Brown Butter Salted Caramel Granola

Crisp, toasty, monstrous granola clusters made all the more decadent with nutty brown butter and sweet salted caramel. Healthy, yet highly addictive!

Happy 2016 everybody! Hope you all had a safe (who am I kidding?) and spectacular night, like I did! To be honest, all I did was stay home by myself, watch the ball drop on TV, and receive a New Year’s Eve kiss from each of my dogs. I know, I know, I’m such a party animal.

Well, just like death and taxes, there’s nothing more certain in life than the flooding of New Year’s Resolutioners flocking to their local gym every start of January to begin their magical journey of becoming fit and healthy again. They usually last for an average length of 2 months…if they can make it that long. Having worked at a gym for the last 4 years, it’s become like clockwork to me. 

So instead of blowing bucks on your failure-waiting-to-happen-gym-membership (not to sound pessimistic or anything), why not try your hand at making some healthful, wholesome granola, like this Brown Butter Salted Caramel Granola!

Not only is it SO much cheaper than a gym membership, but it tastes so much better and fresher than that regular store-bought sawdust that grocery stores like to call granola. It’s also much easier to make than it is to try and wriggle your way into those 20-year old spandex workout pants with coordinating thong leotard and extremely binding sports bras. 

You all know what I’m talking about…

Granola is too easy for you NOT to make at home. Plus, you don’t have to worry about any strange and highly unnecessary hydrogenated-palm-seed-oil-Red#40 ingredients that tend to be in the store-bought stuff. Granola should not have an ingredient list of 24 items, nor should it cost an arm, a leg, and your firstborn (or firstpup) every time you purchase a box.

Now I know you might be wondering HOW a granola with the words “brown butter” and “salted caramel” in its title can possibly be healthy. Well for one thing, this granola only has 3 tablespoons of butter and no other fat is used. It was just enough butter to amp up the rich nuttiness in this granola, yet not too much to scare off any of you health fiends. And another thing, the salted caramel in this recipe is homemade (not store-bought with a million baJillian ingredients) and only contains a 1/2 cup of sugar–not bad for a batch of granola that makes 5 cups.

Oh, and don’t fret over the salted caramel in this recipe. It’s really not that difficult or intimidating as it may sound. It’s so easy to make and only requires a few simple ingredients–water, sugar, corn syrup, salt, and cream (or milk). Along with the salted caramel in this recipe, I added a few tablespoons of pure maple syrup as well as a 1/4 cup of homemade applesauce. Not only does the applesauce add a more natural and healthful sweetness, but it’s a great binder which helps to create those ginormous chunks of granola. 

Another secret to creating those colossal chunks that won’t crumble into a million pieces as you scarf down an entire bowl with your bare hands? It’s simple, really. The real magic happens after you’ve combined all of your ingredients together and are ready to throw it (not literally) in the oven. Once you’ve poured all of the granola onto the pan, use the back of a spatula or large spoon to pack it together into an even layer–mine was about a 1/2″ thick. The next crucial step? As the granola is baking (and prettifying into glorious, crisp, golden sweetness), DON’T stir it.

Just don’t.

I know there are recipes upon recipes basically telling you to babysit your granola by stirring it every 10 or 15 minutes, but ain’t nobody got time for that! Plus, it makes it impossible for the oats to hold together when they’re constantly being tossed around.

The final step? Once the granola is out of the oven, allow it to cool COMPLETELY, before you even touch it. As it cools, the granola will crisp up into one giant granola bar. You can then use your hands or a spatula to break it up into as big a chunks as your heart desires…

Now do you feel like going to the gym?

Brown Butter Salted Caramel Granola

Crisp, toasty, monstrous granola clusters made all the more decadent with nutty brown butter and sweet salted caramel. Healthy, yet highly addictive!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Servings 5 Cups

Ingredients

  

• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1 cup almonds, divided
• 3 Tablespoons salted butter
• 3 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
• ¼ cup applesauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup water
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tablespoon corn syrup
• ¼ cup heavy cream

Instructions

 

• Heat oven to 325ºF. In a large bowl, combine oats and coconut.
• Pour 1/2 cup almonds into a food processor or blender, and pulse until finely ground. Do not let it grind for too long or you'll end up with almond butter. Add finely ground almonds to the dry ingredients.
• Add the remaining 1/2 cup of almonds to the food processor and pulse a few times until coarsely chopped. Stir into the dry ingredients.
• In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. As the butter melts, it'll start to foam, then turn a clear golden color. Continue to stir the butter, scraping up any browned specks from the bottom of the pan as it starts to brown. It should have a nutty aroma.
• Once butter has browned, immediately remove from heat. Stir in maple syrup, applesauce, vanilla, and salt; set aside.
• Pour the water into a medium saucepan. Pour the sugar into the center of the pan, making sure none of the sugar crystals hit the sides. Add the corn syrup.
• Place pan over medium heat, leaving it alone for the first 5 minutes or until it the color begins to turn yellowish. Once you see some color, gently swirl the pan around occasionally as it boils. Continue boiling until the caramel reaches a golden amber color, about 7 to 10 minutes.
• Remove pan from the heat and carefully whisk in the heavy cream. Caramel will sizzle and bubble up. Stir in the salt, and continue whisking until caramel is smooth. If needed, return pan over medium-low heat, stirring until caramel is smooth. Pour over dry ingredients and toss to coat.
• Spread oat mixture onto a rimmed baking sheet. Use the back of a large spoon or spatula to press mixture into a thin, evenly compact layer. Mine was about a 1/2" in thickness.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until lightly browned, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking time. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Once granola is cool, break into clusters. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month.