Crunchy Granola Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is my homemade granola not crunchy? ›

Higher temperatures can cause ingredients like nuts, seeds, and coconut to burn before the batch has a chance to properly dry out and crisp up, Perry says. Stick with a low temperature, keep an eye on your mixture, and stir it from time to time to help it brown evenly.

Not only can you transform that soggy, chewy granola back to being blissfully crunchy, but it's easier than you might think. All it takes is spreading the granola in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and heating it in a 400 degree oven for five minutes — essentially re-baking it.

Egg white: Helps create crunchy clusters. Vanilla extract, cinnamon, salt: Provides flavor and seasoning to the granola. Old-fashioned rolled oats: The base ingredient, providing bulk and texture. Nuts of your choice (such as almonds, walnuts, and/or pecans): Adds crunch and nutty flavor.

Clumpy Granola Method: Add Whole Wheat and Almond Flour

First, it adds a combo of whole wheat flour and almond flour (or almond meal), which act as a binder to hold the oat mixture together.

Your homemade granola will continue to crisp up as it cools. It's tempting to start eating it as soon as it comes out of the oven, but if you let it rest for 15 minutes on the sheet pan, it'll be extra crisp and toasty – totally worth the wait!

On the downside, granola can be high in added sugars, hidden calories, and saturated fat, making some options less healthy.

You need fat. If you're not using some type of fat to make granola, you're going to have a pile of dry oats. We use olive oil at Marge, and it gives the granola a toasty quality I really love.

If you want a less clumpy granola, stir and then add the nuts, flaxmeal, and coconut on top of the half-baked granola. If you want a more clumpy granola, don't stir before adding the additional ingredients. Return the sheet to the oven and bake 10 minutes more until everything is lightly toasted.

The binder is what helps the base ingredients clump together into clusters. Traditionally this is usually a sugar syrup, but it's possible to use any ingredient that has the power to bind. Egg - Egg whites are a great binder for granola if you are trying to avoid sugar.

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What to avoid in granola? ›

As such, watch out for ingredients like chocolate chips, honey, and dried fruit with added sugar. Granola may prompt weight gain if eaten in excess, as it can be high in calories from added fats and sugars. What's more, sugar is linked to chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.

I usually place the few spoonfuls I'll be eating that morning into a ramekin and give it about 10 seconds on HIGH. That's just enough to crisp up the granola without scorching. If you're re-crisping a larger batch for several people, spread it out on a plate and microwave in 10 second bursts until it's crispy again.

Stop stirring halfway through.

You need to stir the granola as it bakes to encourage even toasting. But, about halfway through the total bake time, just let it be. As the sugars caramelize, they cause the ingredients to stick together and eventually form those oh-so-desirable clusters.

If they are soggy after storage, they may have been stored while still warm. To fix this, spread the granola on a baking sheet and heat it in a 400-degree oven for about 5 minutes. This quick high temp bake is only for reheating and should only be done for a few minutes to prevent burning.

Salt and Spice

For flavorful granola, don't skip the salt! Too little and your flavors won't sing. I prefer using fine-grain sea salt in this one (I always cook with fine-grain sea salt), but regular salt will do, too (just use a little less). I added cinnamon to this batch for some subtle warming spice.

The Savory Pantry also found that layering fruit between the granola and the yogurt helped prevent the granola from getting soggy too quickly, though that does depend on the moisture content of the type of fruit you're using — avoid frozen fruit and consider adding dried fruit to cut down on moisture.