Chewy Cranberry Pecan Oat Clusters
Remember Honey Bunches of Oats Cereal? I still think about those delicious oat clusters, but I haven’t thought about buying conventional cereals since adolescence. I’m what you would call “crunchy” & I believe in eating cleaner whenever possible. Even throughout my first trimester, when sometimes all I could get down was a bowl of cereal, I opted for fortified brands that were either extremely low or devoid of added refined sugar. Now well into my third trimester, I’m happily cooking in the kitchen again. So I thought, “why not make my own oat clusters?” And I’m glad I had that thought.
First I started wracking my brain for a way to get the oats to cluster more firmly together…And then I remembered the magic of egg whites. When I made plain old granola, I included coconut oil and maple syrup, but that did not make any of the granola stick together. Egg whites on the other hand, act like a flavor-neutral adhesive. Plus, it adds more nutrients and protein.
I used a stand mixer to beat my egg whites very well, but you could use a hand mixer or even a hand whisk if you’re willing to put in some serious elbow grease. Once they were well beaten, I added the coconut oil (melted in the microwave) along with my sugars. You have different options here, but I highly recommend using a viscous and unrefined sugar like honey or maple syrup and then 2-3 tablespoons of a solid, granulated sugar like brown sugar, coconut sugar, or pure cane sugar. Coconut sugar is the lowest glycemic option. I used brown sugar simply because I had it on hand. After all of that is thoroughly combined, add your dry ingredients gradually. I did oats, pecans, and cranberries. You can definitely add a variety of ingredients and flavor profiles. Hemp seeds would be a high protein add-in. Rice puffs would make it more reminiscent of cereal, etc. To me, the cranberry and pecan was the perfect balance of warmth and tartness. While the oats just gave it a classic, nostalgic taste.
Once my mixture was finished, I spread it out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and baked it for 30 minutes at 300 degrees. I made sure the mixture was a thick, conglomerate layer, so I could break it apart into clusters later. Once out of the oven, the mixture felt very soft. This is normal before cooling. I allowed the mixture to cool on the baking sheet for 20 minutes, and broke it apart into clusters. The oat clusters stay chewy. The tops are slightly crunchy and bottoms of the clusters are pillowy. Perfectly balanced and WAY better than some grocery store cereal.
Chewy Cranberry pecan oat clusters
Equipment
Stand mixer, hand mixer, or whisk
Mixing bowl
Oven
Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
2 egg whites
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1/4 cup maple syrup (could also substitute honey)
2-3 tablespoons brown sugar (could also coconut sugar or cane sugar)
1 tablespoon vanilla (I know that’s a generous helping)
1 1/2 cups oats
1 cup of pecan pieces
1/2 cup of dried cranberries
Instructions
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Beat egg whites in mixer on medium speed for 1 minute.
Add melted coconut oil to egg whites. Beat on medium speed for another minute.
Add maple syrup, brown sugar, and vanilla to mixture. Mix until combined completely.
Add dry ingredients gradually while mixing, so that they are all coated evenly.
Spread mixture onto baking sheet in one thick layer.
Bake for 30-35 minutes at 300 degrees.
Remove from oven and let cool completely.
Break apart layer into chunks.
Store clusters in an airtight container on counter. You can store it like this for 2-3 weeks. Freezing or refrigerating will prolong the shelf life, but will diminish the chewy texture more quickly.
