Big Cluster Sourdough Discard Granola
By Amanda Paa – Updated April 12, 2024
This sourdough discard granola is easy to make and shatters into giant clusters that filled with oats, nuts, and seeds! A fabulous use for leftover sourdough starter that's absolutely delicious, naturally sweetened with maple syrup, that also adds to its warm flavor. The secret to the clumpy texture is thanks to the binding powers of sourdough discard and flax seeds.
Jump to Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
I love finding new ways to cook or bake with sourdough discard, extending its use into something delicious. From sourdough biscuits to zucchini muffins, and pumpkin bread, the options with sourdough discard are endless!
When it comes to granola, I’m a chunky, clumpy, big cluster girl. And what better to get that result than sourdough discard, a natural binder that’s a bit sticky and can bond oats, seeds, and nuts together.
Based off my Extra Clumpy Granola, this sourdough discard granola uses maple syrup and coconut sugar for a natural caramelized flavor, along with cinnamon for warmth.
And both walnuts and pepita seeds for extra roasted, toasted nuttiness.
What’s the secret to clumpy granola?
I think you’ll find the texture of this granola to be absolutely perfect, shattering into large clusters while being crisp, yet light. It’s great for snacking, as a cereal, or as a yogurt topper. Instead, I learned from Laura Wright in her “The First Mess Cookbook“ that ground flax seeds are key to the snappy, break apart texture. When the ground flax hits liquid, it creates a coating that clings to the dry ingredients and clumps them together, creating an excellent crisp texture.
How to Make Sourdough Discard Granola:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Put oats on a baking sheet, and bake for 5-7 minutes, until you can smell a little toasty-ness from the oats. Remove from oven and turn down to 300 degrees F.
- Meanwhile, whisk together sourdough discard, maple syrup, oil, vanilla, and coconut sugar.
- When oats are lightly toasted, add to a bowl with the seeds, nuts, and ground flax. Add cinnamon and salt. Spread granola onto parchment lined baking sheet into even layer so that everything is touching each other.
- Pour wet mixture over dry and stir to fully combine.
- Bake granola for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and LET FULLY COOL before touching.
How Long Does Sourdough Discard Last?
You can keep sourdough discard in your refrigerator for up to 10 days. The discard will be more sour the longer it stays in the fridge. So for something like this granola where I don’t want the sourness to come through, I use discard that is less than 6 days old.
Your discard might accumulate a little liquid on the top while it’s in the fridge, which is called hooch, simply meaning alcohol that is the byproduct of fermentation. You can simple pour the liquid off into garbage, and scrape the very top off, and use the rest as discard.
Best Way to Store Granola So It Stays Crisp:
Store your granola in a glass container with tight seal, or a quart sized ziploc bag. Both ways keep air and moisture out, so that crisp texture is not lost. My preferred method is the ziploc bag because I can keep the granola in big clusters rather than having to break them so they fit into a glass jar.
More Sourdough Discard Recipes:
- Easy Zucchini Sourdough Discard Muffins
- Flaky 5 Ingredient Sourdough Discard Biscuits
- Favorite Sourdough Discard Pumpkin Bread
Yield: 10 servings
Ingredients
- 225 grams rolled oats
- 75 grams sourdough discard that’s less than 6 days old
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup sunflower oil or grapeseed, canola
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon whole flax seed ground up (or 2 1/2 tablespoons ground flax seed)
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 75 grams raw walnuts or almonds
- 75 grams raw pepita seeds
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Put oats on a baking sheet, and bake for 5-7 minutes, until you can smell a little toasty-ness from the oats. Remove from oven and turn it down to 300 degrees F.
- Whisk together sourdough discard, maple syrup, oil, vanilla, and coconut sugar so that it is smooth and homogenous.
- Add seeds, nuts, and ground flax to a large bowl. Then add cinnamon, salt, and your toasted oats.
- Pour wet mixture onto the dry mixture and stir until everything is fully coated. Spread granola onto parchment lined baking sheet into even layer so that everything is touching each other.
- Bake granola for 40 minutes. It will still be a tiny bit moist, but will dry as it cools. Trust this. :)
- Remove from oven and LET FULLY COOL before touching and breaking into clumps.
Did you make this?
tag @heartbeetkitchen on instagram and hashtag it #heartbeetkitchen
March 8, 2022
Katherine
August 2, 2024
Hi Amanda. What could I substitute for the flax seed?
Amanda Paa
August 2, 2024
hello! the flax seed is what makes this granola cluster and clumpy. you could maybe try ground chia seed for the same result.
Deb
May 31, 2024
Hi
Excited to try this! How many servings does this recipe make?
Amanda Paa
May 31, 2024
Hi! Hard to say since it depends how you define a serving of granola. There’s two of us in the house and I make it often.
Sandra
May 14, 2024
This granola is delicious! I subbed pecans for the walnuts and added some chia seeds and unsweetened coconut. It was so good and crunchy. We eat it over our homemade yogurt.
Amanda Paa
May 14, 2024
Yay, so glad to hear that! Also, homemade yogurt sounds amazing.
Michelle R
April 30, 2024
The best! I’ve made it twice in 2 weeks and it will now be a weekly staple. I made it with pecans and pumpkin seeds and subbed honey for the maple syrup. Delicious!!!
Amanda Paa
April 30, 2024
yay, so glad you enjoyed it! i love making it with pecans, too.
Jill
April 22, 2024
This granola is scrumptious! I made a few changes as I did not have coconut sugar so I used brown sugar. I subbed pecans for walnuts. I add a few dried cherries the last ten minutes because I live in MI cherry country. My husband stated it was the best granola I’ve ever made. I have to agree. This recipe is a keeper.
Amanda Paa
April 23, 2024
Yay, so glad you enjoyed it! And so jealous you live in MI cherry country! I have been to Traverse City many times; it is one of my favorite places.
Alejandro Romagosa
April 5, 2024
BEST SOURDOUGH DISCARD GRANOLA! My family and I love it so much! We make it every week and it has literally become our staple. This recipe is very trustworthy! The sourdough discard is like a glue and sticks everything together. Plus amazing flavors as well! Highly recommend!!!
Amanda Paa
April 5, 2024
yay, love hearing that! it’s a staple in our house, too.
Melissa
February 28, 2024
Great recipe! I have made this four or five times and it is always delicious. I stick pretty close to original recipe, subbing pecans for walnuts, just personal preference, and brown sugar for the coconut sugar, because it’s what I have on hand. So delicious! Thanks for a great recipe Amanda!
Amanda Paa
February 28, 2024
Love the versatility, too! Thanks for making the recipe!
Karen Jackson
January 2, 2024
I made this for the first time today and it is excellent. I added various dried fruits and subbed pecans for the walnuts. I love how easy it is to add in favorites! Thank you for the recipe 🤗.
Amanda Paa
January 2, 2024
Yay, glad to hear that Karen! I love its versatility, too.
Cecilia Mallia
November 18, 2023
Great recipe, I swap out the canola oil for olive oil and add shredded coconut. I have even added dried cranberries etc. (and they don’t burn as long as I soak them in hot water for a bit first).Just the right sweetness and love the clusters.
Amanda Paa
November 18, 2023
sounds great with the coconut and cranberries!
Lisa
October 22, 2023
I can’t wait to try this. Great way to use my discard. If I don’t add nut do I just increase the oats by the same volume? Thank you!
Amanda Paa
October 22, 2023
Hi Lisa! If you don’t do nuts, replace with equal amount of pepita and/or sunflower seeds. Oats would soak up too much of the liquid in place of nuts.
Kirsty Moore
August 28, 2023
A-MAZE-ING !! I’ve been making my own granola for years, but have never been able to get the clusters, so it’s always really been more like toasted muesli. This recipe is an absolute game changer! I’m quite new to sourdough dough baking, and have yet to master bread making, so it feels very satisfying to have a foolproof recipe for my starter. I used flaked almonds, sunflower seeds and flaked coconut and I don’t have any flax seeds, but the result was still fantastic. I’ve already made it 3 times, slowly lowering the (brown) sugar content as my first batch was a wee bit sweet. The maple syrup and cinnamon add such depth of flavour. Highly recommended 👌
Amanda Paa
August 28, 2023
I’m so glad you enjoy the big cluster granola, Kirsty!
Kirsty
September 10, 2023
I wonder how hard it would be to turn this recipe into a granola bar…?
Amanda Paa
September 10, 2023
That’s an interesting thought! I might have to play around with it.
Terri
August 25, 2023
OMG!! This is delicious and so easy to make. This is the 2nd time I’m making it because the first time it was gone in 24 hours. Hard to stop eating. Thanks for a wonderful recipe for sourdough discard!!
Amanda Paa
August 25, 2023
yay, thanks for making the recipe!
Mary
July 30, 2023
DELICIOUS! A staple in the house along with all of the sourdough varieties. Thanks so much for sharing your recipes!
Amanda Paa
July 30, 2023
Yay, glad you are enjoying the sourdough granola!
Kristina
June 15, 2023
This granola was delicious! The whole family loved it! I will definitely be making this again.
Amanda Paa
June 15, 2023
Glad your family enjoyed it!
Hailey
June 5, 2023
Best granola ever! This is my favorite way to use up my discard! I used coconut oil instead of veg oil and I like to mix up the nuts I use. Also I’ve added a couple tablespoons of cocoa powder and it was also delicious!!!
Amanda Paa
June 5, 2023
Oh, so glad to hear! And I cannot wait to try it with cocoa powder – great idea.
Julie
April 28, 2023
Looks good! I don’t have coconut sugar, could I add more maple syrup instead?
Amanda Paa
April 29, 2023
Hi! The granola will be too wet if you use all maple syrup. You could use brown sugar instead of coconut sugar though!
Cindy mays
April 22, 2023
The best granola I have ever made! My house smells amazing! I tried not to add coconut but I simply had to. Shame on me!!!🤭
JoAnn Schmidt
April 21, 2023
I just made this with my discard! Oh my! It is so yummy! Planning on putting it on my yogurt but it was hard not to nibble as it was cooling! This will definitely be in my favorites!
Amanda Paa
April 21, 2023
Yay, so glad you enjoyed it!
Mary Marshall
March 26, 2023
This is a really tasty granola-love to snack on it! I replaced the oil with applesauce to cut down the fat-it is still yummy
Irene Hunt
March 2, 2023
I just made this and it is one of the best granolas I’ve made. I added chia seeds and unsweetened coconut flakes as well as substituted sunflower oil for coconut oil. This recipe will be my go to to homemade granola!
Amanda Paa
March 2, 2023
Yay! It’s our house granola too.
BJ
February 19, 2023
Perfecto! Used coconut oil, ground chia, and cardamom as substitutes. Delicious.
Amanda Paa
February 19, 2023
Sounds great, so glad you liked the recipe!
Casie Evans
February 15, 2023
My favorite granola ever!! And super easy to make. I love miking up the nuts and seeds to whatever I have in the pantry.
Amanda Paa
February 15, 2023
Yes, it’s very versatile! I’m so glad you like the recipe.
Cynthia
January 24, 2023
Love this! The clumps are everything! It’s now my favorite granola recipe, and easy to change the nuts depending on what I’m in the mood for. Thanks for sharing!
Amanda Paa
January 24, 2023
Yay, so glad you like the recipe!
Angela Young
January 17, 2023
Delicious way to use excess discard. I was looking for a good snack for the afternoon and this is it!
Amanda Paa
January 17, 2023
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Charlotte Kieckhafer
January 5, 2023
This granola is amazing! I’ve made this many many times and it always turns out no matter what mix-in’s I use. Today I used cacao nibs, unsweetened shredded coconut and orange zest. Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
Amanda Paa
January 5, 2023
So glad you like it, Charlotte! And your variation sounds incredibly delicious.
Linda Ferland
January 2, 2023
The sourdough discard sound yummy! Can’t wait to try this. Thank you!
Brian
December 31, 2022
Great texture and flavor. Easy to customize the size of pieces for whatever you want to do with your granola (mix smaller bits into yogurt or grab bigger chunks for a snack). I added a bit of coconut flakes and the kitchen smelled great!
Amanda Paa
December 31, 2022
So glad you liked the recipe, Brian! Love the idea of adding a little coconut.
Caroline
November 15, 2022
I’ve been on the hunt for a good granola recipe! Can’t wait to try it!
(I occasionally feed my discard a little bit of flour in fridge so that I can keep it for longer than a week!)
Kaitlin
October 19, 2022
I have made this recipe several times now and it is the perfect granola recipe in my opinion! I like that it is so low maintenance – just stick it in the oven for 40 min and don’t have to worry about stirring it (although I did forget to turn the oven down to 300 one time and sadly burnt it to a crisp). It’s not too sweet and you can easily substitute (I used pecans instead of pepitas) and added chia and hemp seeds. It’s my favorite way to use discard and everyone who has had this recipe loves it. Thanks!
Amanda Paa
October 20, 2022
Love hearing that, Kaitlin! I like using pecans too sometimes, or cashews!
Karen Cook
September 1, 2022
Our favourite granola recipe ever!! Make it on repeat!! Thank you!
Amanda Paa
September 1, 2022
So glad you like it, Karen!
Ania
August 8, 2022
I’m not usually big on granola but this big cluster one is so addictive! It’s not too sweet which I love and super light and crunchy. Love the texture. Can’t wait to have it with milk!
Amanda Paa
August 8, 2022
Yay, so glad you liked it!
Kathy
July 21, 2022
Fantastic recipe! Just made it today – so delicious!
Amanda Paa
July 22, 2022
yay, so glad to hear it!
Hayley
June 17, 2022
Fantastic way to use up sourdough discard – super easy to make and so yummy!
Amanda Paa
June 17, 2022
so glad you liked it, Hayley!
Rebecca
May 20, 2022
This granola is so easy and delicious! I used melted coconut oil and it came out perfectly!
Amanda Paa
May 20, 2022
yay, so glad you enjoyed it and the coconut oil worked well!
Elyse
May 3, 2022
Addictively good! Made with sunflower seeds and pepitas to keep it nut free for school lunches. Though I may keep it all to myself.
Amanda Paa
May 3, 2022
love to hear it!
Jenny
May 2, 2022
Excellent recipe! I love using my discard in purposeful and delicious ways. My family thinks this granola is outstanding!
Becky
April 28, 2022
Made a batch of this for a road trip snack. (Subbed turbinado sugar for the coconut sugar.) I’m watching my BIL, who would tell you he doesn’t like sourdough, scarf it down as I type this. (What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him!) I consider this one a win! 😁
Amanda Paa
April 28, 2022
that is hilarious, Becky! love to hear that it’s a hit.
Giulia
April 15, 2022
I really love granola and i’m always looking for new ways and combination. The sourdough discard usage made me very curious and I had to try!! Let me tell you … it’s awesome. So so crunchy, how i love it most.
Amanda Paa
April 15, 2022
yay, so glad you enjoyed it!
Kellie
April 11, 2022
I’ve made a lot of granola this spring and this is the best one I’ve made thus far! The giant clusters are unreal!
Amanda Paa
April 11, 2022
yay, so glad you liked it, Kellie!
Kari
April 9, 2022
I was so excited to make this granola. My house smells like fall. This granola has big clusters with all the perfect flavor. Thank you Amanda for adding another yummy sourdough recipe to my collection. Also, super easy to make. This would be cute to gift out in mason jars for family and friends 👩🏻🍳
Liz Ross
April 8, 2022
I have been making granola for years. I have one recipe that I love and sometimes try news ones. I made this granola today and it is so so good. The crunch and clusters are amazing. Will definitely be making this again and again.
Amanda Paa
April 8, 2022
So happy to hear that, Liz! It’s on repeat at our house, too. :)
Emma K. Morris
April 5, 2022
Best granola recipe in…maybe ever! Always looking for creative new ways to use my sourdough discard. This will be on rotation for ever and ever!
Amanda Paa
April 5, 2022
Yay, so glad you liked it!!
Samantha Florence
March 21, 2022
It was another super easy recipe to use my sourdough discard! I didn’t put pepita seeds in the mix since my daughter isn’t a big fan. According to my family “Your granola has a crack quality to it. Can’t stop eating it!” I think I will add coconut chips to next batch, maybe reduce sugar add some dry fruit.
10 out of 10 Would recommend!
Amanda Paa
March 21, 2022
So glad the whole family is enjoying it! I bet coconut chips would be delicious in it.