Homemade Maple Pecan Granola

Why you’ll love it

• Big crunchy clusters thanks to one simple trick: an egg white and no stirring.
• Naturally sweetened with real maple syrup.
• Make once, eat all week with yogurt, milk or straight from the jar.

Quick facts

Ingredients

Dry ingredients

• 4 cups (360 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 1/2 cups (170 g) pecan halves, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup (70 g) raw pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)
• 1/4 cup (50 g) packed light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp fine salt

Wet ingredients

• 1/2 cup (120 ml) pure maple syrup
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) melted coconut oil or neutral vegetable oil
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large egg white

To finish

• 3/4 cup (90 g) dried cranberries

Step-by-step method

1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 300°F (150°C) and line a large rimmed baking sheet (about 13×18 inches / 33×46 cm) with parchment paper.

2. Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, stir together the oats, pecans, pepitas, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt.

3. Add the wet ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk the maple syrup, oil and vanilla. Pour over the oat mixture and stir until everything is evenly coated.

4. Add the egg white. Whisk the egg white in a small bowl until frothy, about 30 seconds. Stir it into the granola until well distributed.

5. Bake without stirring. Spread the granola on the baking sheet and press it firmly into an even, compact layer with a spatula. Bake 40–45 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through but not stirring, until deep golden brown.

6. Cool and break. Let the granola cool completely on the pan, about 45 minutes, without touching it. Break it into clusters of any size and stir in the dried cranberries.

How to know it is done

The granola is done when it is evenly deep golden brown, smells toasty and the surface looks dry. It will still feel slightly soft in the oven; it crisps up fully as it cools. If the center is pale after 45 minutes, bake 5 minutes more.

Tips for the best result

• Don’t stir while baking or cooling if you want big clusters.
• Add dried fruit after baking; in the oven it turns hard and bitter.
• Use old-fashioned oats, not quick oats, for the best crunch.

Variations and substitutions

• Pumpkin spice: replace the cinnamon with 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice.
• Egg-free: skip the egg white; the granola will be crunchy with smaller clusters.
• Other nuts and fruit: use walnuts or almonds, and dried cherries, chopped apricots or raisins.
• Chocolate: stir in 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips once the granola is completely cool.
• Gluten-free: use oats labeled certified gluten-free.

Storage and reheating

Store the cooled granola in an airtight jar at room temperature up to 3 weeks, or freeze up to 3 months. If it softens, re-crisp it on a baking sheet at 300°F (150°C) for 5–8 minutes and let it cool again.