Name: Salted Caramel–Peanut Granola
Total time: 2 h
Ingredients: 3/4 cup caramel sauce; 1/2 cup vegetable oil; 1/3 cup maple syrup; 4 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1 1/2 teaspoons Salt; 5 cups (15 ounces) old-fashioned rolled oats; 2 cups (10 ounces) unsalted dry-roasted peanuts , chopped coarse

Why This Recipe Works

Store-bought granola is often chock-full of pale oats and dried-out nuts and is underwhelming when it comes to dried fruit. We wanted to fix this by making our own granola at home, with large clusters and a crisp texture. The secret was to firmly pack the granola mixture into a rimmed baking sheet before baking. Once it was baked, we had a granola “bark” that we could break into crunchy clumps of any size. Coarsely chopped peanuts, salt, and caramel sauce added a welcome buttery crunch and an ideal salty-sweet balance—and we didn’t skimp on the amounts.

Before You Begin

Do not use quick oats here. We prefer to chop the peanuts by hand for even texture and superior crunch. (A food processor will chop whole nuts unevenly.)

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray parchment with vegetable oil spray.

Whisk caramel, oil, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt together in large bowl. Fold in oats and peanuts until thoroughly combined.

Transfer oat mixture to prepared sheet and spread across entire surface of sheet in even layer. Using stiff metal spatula, press down firmly on oat mixture until very compact. Bake until lightly browned, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking.

Transfer sheet to wire rack and let granola cool completely, about 1 hour. Break cooled granola into pieces of desired size. Serve. (Granola can be stored in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.)