The Beracha on Granola Clusters

Q. What beracha should be recited on granola clusters?

A. Granola clusters are made from toasted, rolled (flattened) oats that are held together with a syrup to form a cluster. The beracha on toasted oats is Ha’odama, while the beracha on cooked oats that adhere together is Borai minai mezonos. Igeros Moshe (OC 4:46) writes that even if the grains were broken into small pieces, they remain Ha’odama, so long as they were not cooked with water. Granola clusters are sprayed with syrup and baked together to form a cluster, but this does not constitute cooking. The grains adhere together only because of the syrup, but not because they are cooked. Therefore, the beracha on granola clusters is Ha’odama. However, because there is a question as to which beracha acharona should be recited on toasted grains (Borei nifoshos or Al ha’odama), it is preferable to avoid eating a kezayis of clusters (half the size of an egg) within the time frame of (3-4 minutes), as explained previously in Halacha Yomis. If one did eat a kezayis in the time frame of k’dei achilas pras, Borei nifashos should be recited.

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The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.