Crazy Cluster Maple Granola

By Samah Dada

This recipe is gluten-free.

COOK TIME: 30-40 mins

PREP TIME: 5 minutes

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INGREDIENTS

  • 1/3 cup almond butter (can sub peanut butter or tahini)
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil or melted and cooled coconut oil
  • 1 1/2 cups mixed nuts of choice, slightly crushed, chopped or slivered (I like to use almonds and pistachios)
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 2 tbsp hemp seeds
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds
  • pinch salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon


RECIPE

  1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the almond butter, maple syrup, coconut oil, and mix until smooth.
  3. Add the nuts, coconut chips, rolled oats, hemp seeds, chia seeds, salt and cinnamon into the bowl with the tahini mixture. Stir to combine so that the tahini mixture thoroughly coats the nuts, seeds, and oats.
  4. Spoon the granola onto your parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Spread the mixture out into one even layer, very gently packing it down — to ensure an even crisp bake, and to get those nice big clusters!
  5. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking to ensure an even bake – everything should be golden and toasty.
  6. The trick to ensure that you have these really crispy, huge, clusters is actually to let the granola cool completely on the pan before breaking it into clusters. Do NOT stir it! Do not touch it! Let it hang out! This will allow the granola to crisp up as it cool in that even layer that you formed it into.
  7. This is the best hack for ensuring you have those big clusters – there is nothing I hate more than sad granola (i.e. just individual pieces of oats, nuts, seeds…..) Once the granola is completely cool, you can now break it up into clusters of your desired size. Store granola in an airtight container or a sealed mason jar on your counter or pantry for up to 2 weeks.