COCONUT ALMOND CLUSTER GRANOLA

Coconut Almond Cluster Granola image

As terrific as homemade granola tastes, its texture often lacks the thick, crunchy clusters found in store-bought versions. This recipe is an exception, filled with crisp, sweet clumps of oats, coconut flakes and seeds. The secret is grinding a portion of the oats and coconut into flour, which helps bind the ingredients together. Feel free to mix up the spices, nuts and seeds to taste, and to add dried fruit or chocolate chips after it cools if you like. Granola is adaptable, so make it the way you like it. You can also cut the brown sugar in half. The granola will be less sweet and less cluster-packed but still quite satisfying.

Provided by Melissa Clark

Categories breakfast, brunch

Time 1h

Yield 8 1/2 cups

Number Of Ingredients 14

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Ingredients

1/2 cup/120 milliliters coconut oil
1 tablespoon olive oil (or use more coconut oil)
2/3 cup/160 milliliters pure maple syrup
2/3 cup/160 grams packed turbinado or light brown sugar
2/3 cup/160 milliliters coconut or almond milk
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 cups/455 grams old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup/50 grams unsweetened coconut flakes
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger or cardamom
1 cup/85 grams sliced almonds
1/2 cup/70 grams raw pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup/65 grams sunflower seeds (optional, or use more pumpkin seeds or almonds)

Steps:

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine coconut oil, olive oil, maple syrup, sugar, coconut milk and salt and bring to a simmer. When sugar has dissolved, stir in vanilla extract and let cool slightly.
In a food processor, grind 1 1/4 cups/105 grams of the oats and 1/4 cup/12 grams of the coconut into a flour. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in remaining oats and coconut, the spices, the nuts and the seeds. Pour maple syrup mixture over and stir to combine. Let sit 10 minutes.
Using your hands, drop oat mixture onto prepared baking sheets in one layer, and pinch together into clumps with your fingers.
Bake 40 to 50 minutes, flipping the mixture (taking care not to break up the clumps) every 15 minutes. The mixture is done when it's golden brown all over and starting to crisp. It will continue to crisp up after as it cools. Transfer pans to wire racks and let cool. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 310, UnsaturatedFat 8 grams, Carbohydrate 37 grams, Fat 17 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 7 grams, SaturatedFat 8 grams, Sodium 181 milligrams, Sugar 17 grams, TransFat 0 grams