dangerous tho once you make it, I should have never made mine right before dinner!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Can’t wait to try this! I may have to chop up the Almonds though. With store bough teeth, it isn’t easy to eat big nuts.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Now that is one dangerous recipe
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Mmmmmm…. glad calorie counts aren’t mentioned!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.AMAZING!! I was just looking for a good granola recipe last night!! I love the idea of making clusters for snacking. I also like to add granola to my yogurt so I can just continue baking some without putting in the muffin tin…I love versatility! I’m definitely going to give this a whirl!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.WOW! I have all these ingredients on hand. It sounds like a great way to use up the last of all the bags of dried fruit spilling out of the cabinet. DH opens new bags before he finishes the open ones (I hate that), and his one shelf in the cabinet is overflowing with these bags. I was going to try adding those heavily salted pumpkin seeds (David’s) because he has 4 open bags of those. His shelf is such a mess he doesn’t even look in there anymore-he just opens a new bag. Next week I’ll have to make the Chocolate Saltine Toffee Bark, because he has about 5 sleeves opened.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.And to think I was going to behave after all those holiday treats.
To answer the questions about adding the honey, maple syrup and butter as a second step…..
While I haven’t tested it out yet….I don’t see any reason why you couldn’t just add all the ingredients in the first step. Also, it seems logical that you could just put it all straight into the muffin tins rather than cooking first on a sheet and THEN putting into the tins. But again, I havent personally tried it out yet. But I will! :-)
Anyone who tries it…please give us an update! thx!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I also recommend mixing them up together and then just bake it on a baking sheet. Perhaps on the first baking session, press it into the pan and then once browned, just cut them up into squares.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I did this all in one step it did not turn out it was more like a muffin than granola it was good but not what it should have been, I think the first step makes it granola then the second step and bake makes the clusters.