Coconut Granola Clusters

Crispy granola clusters with shredded coconut, almonds and three kinds of plump juicy raisins made with heart healthy coconut oil. 

We like our granola chunky so you can pick it up and eat it as a snack. The secret to making chunky granola is to firmly press the mixture into a rimmed cookie sheet and don’t stir it while it’s baking. After it’s done baking, let it cool completely before breaking break it up into clusters.

I was sent a copy of Superfood Kitchen to review and one of the healthy pantry staples Julie talks about in the book is coconut oil. You can substitute it for butter in many recipes. It has no cholesterol, and is a heart healthy food that can keep your body running smoother.

When I was at Costco, a bought a giant jar of coconut oil, then I bought another jar at the grocery store because I forgot I bought the giant jar. So I’m well stocked with coconut oil, and I’ve been busy dreaming up recipes that use coconut oil. I’m thinking January might be coconut oil month on Barbara Bakes.

I like to pick up ingredients for granola at Winco in the bulk foods section. They have a wide variety of healthy grains and dried fruits. This time I bought a 3 raisin blend that had plump golden raisins, as well as two other kinds of giant raisins. I try and tuck the fruit under the oats a little bit while I’m pressing the granola down into the pan, so that the fruit doesn’t dry out or brown too much.

The coconut flavor in the granola is not overpowering. I would definitely use the coconut oil again, even if I’m not adding shredded coconut to the granola. If you wanted to amp up the coconut flavor even more, you could add a little bit of coconut extract.

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Coconut Granola Clusters

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 cups old fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 3/4 cup dried fruit (I used a raisins)
• 1/4 cup wheat germ (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. In a large bowl mix oats, brown sugar, almonds, raisins, wheat germ, cinnamon, and salt.
2. In a microwave safe bowl heat honey until warm, about 30 seconds. Stir in coconut oil. Continue stirring until coconut oil is melted. Whisk in vanilla extract. Pour liquids over the oat mixture and mix thoroughly until everything is completely coated.
3. Spread evenly on a parchment or silpat lined rimmed cookie sheet and press down firmly. Bake at 300º for about 20 minutes until slightly golden brown. Don’t stir during baking. Cool completely and break into pieces. Store in an air tight container.

More granola recipes you might like:

Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bars, Barbara Bakes
Apple Cinnamon Granola, Two Peas and Their Pod
Pumpkin Spice Granola Bars, Sweet Basil
Cranberry Almond Oat Granola Clusters, Not Quite Nigella
How to Make Your Own Granola, Completely Delicious