How to Make Granola Thicker, Crispier, and Tastier at Home
I love granola for its subtle, sweet crunch and easy snacking. This is one of my favorite toppings for yogurt or smoothies and the flavor options are endless. The only thing that bothers me is the perfect consistency. (I like lumpy, clustered granola.) Store-bought is expensive, and homemade granola is often too doughy for me, so what’s a girl to do? Of course, figure out how to mix the granola. Here are my tips for mixing up any granola recipe you’re using.
Granola recipes typically include butter and liquid sweetener as part of the wet ingredients. This is a vital part of making granola and, in fact, the only part that distinguishes it from granola’s unsweetened, soggy and much less cheerful cousin. The oil helps conduct heat from the oven so the oats and nuts are thoroughly cooked rather than just drying out the toast, and the sweetener adds color by caramelizing and, of course, sweetening. All other ingredients are dry: oats, nuts, spices, seeds. In order for the granola to stick together into clusters, you need to mix what I call “granola glue” from the wet and dry ingredients.
How to make granola in small clusters
There is a happy medium between a completely fluffy granola and a variety with large clusters. To make granola that sticks together into small pieces, you will need to make granola glue from a powdered or crushed ingredient. Try nut flour, oat flour, ground flax seeds, wheat bran or germ. This finely ground ingredient will mix with the oil and sweetener, sticking some of the oats, seeds and nuts together.
You can make this with any granola recipe by simply adding this binder to the other dry ingredients. The amount will vary slightly depending on the type of powdered ingredient you choose. To start, add about a third cup of the powdered ingredient for every half cup of the total wet ingredients. There should be enough liquid to thoroughly wet the oats and everything else without forming a puddle in the bottom of the mixer bowl.
How to create really big clusters
Powdered ingredients are only useful up to a certain point. To make the granola more clumpy, add reinforcement. Use the powdered ingredient as above, but add a small amount of egg whites to the wet ingredients of your recipe. Egg whites contain no fat (which is great if you avoid extra fat), so when the water evaporates from the whites in the oven, the remaining whites become firm, clear and crispy, just like a meringue or king platter. The glaze dries firmly. I use the same technique in this easy candied nuts recipe .
Add one tablespoon of egg whites (fresh or boxed will do) to the amount of butter and sweetener in your recipe. I use one tablespoon for every half cup of wet ingredients. Whisk the wet ingredients thoroughly, especially if you are using fresh egg whites. Add dry ingredients and stir. A small amount of egg white will bind more than just the sweetener and form larger clusters. Don’t worry, bonds are still relatively fragile. This is not the “break the roof of your mouth” level of power like in Nature Valley.
Baking and cooling material
Keep a thick layer. When you pour the granola mixture into the baking dish, make a layer about a third of an inch thick. You want to give the clusters a chance to form, so don’t scatter the pieces apart or make the layer too thin.
Stir and press. Most recipes require turning, flipping or stirring the granola several times while baking to ensure even cooking. Every time you do this, some connections are broken. This is fine, but be sure to form new ones before returning the granola to the oven. To do this, simply stir the granola with a spatula and then press it back down firmly in a layer about a third of an inch thick.
Cool first, then break. Once the granola is done and nicely browned, don’t disturb it. Let the granola cool as is, in a pressed layer. This will allow the sugar and whites to harden and become crispy. When the pan is at room temperature, about 20 minutes, lift the granola with a spatula. It should break down depending on what you add: the powdered ingredients will easily break into small clumps, while the egg whites will form large chunks. Use a little force to break the pieces into the sizes you need.
Toss cooled granola clusters with dried fruit and it’s ready to eat. Feel free to snack right away or store it in an airtight container for up to a month at room temperature.