BROWN BUTTER GRANOLA CLUSTERS

Brown Butter Granola Clusters image

Provided by Ree Drummond : Food Network

Time 1h45m

Yield 16 servings

Number Of Ingredients 17

Ingredients

1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter
6 cups rolled oats (not quick oats)
1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup molasses
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup crispy rice cereal, such as Rice Krispies
1 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/2 cup shelled pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup roughly chopped almonds
1/4 cup flax seeds
Coconut oil cooking spray, for spraying the foil

Steps:

For the brown butter: Add the butter to a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook, swirling the skillet to keep the butter moving around, until it melts and bubbles up, 3 to 4 minutes. When the butter is a medium golden brown, remove the skillet from the heat (it will continue browning in the skillet over the next 30 seconds or so!). Pour the butter and any solids into a bowl and let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
For the toasted oats: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a bowl, toss the oats with the oil, melted butter and salt. Spread the mixture out on the prepared baking sheets and bake, shaking the pans twice during the cooking time and making sure the oats don't burn, until toasted, about 12 minutes. Set aside to cool a bit. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
For the clusters: In a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar, honey and molasses. Stir the mixture until combined, then heat over medium heat, stirring, until barely bubbling. Stir in the vanilla extract. Add the brown butter to the pan and stir.
Toss together the toasted oats, rice cereal, wheat germ, cranberries, pecans, pumpkin seeds, almonds and flax seeds in a large bowl. Pour over the sugar mixture, stirring as you pour. Toss to combine; it will be sticky!
Line a baking sheet with foil and thoroughly spray with coconut oil spray. Tip the mixture onto the baking sheet, spread out and bake until golden, about 30 minutes. Let cool, then use a fork to make clusters. Store in a jar until ready to use.