Ginger Granola Clusters

I’ve cooked many different granola recipes in my time, but this is one that I turn back to time and time again. It is one of my favorites because it has a lovely mix of ginger and caramel-like flavor. Most importantly, it yields big and crunchy granola clusters. The granola bakes into one gigantic sheet that you can snap into larger shards for snacking or clusters for breakfast. 

I’ve gifted so many batches of these ginger granola clusters to friends and family, and I always get great reviews. I hope you enjoy this ginger granola as much as we do!

KEYS TO MAKING BIG & CRUNCHY GRANOLA CLUSTERS

ADD A BINDING AGENT TO THE GRANOLA

To get granola clusters (or shards) that don’t break apart easily, the granola needs some kind of binding agent. In my experience, the best binding agent is sourdough discard or egg whites. Whenever I use either of these ingredients to make granola, the granola bakes into a large, crunchy sheet. 

In the main recipe below, I use egg whites as the binding agent, but you can see the notes for directions on using sourdough discard. By the way, I learned the sourdough discard method from this sourdough discard granola recipe by Amanda Paa. Her website is my go-to resource for sourdough discard recipes.

I know there are many granola cluster recipes on the internet that don’t use a binding agent. However, I find those clusters tend to be more fragile and less crunchy. I also wanted to use whole nuts in this ginger granola, which requires a stronger binding agent to keep everything together. 

If you don’t want to use sourdough discard or egg whites, you can use ground flax. The granola on the edges will crumble easily into small pieces, but you will also get some big clusters (see photo above).

COOK GRANOLA AT LOW HEAT

To get an extra crunchy granola that browns evenly, bake the granola at low heat: 275ºF (135ºC) for 55 to 60 minutes. Whenever I bake granola at a higher heat, I always get granola that’s more browned (or even burnt) at the edges but still soft at the center (even after the granola cools). Baking granola at lower heat is a more foolproof method. 

LET GRANOLA COOL COMPLETELY

Before breaking up the granola into clusters, let the granola cool completely (at least 30 minutes). The granola turns crispy as it cools, so try to be patient and wait!

GINGER FLAVOR

The ginger flavor in this granola comes from two sources: warm ginger notes from ground ginger and more zingy flavor from crystallized ginger. My favorite type of crystallized ginger at the moment is the crystallized ginger chips by The Ginger People. 

DRY INGREDIENT MIXTURE

You’ll want to use rolled oats for this recipe instead of smaller oat flakes like instant oats or granular oats, such as steel-cut oats. In terms of nuts, I generally use whatever I have in my pantry. Feel free to use whatever mixture you desire. 

I also like to add ancient grains, such as millet, amaranth, or buckwheat groats because they add a subtle crunchy texture. If you don’t have any in your pantry, feel free to sub with more oats or nuts, or even use hemp seeds.

Finally, I generally add coconut flakes to this granola recipe, but feel free to use shredded coconut. I know some of you hate coconut, so feel free to use more oats, nuts, or ancient grains. 

5 from 4 votes

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Servings: 14 servings

Author: Lisa Lin

Ginger Granola Clusters

This is one of my favorite granola recipes because it has lovely ginger flavor and yields big and crunchy granola clusters. The key to making this granola extra crunchy is baking it at a lower temperature for a longer period. It will stay crunchy for weeks! This recipe yields 7 to 8 cups, and it’s loosely adapted from Amanda Paa’s sourdough discard granola recipe.

Prep Time25 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups (225g) rolled oats
• 1 1/2 cups (about 200g) nuts and seeds, use any mix you like
• 1/3 cup (16g) unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1/4 cup (50g) millet, (see note 1)
• 3 tablespoons (30g) crystallized ginger, finely chopped (see note 2)
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, or use 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 large egg whites, (see note 3)
• 1/4 cup (60ml) maple syrup
• 1/4 cup (60ml) oil, any neutral oil like sunflower or safflower, or coconut oil works
• 1/3 cup (50g) coconut sugar or granular jaggery, (see note 4)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons (16g) ground flax seeds

Equipment

• half sheet pan
• flat silicone spatula

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 275ºF (135ºC) and make sure an oven rack is in the center position. Line a half sheet baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, add the oats, nuts and seeds, coconut flakes, millet, crystallized ginger, ground ginger, cinnamon, and salt. Mix everything and set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the egg whites, maple syrup, oil, sugar, vanilla, and ground flax, until combined.
• Add the oat and nut mix to the wet ingredients and stir to coat the dry ingredients with the syrupy mixture. I like to use a silicone spatula here.
• Pour the granola mix onto the lined baking sheet and quickly spread the mixture throughout the pan.
  
• Use the spatula to flatten the mixture into a single, thin layer. The granola should cover the entire surface of the sheet pan without any big gaps in the middle.
  
• Bake the granola for 55 to 60 minutes, rotating the sheet pan after 30 minutes to ensure even baking. Let the granola cool completely. The cooling process is very important to getting the granola extra crunchy. Once cool, break the sheet of granola into clusters. For a snacking granola, break them up into large shards.
  
• Store the ginger granola in an airtight container. It will stay crunchy for at least 2 to 3 weeks!

Video

Notes

1. Millet: I like adding ancient grains because they add a distinct crunch to the granola. You can also use amaranth or buckwheat groats. If you don’t have any of these grains readily available, feel free to substitute with more oats, nuts, or coconut.
2. Crystallized Ginger: If you want stronger ginger flavor, use 4 tablespoons (40g) of candied ginger. The Ginger People is my favorite brand because their crystallized ginger has the strongest flavor.
3. Egg White Alternatives: If you are allergic to eggs, another good alternative is sourdough discard. You’ll need 75 grams, about 1/3 cup. In fact, sourdough discard yields granola that holds together slightly stronger than egg whites. If you don’t have sourdough discard, you can use only ground flax. Mix 6 tablespoons of ground flax with the wet ingredients and let the mixture sit for 5 to 10 minutes so the flax gets a chance to hydrate. You’ll get some clusters, but the granola will be quite crumbly, especially around the edges. That’s because ground flax doesn’t create as strong of a bond as egg whites or sourdough discard. 
4. Jaggery & Sugar Alternatives: I like using jaggery the most because it has a lovely caramel-like flavor. Jaggery is boiled down from sugarcane juice and/or palm sap and is commonly used in the Indian subcontinent. You can find granular jaggery in Indian grocery stores, Diaspora Co., or Burlap & Barrel. You can also use Chinese red or black sugar, dark brown sugar, or more maple syrup.

Did you enjoy this recipe?Tag @hellolisalin or leave a star rating and comment on the blog!

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 226kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 5.6g | Fat: 11.7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 49mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8.9g

Cuisine: American, Vegetarian

Category: Breakfast, Snack