I’ve always been a fan of granola with big chunks that you can easily pick up to snack on, but I never thought to make that kind at home until now. I’ve made granola in the past a few times and it always requires a sheet pan and tossing the loose oats around until they’re toasted and gravelly, and ready to be sprinkled over yogurt.
With this recipe you get the best of both worlds because you get to eat the chunks as a delectable snack, and then sprinkle the remaining crumbs over your yogurt for breakfast.
I’ll be honest that I often buy my granola too, simply because I don’t want to go through the effort of collecting all the individual ingredients and going through the hassle of making it. But since this recipe is so easy and requires so little ingredients, I’m going to have to reconsider my habit.
The key is to use a baking dish lined with parchment paper, which you press your oat and almond mixture into, like you’re making a giant cookie or a piece of granola bark. Then once it’s completely cooled, you lift it up and break it into your desired size pieces.
You can catch all my tips and tricks to achieve maximum success in EPISODE 12 of BITS + PIECES COOKING SHOW, SEASON 5. For this season, we’re focusing on easy and scrumptious snacks. Watch our step-by-step VIDEO BELOW:
I think I’m drawn to the simplicity of this granola because it’s essentially oats with a whole bunch of almonds. But you could always mix things up and complicate your life by adding some shredded coconut or flax seed if you wanted.
You stir in the raisins last, AFTER the granola has a chance to bake and cool. That way you don’t end up with overly chewy and hardened raisins. And if you’re not a fan of raisins, try mixing in any dried fruit of your choice…apricots…cranberries…blueberries…whatever your little heart desires!
Make sure you press the oat mixture firmly and evenly into the pan, and then let it cool for OVER AN HOUR. Honestly, the longer you let it cool, the better off you’ll be in the end to ensure you get those crunchable chunks and not just a pan of rubble. I feel like granola notoriously takes a long time to firm up and harden to the proper consistency.
But if you do find yourself with more crumbs than chunks, then no worries because I assure you, you’ll still find ways to make it disappear.
Once completely cooled, store your granola in an airtight container, where it will keep fresh for anywhere from 1-2 weeks. But since this isn’t the largest batch in the world, I don’t think it will last that long!
Whenever I make a batch of this, I find myself being so grateful that I did, especially when you’re hungry for a snack but not quite sure what you’re in the mood for, or just want to throw a quick breakfast together.
This nutty granola has a mellow subtle sweetness and just the right amount of crunch. Joe loves eating it over yogurt, but my favorite way is to pick up the pieces and blissfully munch on them with a piping hot cup of coffee.
Chunky Almond Granola
Ingredients
- 2 ½ tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 ½ tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 2 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup whole almonds chopped coarse
- 1 cup raisins chopped
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 325ºF degrees.
- Make parchment paper sling for a 13 by 9-inch baking pan by folding 2 long sheets of parchment; first sheet should be 13 inches wide and second sheet should be 9 inches wide. Lay sheets of parchment in pan perpendicular to each other, with extra parchment hanging over edges of pan. Push parchment into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing parchment flush to pan. It sometimes helps to use a little nonstick spray to help the parchment paper stick to the pan.
- Whisk maple syrup, sugar, vanilla, and salt together in large bowl, then slowly whisk in oil. Fold in oats and almonds until thoroughly coated.
- Transfer oat mixture to prepared pan and spread across bottom into thin, even layer. Using the back of a measuring cup, compress oat mixture until very compact. Bake until lightly browned, 30 to 35 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking.
- Remove granola from oven and let cool on a wire rack to room temperature, about 1-2 hours. The longer you let it cool, the better success you’ll have in getting large chunks that don’t crumble apart. Using parchment overhang, lift granola out of pan. Break cooled granola into pieces of desired size and transfer to large clean bowl. Add raisins and gently toss to combine. Granola can be stored in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
RECOMMENDED TOOLS FOR THIS RECIPE:
Pyrex 13X9 Glass Baking Dish:
Parchment Paper:
Cooling Rack:
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