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Sqirl’s Puffed Granola (aka Turmeric Millet-nola)

by:
April  3, 2018
4.7
11 Ratings
Sqirl’s Puffed Granola (aka Turmeric Millet-nola)
Photo by Julia Gartland
  • Prep time 15 minutes
  • Cook time 20 minutes
  • Makes about 3 quarts granola clusters
Author Notes

This recipe will change what you crave in your granola—airier, crispier, more warmly spiced. Sqirl's first trick is in ditching the oats completely for a lighter texture—their version is made from wee balls of puffed millet, but any puffed grain would work (both Arrowhead Mills and Nature’s Path brands make a lot of different ones). The second, even more enlightening move is in adding baking soda, which, when combined with a slightly acidic mix of wet ingredients heated to around 250° F, unleashes millions of tiny air bubbles and turns the mixture from a burbling deep brown to creamy and frothy. “The baking soda is there to help with texture and soften the whole,” Sqirl pastry chef Sasha Piligian told me. “So you aren’t biting into hard candy.” Adapted slightly from Sqirl and Lottie & Doof. To read the whole story, head here. —Genius Recipes

What You'll Need
Watch This Recipe
Sqirl’s Puffed Granola (aka Turmeric Millet-nola)
Ingredients
  • 4 1/2 cups (84g) puffed millet (or other puffed grains)
  • 1/2 cup (60g) roughly chopped pecans
  • 1/3 cup (40g) sliced almonds
  • 1 3/4 teaspoons ground turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (75g) lightly packed light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon (32g) unsalted butter
  • 1/3 cup (111g) glucose (or honey, brown rice syrup, or corn syrup)
  • 1 teaspoon molasses
  • 1/2 teaspoon teaspoon baking soda
Directions
  1. Heat the oven to 325° F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment and set aside.
  2. In a large heatproof bowl, combine the millet, pecans, almonds, turmeric, cardamom, and salt. In a small pot, stirring occasionally, heat the light brown sugar, butter, glucose, and molasses, until they reach 250°F (it will have been simmering in slow, steady large bubbles for a minute or two). Remove from the heat, whisk in the baking soda, and immediately pour over the dry ingredients. Stir well with a sturdy spoon or spatula (the mixture will be stiff), making sure to mix in all the spices that have fallen to the bottom of the bowl, and then spread the mixture on the prepared baking sheet.
  3. Bake for 15 minutes, stirring halfway through. Allow to cool completely before breaking up and storing at room temperature.
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    Sarah Elizabeth
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Genius Recipes

Recipe by: Genius Recipes

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45 Reviews

Eefje
Eefje January 30, 2024
Great snack! Love this easy recipe. House smells amazing too.
 
Ocean P.
Ocean P. December 9, 2020
I agree that it could use more cardamom and perhaps a little less turmeric. I learned that corn syrup 10 years past its expiration date that smells fine even if the color is deeper is still perfectly useable and edible. I subbed out some millet for oats and I used pomegranate molasses instead of molasses (although I know pomegranate molasses isn't molasses at all). It came out well. More nuts would be good and my next effort will use pistachios to complement the cardamom. It feels like a very forgiving recipe.
 
Ocean P.
Ocean P. December 9, 2020
I meant to add: it's more like candy than granola. I wouldn't mind it at all if it were less sweet and I may cut back on the sugar in the future.
 
Emmie
Emmie June 24, 2020
Very tasty, could use more cardamom. A tip: whisk in the spices and salt with the baking powder for even distribution.
 
soher
soher June 24, 2020
I actually mix the spices with the liquid so I don’t have the spices left in the bottom of the pot.
 
Ayl W.
Ayl W. August 24, 2019
This is a decent recipe, it was nice because it was something new in my granola jar in terms of the texture of the puffed millet-- nice and airy. I expected it to be a little more spiced rather than sweet. However, it was the opposite: it was sweet first, then spiced. In future I might want to add more of the spices, just to make up for it being a bit on the sweeter side-- which I would prefer it not to be as sweet, that's my only complaint. I'll certainly be adapting this recipe to my liking, it's certainly interesting as a jumping off place.
 
soher
soher August 8, 2019
Love this and have made it tooo many times to count. This time, it is so sticky and won’t break up - the whole sheet pan could have been rolled up without cracking.
HELP???
 
Kaitlin B.
Kaitlin B. November 13, 2018
This granola is absurdly good. It tastes like a ~healthy~ rice crispy treat with a little warmth and spice. I subbed cashews, walnuts, and cinnamon (based on what was in my pantry) and no regrets! Already planning on making another batch.
 
Kristen M.
Kristen M. November 14, 2018
Yay! And thank you for the timely reminder that this would make amazing holiday gifts this year...
 
Sarah E.
Sarah E. October 16, 2018
This is way too good. I didn’t have any molasses, so I used boiled cider, and it turned out awesome. My only complaint: this is honestly addictive. I’ll never go back to overly sweet, dense granola.
 
Heidi D.
Heidi D. August 16, 2018
Would it be possible to use coconut oil instead of butter?thanks!
 
Emmie
Emmie June 24, 2020
I did and it turned out great!
 
Daryl
Daryl August 14, 2018
I have a ton of food allergies, and I finally feel like I have found a great snack that's savory! I crave salt, and it seems a lot of gluten-free items are sweet. I made it last night and brought some to the office today to share with my gluten-free co-workers, and made the mistake of leaving it out on my desk. Everyone who walks by is enamored by it! Normally, my cooking is merely a topic of amusement to those around me, but I have only been at my desk for 90 minutes and have had three people who have no food allergies ask if they can have some -- and they all have commented on how awesome it is and that they'll be back for more. It's a good thing that it makes a huge amount, because if it didn't I might be forced to take a sick day and bring my booty home with me.
 
NA
NA August 12, 2018
This is fantastic stuff.
 
dianasaur
dianasaur July 6, 2018
Delicious! Even without a candy thermometer, I guessed at the timing based on bubbles and seemed to work out great - used half oats and half Rice Krispies cereal (who can use a whole box?!) along with honey as the glucose and coconut sugar. Can't. stop. snacking!
 
Whitney
Whitney June 10, 2018
Divine. Made this with puffed kiwicha, quinoa, and rice. Left out the brown sugar, but used 1 T Peruvian algarrobina syrup instead of molasses and 1/3 c honey. I think it's perfect.
 
ivy G.
ivy G. April 17, 2018
I used date syrup for the glucose. It was the perfect complement to the Cardamon and Turmeric . I bought it last summer on trip to Israel but I think you can find it at middle eastern markets.
 
Oaklandpat
Oaklandpat April 13, 2018
Where can you find puffed millet?
 
Ginny S.
Ginny S. April 13, 2018
If you have a Sprouts market near you, they carry it.
 
Susan
Susan April 13, 2018
Whole Foods carries puffed millet and you can also find it on Amazon.
 
BeverlyW
BeverlyW April 9, 2018
OMG - this stuff is awesome!!! I made it almost according to the recipe - I didn't have any molasses, so I used ~50g corn syrup and ~61g maple syrup. I also added a few grinds of black pepper, as that is supposed to increase the bioavailability of the good stuff in turmeric. I used turmeric I bought online from Diaspora, and it is much sweeter and milder in flavor than normal turmeric. Can't wait to make more of this addictive snack!
 
Heidihelm
Heidihelm April 8, 2018
I just made this and it is delicious! However it is quite sweet. How could I decrease the sweetness and still get the glazing?
 
mwk
mwk April 8, 2018
I used only 2 tblsp of sugar (coconut sugar, at that), and found that it was still plenty sweet and there was still enough glaze. You might not even need that much -- the 1/3 cup glucose (or honey, in my case) might be enough on its own.
 
Jules
Jules April 8, 2018
This is REALLY delicious. However, I did run into a problem (or what I thought at the time was a problem). I’m not sure why, but there was absolutely no way at least a third of the dry mixture would mix into the hot syrup. The syrup just hardened and thickened so fast. Since I was left with so much uncoated mixture and the recipe said make sure to get the dry spices in at the bottom of the bowl I ended up making an additional half recipe of the syrup and used that for the rest. However, after it came out of the oven I realized that was definitely unneeded. The syrup had all melted and I think would’ve coated the dry parts anyway. Just thought I’d share so others don’t don’t do the same thing! It’s still delicious just sweeter and more candy-like. Next time I think I’ll add powdered ginger!
 
mwk
mwk April 8, 2018
I actually stirred all the spices into the syrup right before adding the baking soda. Worked fine!
 
Susan
Susan April 6, 2018
OMG. Is this stuff addictive or what! Added coconut to this batch and I’m thinking the next one will have some form of ginger. Thanks for this great recipe!
 
Dana M.
Dana M. April 5, 2018
Wow! This is like a miracle snack. The flavor of Cracker Jacks, and a very addictive texture. Next time I'll add more nuts.
 
Kristen M.
Kristen M. April 6, 2018
Love this. I also wanted a few more nuts but then thought that it was an appropriate homage to how Cracker Jack has just a sprinkling of peanuts, and always leaves you wanting more. But hey, the great thing about making your own is that you can add as many nuts as you want!
 
Titi
Titi April 5, 2018
Wow. It's just out of the oven, and the kids&I can't stop eating spoonfuls of the warm mixture... Can't wait for breakfast!
The only change I made was using a mix of 3 puffed cereal (1/3 millet, 1/3 spelt and 1/3 barley). Great! Thank you!
 
Kristen M.
Kristen M. April 6, 2018
So glad you liked it—and so impressed you had all those puffed cereals on hand! The mix of textures sounds fantastic.