Granola

One syrup, one fat, and a low oven. Press it flat and leave it alone if you want clusters.

Prep
10m
Cook
45m
Waiting
1h
Total
1h 55m
Serves
about 8 cups
Effort
Easy
Scale
about 8 cups
Units

Method

Granola — recipe grid
1/2 cup 1 Whisk the wet ingredients together 3m 2 Toss until every oat is coated, then spread and press flat 5m 3 Bake at 150°C / 300°F, stirring once at 25 minutes 45m Press it flat again after stirring, then do not touch it until cold.
1/3 cup
1 tsp
1 tsp
1 tsp
4 cups
1 1/2 cups
1/2 cup
1
1 cup
Read left to right: ingredients merge into steps, and the rightmost cell is the last thing you do. Steps account for 53m of hands-on and cooking time.

Clusters are a cooling phenomenon

Granola crisps as it cools, not in the oven — the syrup goes from soft to glassy below about 60 °C. Stirring while it cools breaks every bond as it forms. So: press it flat, bake, and then leave the tray completely alone for an hour. Break it up with your hands afterwards.

Notes

  • Dried fruit added before baking turns to gravel. Always stir it in after.
  • 150 °C, no higher. Oats and nuts both scorch faster than the syrup sets.
  • Keeps a month in a sealed jar, assuming it lasts that long.

Try butter, 30 minutes, braise, or an ingredient you need to use up.