to get chunks in my granola recipe, i don't stir it very often. Instead I let it bake into a giant slab of granola, then crush it up myself once it has cooled. that gives me the big crunchy chunks i love so much :)

Cooks illustrated just had some recipes and tips... they said to get big chunks firmly pack the granola onto the cookie sheet. Bake without stirring it. You'll need to use a low temp to avoid burning since you're not stirring. CI said 325 but I might go a little lower since my oven tends to have hot spots. Then break it up after its done. Haven't tried it yet but plan to!

Bake the Granola in a Madeleinette Pans

I add a couple tbsp of ground flax to mine and that helps. And I use brown rice syrup for part of my sweetner, which is really sticky. I still stir mine and I bake it at 300 degrees, I would be very careful with not stirring it. Mine still gets pretty brown in the corners between stirring.

Use honey instead of sugar as a sweetener-- it makes everything stick together and forms a delicious glaze

I found this recipe very helpful: http://gourmandeinthekitchen.com/2011/granola-recipe/

I make my granola using that same recipe (soo good!) and my trick is stir it like normal during the bulk of the baking time, but hold off as it approaches the level of darkness/done-ness (?) you like. Then, when you pull it out of the oven, let it cool in the same baking sheet. Remember to line the baking sheet beforehand with parchment or a silpat, however, or it will stick to the pan - not good!

Brown rice syrup definitely makes it chunkier b/c it's so sticky. I also agree with the "not stirring" method. Good luck!

i find that grinding some of the oats helps (i do about 1/3 of the oats). i also cook the granola at very low heat for a long time without stirring - 275 for an hour. always turns out good n clumpy!

i'm with @wee eats:: i stir my granola only once while baking and then let it cool completely before stirring again.

What are you using to stick together? Ingredients like peanut butter, apple sauce, banana, honey... they all help it get those nice chunks. Here is a reciep I use and love! http://www.loveumadly.com/2012/02/be-mine-cupids-granola/

Okay, from reading the links that Faith posted and everyone's comments...I am definitely guilty of over-stirring!! The recipe says to stir every ten minutes, and since I have never made granola before this, I just didn't know. I have very limited granola experience :) My family didn't even really eat granola before I started making it! So, I typically bake it at 300 degrees, is that a low enough temp to just let it bake without stirring?? I love the recipe and don't want to change it to much, but the sweeteners she calls for are brown sugar and maple syrup. They are not the super sticky ones that people have mentioned as helping to create clumps, but I do love the overall flavor of the granola.

The latest CI Issue addresses this by having you press your granola into one firm "mat" of granola on your baking sheet, and bake it fully that way. You end up with a whole sheet of granola that you can break up into whatever sizes you like! Try this with your recipe and see if it helps. Remember to press it all firmly together!

I tried the Cook's Illustrated recipe that came out last month. It was my first attempt at homemade granola. It was delish but not quite clumpy enough for me and the clumps that did form did not survive as clumps in the backpack ride into work. It did pick up a little bit or a roasted pumpkin seed flavor from maybe being in the oven a touch too long. Next time I'm going to use their tips +grinding some of the granola +using some ground flax seeds.

I recently ran across a recipe that used applesauce to make it clumpier. Couldn't find the recipe again, so I just stirred in a half cup of applesauce to my normal granola recipe, then baked it at 275F for an hour+, until it was completely dry (the applesauce added moisture that needed to evaporate). It worked! Very clumpy and not apply.

I'll echo grinding some of the oats. I've had great success with the granola recipe from Traveler's Lunchbox - http://www.travelerslunchbox.com/journal/2007/6/9/the-lip-ladys-secret-granola.html

Hmmm, I think I need to make a batch of that olive oil granola now, grinding some of the oats into powder. Mmm!

(Well, not powder - just much smaller bits)

The trick that's been most successful for me for making clumps is to use ground oats or oat flour. It binds with the sweetener to hold the oats together. Believe me, I've tried ALL of the tips above - sweeteners, applesauce, not stirring (which I found meant that the granola didn't brown easily), waiting until it's completely cooled, etc - but the ground oats/oat flour works the best.

I was told to adapt my recipe by adding water to the oats first, which helps release their starches so they'll stick together. Then add your sweeteners and bake, stirring occasionally. Works well for me!

I second the ground oats/oat grain/oat bran comments. I can tell when I've used oat bran and have not, based on clumpiness.

I make these, then break them up- yum!

http://slightlyirritatingandinconvenient.blogspot.com/2011/04/my-favorite-chewy-granola-bars.html

My granola tends to come out quite clustered, but if you add more butter and honey the mixture is thicker and the chunks larger. Plus don't stir it quite so much when baking - just bake a little longer at a lower heat so it doesn't burn.

http://www.coffeetoastandlondon.com/2012/02/homemade-granola.html

A lot of sugar and oil/juice to melt the sugar, or a lot of honey or golden syrup. When I started making my own granola I was obsessed with chunks, until I realised how much sugar I had to include to get them.

Use honey, stir once halfway through baking and leave in the oven overnight (with the oven off) before packaging.

I add an egg white beaten until foamy before the bake. You can even add it half way through the baking process, just make sure you don't mix that after you add it. Allow to cool and dry completely before breaking up the clumps.