Chunky Granola Recipe (No Egg Whites)
This chunky granola is crispy and flavoured with vanilla, honey, and brown sugar. This homemade version is so much better than store-bought. The best part is that you get to decide on what nuts, seeds, and add-ins you want.
Jump to RecipeInstead of egg whites, this recipe uses a caramel-like syrup to hold the granola together. Don’t worry, it’s not as complicated as it sounds, you’ll soon have chunky granola in no time!
Base Recipe
This is a really great chunky granola base recipe. For every 2 cups of granola, you have ⅔ cups of nuts, and ⅓ cups of seeds. Then, just mix in your favourite add-ins!
I went with almonds and peanuts, but you can use pecans, walnuts, macadamia nuts… anything you fancy. Adding nuts isn’t only for flavour, but it gives the chunky granola a delightful crunch. As a bonus, while the nuts are roasting away, it’ll leave your kitchen smelling amazing!
When it comes to seeds, here are some popular choices to consider: sunflower, chia, pumpkin, sesame, or golden linseed (aka flaxseed). Each of these seeds has its own benefits, from omega-3 fatty acids to extra fibre, which helps with digestion.
Chunky Texture
There are two tricks to getting that chunky granola texture. The first is to firmly press the granola into the baking sheet, making it really compact.
The second is that once the granola turns golden from baking, remove it from the oven and let it completely cool down in the baking tray. As the granola cools, it will become even crispier and stick together.
By following these two tricks, you’ll end up with a granola chunk the size of your baking sheet. In other words, you get to break it apart and decide how big or small you want your granola to be!
Oats
There are different types of oats on the market: steel-cut oats, rolled oats, and instant oats. The main difference between them is how they’re processed, which ultimately impacts their baking time. The ones you need for this recipe are rolled oats, also known as old-fashioned oats.
Add-Ins
My favourite part about chunky granola, are the add-ins. You can really switch this recipe up, depending on what you’re craving, or what you have on hand. Some of my favourite combinations are:
- dried cranberries and white chocolate chips
- dried mango, pineapple, and dessicated coconut
- peanut butter chips and milk chocolate chips
Remember, only add dried fruit and chocolate chips after the granola has been baked and cooled down. This is because these additions are prone to burning in the oven, so you don’t want to bake them with the granola.
Chunky Granola Recipe (No Egg Whites)
Ingredients
Granola Mix
- 185 g rolled oats 2 cups
- 50 g almonds ⅓ cup
- 50 g peanuts ⅓ cup
- 20 g sunflower seeds ⅙ cup
- 20 g chia seeds ⅙ cup
- 40 g chocolate chips ¼ cup
Syrup
- 100 g honey
- 50 g light brown sugar
- 50 g butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 160°C and line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent the granola from getting stuck. Leave some extra parchment paper on the sides for easy removal later.
- Chop your almonds and peanuts, then add them to a large glass bowl along with your rolled oats, sunflower seeds, and chia seeds. Give everything a good mix.
- In a pot, combine your honey, light brown sugar, butter, vanilla extract, and salt. Heat the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Once all the ingredients have melted, stop stirring and let it come to a simmer. Remove from heat when it starts simmering, and let it cool slightly.
- Pour the syrup over your granola mix, then stir everything together well.
- Spread your granola onto the lined baking sheets and use an offset spatula to press it down firmly for a chunky texture.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the edges haved just turned golden. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely (about 30 minutes). As the granola cools, it will become even crispier and stick together.
- Once cooled, break the granola into chunks and add chocolate chips (optional).
- Store in an airtight container and enjoy!
What To Eat With Granola?
My favourite way to enjoy granola is with plain yoghurt and fresh fruit. If there are any strawberries, those are my go-to. But, you can definitely make this more of an autumn breakfast treat by adding thinly sliced apples and a dusting of cinnamon.
It can be enjoyed in many ways, even as a snack. Instead of grabbing a packet of crisps or a bar of chocolate, you can have some chunky granola, kind of like you would with roasted nuts!
Another popular choice is adding it to desserts for a lovely contrast in flavours and textures. Try sprinkling it over a bowl of ice cream or these Easy Homemade Waffles.
How To Store Homemade Granola?
Make sure you wait for the granola to cool completely before storing it to avoid any moisture. Then, transfer it to an airtight container. I like to keep it with my other cereals. It should last for about 2 weeks, if you haven’t snacked through it before then!