Coconut Raisin Granola

Lately, I have become a bit of an exercise nut. A month ago I was dragging myself to a gym after work, but now it feels like a treat. Until my love for sweating and sore muscles wears off (and, if history is any indication, it inevitably will), I have been looking for a power breakfast to help me sustain my long workouts. While I typically mix some fruit into oatmeal or quinoa, some mornings I just don't have the time to stir a hot pot on the stove. For these mornings, I reach for a bowl of cereal, but it never fills me up as a breakfast should. While I love a good, satisfying granola, I just can't get behind the boxed brands with too much sugar and strange preservatives.

It took a few weeks for me to realize that a robust, hearty, and filling homemade granola is the perfect food to fuel an afternoon run.

For several years now, I have been hunting down the secret to a good chunky granola. Though there is little comparison of flavor between boxed granola and a personalized batch fresh from the oven, it bothered me that I could not quite get the textures to match. My ideal granola has big chunks along with a smattering of stray oats—just as the boxed granola features. If there were any stray clumps of oats in my homemade granola, it was seemingly by accident. I played around with ratios, substituted different ingredients in and out, and waved around my magic spatula, but the secret to my perfect granola remained untold.

Untold, that is, until now.

The secret to a good chunky granola is egg whites. The egg whites help to bind the granola together, allowing it to clump together while it toasts in the oven, but the egg whites do not lend any flavor to the finished product. Traditionally granola is stirred while baking to keep it evenly toasted. Granola bound together with egg whites is not stirred while in the oven, so it is best to spread it out evenly on one or two baking pans so it toasts evenly. When you are ready to eat or store the granola, you may break apart the granola into as large or as small pieces as you desire.

Now this is my perfect granola.

Coconut Raisin Granola makes for a healthy and robust breakfast. The sweetness of the granola comes from a drizzling of pure maple syrup and the coconut oil is used to help give the granola a nice crunch (while adding a light flavor). Oats, raisins, almonds, and coconut flakes give the granola a hearty texture. A pinch of nutmeg helps bring the the flavors together in a wonderful blend. Serve plain, stirred into thick Greek yogurt, or as a cereal with a cup of milk.

One Year Ago: Flourless Chocolate Rum Cake and Cappuccino Pancakes with Mocha Syrup
Two Years Ago: Chocolate Blueberry Ice Cream

Coconut Raisin Granola

Yields 6 cups

1/4 cup (80 grams) pure maple syrup
1/4 cup (55 grams) coconut oil, liquid state
2 large egg whites, optional*
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups (240 grams) old fashioned or rolled oats
1 cup (120 grams) sliced almonds
1 cup (120 grams) unsweetened coconut flakes, lightly packed
1 cup (160 grams) raisins

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, coconut oil, egg whites, nutmeg, and salt until smooth. Stir in the oats, almonds, and coconut flakes until mixture is evenly coated.

Spread out evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly toasted and fragrant. Stir in raisins. Cool before storing in an airtight container at room temperature.

Serve with milk, yogurt, or by the handful.

*The egg whites bind the granola together for a chunkier texture, allowing you to break it apart into small or large chunks of your choosing. If you prefer a looser granola, omit this ingredient.

Comments

[Belinda @themoonblushbaker]

I run in the afternoon too, my go to snack has to be yogurt to fuel a long run. I love granola, this is another one I am going to have to try. I am thinking the addition of addition zest to the mixture to add a bit of zing. Do you think this would work?

[Diann]

I to have reviewed and searched recipes for a great granola. this is simple w just a few steps. I have found finely chopped apricots are a great 'tang' in a mixture like this. to each his own

[Pam]

This sounds great I also love chunky granola but it never worked out for me. I'll try the egg whites. My question is the coconut oil, I have only been able to find it in a solid. Can I melt it to use it?

[Kristin Rosenau]

Pam-- It is only sold in solid form, but you can easily melt it down to form a liquid. In fact, at about 80 degrees F, it will turn into a liquid so it really doesn't take much heat to do it. I hope that answers your question!

[The Kitchen Boudoir]

Just finished snacking on a bowl of homemade granola with greek-style yogurt - I made it last week and it is decreasing at a steady rate in the mason jar I'm keeping it in. Your recipe is an excuse to make more (love the idea to use coconut oil - I used olive oil in my last batch, loosely based on the recipe in the Smitten Kitchen book)- once you go homemade, it's hard to go back!

[Liz]

I love a chunky granola with lots of flavor (love the maple syrup!) and this sounds like the perfect one. :)

[Joyti]

Another fan of chunky granola... I'm actually off to bake some granola myself. I never knew that egg whites were used to make granola chunky - I usually get mine chunky-ish with honey.

[thelittleloaf]

Gorgeous photos! I made granola this week too and managed to get it nice and clumpy. No egg whites, but I did use a fair old whack of maple syrup and honey :-)

[Shauna]

Does it need to be refrigerated to keep the egg whites from spoiling?

[Kristin Rosenau]

Shauna-- No, the granola does not need to be refrigerated. The egg whites bake in the oven with the maple syrup, which makes them okay to store and eat at room temperature.

[jenni]

we're granola lovers in our house and i've been making it. my husband LOVES the chunky kind and so i'm so pleased to stumble upon your recipe. i've never seen coconut oil in its liquid state at our market, but we're on an island and we don't see a lot of things. do i use coconut oil in its solid state and melt it? i have a jar of that from trader joe's. thanks for your help.....and your wonderful recipes.

[Alexa]

Ahh Granola... I used to have homemade yogurt and granola every day in the summer... now I've been juicing and making smoothies, but this recipe makes me want to go back to my old ways :)

[Stephanie @ Girl Versus Dough]

This looks like the granola OF MY DREAMS. Mmmmmmm!

[Zella]

Are you able to substitute the pure maple syrup for regular Mrs. Butter worth's pancake syrup? Will it turn out OK?

[Kristin Rosenau]

Zella-- I would actually suggest honey before a pancake syrup like Mrs. Butterworth's. Pancake syrup is typically only dyed corn syrup. For a healthier granola, I would use a more natural sugar like honey (and it will give a lovely flavor).

[lejla]

I love the food you make and all the lovely pictures. Glad I found you.

[Katka]

This is my second homemade granola and it looks amazing. I agree that once you start homemade you never buy granola again.

[nikki]

I love your site and never comment. I just wanted to share that my boyfriend adores this granola and I make it for him weekly. Thanks so much for the recipe.

[Carol]

I'm not a fan of coconut...will it turn out if I omit the coconut oil and coconut? Thank you for the recipe and the photos are beautiful!

[Kristin Rosenau]

Carol-- You will have to replace the coconut oil with another oil in the same amount. You can omit the coconut with no problem, however.