Easy Honey Almond Granola Recipe - Peas and Crayons (2024)

FAQs

What ingredient makes granola clump together? ›

The key ingredient is egg whites, which act as a glue, binding all those nutritious ingredients together into crispy chunks of goodness. It also helps to press the granola down on the baking sheet to stick everything together before baking. When baking, only stir if necessary to keep the edges from burning.

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.

Honey – Along with the nut butter, it helps all these ingredients stick together! I love its warm amber flavor in this recipe.

Less added sugar: Many store-bought granolas contain a lot of added sugars (think: white refined sugar, brown sugar syrup, tapioca syrup, high-fructose corn syrup), which can impact your health and weight loss goals if eaten in excess. By making your own granola, you have the power to sweeten it the way you like.

Chia seeds are often praised for their binding powers. In fact, they secure ingredients so well that they can even be used as an egg replacer. Adding just a spoonful of chia seeds to your favorite granola bar recipe will make a huge difference in its texture.

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.

Check the ingredient list, avoiding products that list sugar or sweeteners —including natural sweeteners like honey — within the first few ingredients. Instead, the first few ingredients should be whole foods, such as oats, nuts, seeds, and dried fruit. You may also want to look for varieties high in protein and fiber.

Potential Downsides

Sugar varies by brand, but one example is a popular brand of low-fat granola, which packs more than 1 tablespoon of added sugar per serving. To know for sure, scan the ingredient list for sugars like honey, maple syrup, brown rice syrup or molasses.

Most granola recipes add the nuts in the beginning and the nuts just cook too long and become bitter. Also cooking at a low temperature means there is no constant stirring like most recipes. You only stir when you add the nuts and coconut.

Is it cheaper to make your own granola bars? ›

Making your own granola bars can be cheaper than buying pre-packaged ones, especially if you buy ingredients in bulk. I often buy old fashioned oats, seeds, chia seeds, and flaxseed in bulk which is cheaper than buying the smaller packages.

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.

Which One Is Better for Breakfast? Both oatmeal and granola make for a healthy, nutritious breakfast, but the winner for us is granola—the added nuts, seeds, and dried fruits give you a source of fiber and healthy fats that oatmeal can't quite compete with.

When stored properly at room temperature, fresh homemade granola can last for up to four weeks. Preserve its quality by letting it cool completely before storing. Packing it while it's warm leads to condensation and, consequently, unnecessary moisture.

While the oats and nuts bake, you can make the sticky glue that holds our bars together. You'll melt butter, honey, and brown sugar in a saucepan and simmer until the sugar dissolves. Mix this sticky mixture with the toasted oats and nuts.

Add egg whites.

But really, add a beaten egg white -- make sure it's foamy and frothy -- to your granola after you've mixed it all together. The protein in the egg will help bind the oats together, creating addictive morsels. (Shhh: it's the secret to Deb Perelman's Big Cluster Maple Granola.)

A Hot Oven Is the Secret to Reviving Stale Granola

You'll want to be sure to avoid piling up the granola, so if you've got a lot, it's best to grab a second baking sheet. Once the granola cools completely, it'll have that crispy crunch again.