You know those Nature’s Valley granola bars you ate as a kid? The kind that were perfectly salty + sweet… but always crumbled and made a mess everywhere? They were my inspiration for this recipe – except that I wanted to make them pre-crumbled and sans-mess. And with less sugar than the Nature’s Valley kind.
Enter: Olive Oil Granola Clusters. Made with hearty, filling, and heart-healthy ingredients… and probably all things you already have on hand. I made the final test batch of these while visiting my parents’ house at the Jersey shore, and a huge mason jar’s worth of granola was gone in about two days. Oops. Safe to say it was a big hit.
A few things I like about this recipe:
- It’s tasty and crowd-pleasing, for adults and kids alike
- No crazy, complex ingredients
- Only 10-15 minutes of prep time
- It’s a great snack to make ahead for the week – and you can easily double (or triple!) the recipe if you want to make an extra large batch
- You can make it as chunky and cluster-y (or fine) as you want, depending on how you break the pieces apart. I’ve done both big clusters and made it like more of a traditional granola. Clusters are great for a grab-and-go snack. A traditional granola is great for sprinkling on things like oatmeal and yogurt bowls.
If you give my granola recipe a try, let me know how you like it!
Olive Oil Granola Clusters
Making homemade granola is way easier than you think.These sweet and salty olive oil granola clusters are an easy, healthy, crowd-pleasing snack. You can prep them ahead to have on hand for the week – and easily double the recipe, if you’re trying to feed a crowd.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 45
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 5–6 cups 1x
- Category: Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Healthy
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup real maple syrup
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup whole raw almonds, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup whole raw pecans, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper, and set aside.
- In a small saucepan, combine your wet ingredients and spices – maple syrup, olive oil, sea salt, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Heat over medium-low until just warm, about 4-5 minutes, and whisk well. Note: we don’t want to mixture to come to a simmer!
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients – oats, coarsely-chopped nuts, and sunflower seeds. Pour maple syrup mixture over top, and toss until all of the dry ingredients are well-coated with the wet.
- Spread granola evenly on your prepared sheet pan. Gently press it down with a spatula so it forms a large, even rectangle.
- Place in the oven, and bake for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, rotate your pan 180º so it will cook evenly from front to back. Bake for 15-20 more minutes, until crispy and a light golden brown.
- Let granola cool fully (this is key for getting good chunks), then break up into piece sizes of your choosing.
- Enjoy!
