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    Home » Recipes » Breakfast and Brunch

    Chunky Chocolate Granola

    Published: Apr 27, 2022 by Janessa

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    As a kid, I was always a little jealous of my peers who had moms that bought the fun cereals... The ones that were "chocolate-y" or "fruit-y" and were definitely "sugar-y". My Mom bought the ones that were "oat-y" and "healthy" (which I do appreciate now- Thanks Mom <3).

    Luckily, Grandma's house had the fun cereals so I wasn't totally deprived (and sometimes we even got to eat them with ice cream but that's a story for another time!).

    Hand holding a cluster of chocolate granola

    Now as an adult, having a healthy breakfast is important to me. But I also yearn to have chocolate for breakfast (and now I make the rules!), so I set out to make a healthy chunky chocolate granola!

    Made with oats, flax and sweetened with just a bit of maple syrup, I suspect this recipe is one that might even be Mom approved (as would these 3 Ingredient Banana Brownies)!

    And if pumpkin pie for breakfast is more your speed, try out this Pumpkin Flax Granola instead.

    The Ingredients

    • Rolled Oats- I typically use large flake rolled oats but quick oats will work as well. If you need the recipe to be gluten free, ensure you are using certified gluten free rolled oats.
    • Almonds- You need raw almonds for this recipe. If you use nuts that are already roasted, they may brown too quickly and burn before the granola is done baking. I like to leave the almonds whole but you can roughly chop them if you prefer. You can also leave them out if you need it to be nut free.
    • Ground Flaxseed- This is my favourite way to add some extra nutrition to granola- it binds to the oats and soaks up the flavours of the granola so you can't even tell that it is there! You can leave it out if you prefer and add an additional ¼ cup of oats.
    • Cocoa Powder
    • Maple Syrup- Honey can be substituted if needed.
    • Coconut Oil- Avocado oil also works.
    • Egg White- This helps to create granola with a lot of clusters without having to increase the sugar. If you need the recipe to be vegan, you can omit it. The granola will still be tasty but just a bit less chunky.
    • Fine Sea Salt
    A grey bowl filled with chocolate granola
    Look at all of those chocolate granola clusters!

    The Method

    1. Mix. Combine all of the dry ingredients. Stir together the maple syrup and melted coconut oil in a small dish and then pour over the dry ingredients. Stir until well combined and coated and then fold in the egg white.
    2. Bake. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper and spread the mixture out into an even layer. Bake at 300F for 35-50 minutes, rotating the pan after 20 minutes (but don't stir!). Start checking the granola for doneness after 35 minutes. The top should be dry (or very near dry) to the touch.
    3. Cool. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the granola to cool completely (it's hard, I know!). This cooling helps the granola to fully dry and bind so that you have lots of clusters! Once the granola is totally cool (about 2 hours), use a spatula to lift it and break into smaller clusters with your hands.

    Leftovers

    To Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.

    Check out this granola storage tips post for more information.

    Chocolate granola on a sheet pan with a red flipper

    Make it Your Own

    Some ideas for fun Chocolate Granola Variations!

    • Coconut Chocolate Granola- If you like coconut and chocolate, you could mix in some chunks or flakes of dried coconut with the cooled granola.
    • Change up the Nuts- Use another raw nut in place of the almonds. Pecans or cashews would both be delicious!
    • Double Chocolate Granola- To make this a bit more of a "treat" granola, sprinkle ½ cup of chocolate chips over the pan as soon as you remove it from the oven. The chocolate chips will slightly melt and bind to the granola.
    • Chocolate Chip Coconut Granola - Follow the directions for chocolate chips and then sprinkle coconut overtop of the chips so that the chocolate sticks to both the granola and the coconut!

    Ways to Eat Chocolate Granola!

    Most often I enjoy this granola all on its own for breakfast! It's also a great snack for packing along with you. Some others ways to enjoy it:

    • Eat it "cereal style" with milk
    • Enjoy it on top of fruit- it's delicious with strawberries or bananas
    • Make a parfait by layering it between yogurt and fresh fruit
    • Use it on top of ice cream
    • Try it as "croutons" on a fruit salad
    • Add it to your favourite trail mix
    • Have it as a topping on a smoothie bowl
    • Or check out this post of What to Eat with Granola for even more ideas!
    Chocolate granola in a bowl with milk and on a spoon

    Dietary Notes

    If you have dietary restrictions, check the packaging of specific ingredients that you use to ensure they are compliant. This recipe is:

    • Dairy Free
    • Gluten Free
    • Naturally Sweetened
    • Vegetarian
    • Vegan - If you omit the egg white.

    And if you liked this recipe...

    ...you might also like:

    • Maple Walnut Granola
    • Chocolate Hummus
    • Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
    • Banana Oat Pancakes

    Chocolate Granola

    Extra chunky and full of clusters, this homemade chocolate granola takes just 5 minutes of prep time. Enjoy it on its own, in a parfait and more!
    5 from 29 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 50 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour
    Servings: 6 cups
    Calories: 188kcal

    Ingredients

    • 4 cups large flake rolled oats
    • 1 cup raw almonds
    • ½ cup ground flaxseed
    • ½ cup cocoa
    • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
    • ½ cup maple syrup
    • 3 tablespoon coconut oil melted
    • 1 egg white whisked until frothy
    US Customary - Metric
    (Prevent your screen from going dark)

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 300 °F. Line a large baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
    • In a large bowl mix together all of the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together maple syrup and coconut oil. Pour wet mixture and then egg white into dry mixture and stir until well combined.
    • Spread mixture out evenly on prepared baking sheet and bake for 35-50 minutes, until dry (I usually bake it for 40 minutes), rotating the pan 180 degrees after 20 minutes.
    • Let cool completely on the pan and then break into chunks and store in an airtight container.

    Notes

    Leftovers
    Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 0.33cup | Calories: 188kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 71mg | Potassium: 219mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 2mg
    Did you make this recipe?Let me know what you thought in the comments below!

    More Breakfast recipes!

    • Pumpkin Flax Granola
    • Collage of toppings for pancakes including granola, pancakes, chocolate hummus, cranberry crisp, apple pancakes and mixed berries.
      23 Delicious Healthier Toppings for Pancakes (Or Waffles)
    • Collage of ideas of ways to use granola. Images of a bowl of granola with strawberries, Greek yogurt bark, muffins, pink smoothie bowl, breakfast banana split and a bowl of granola with blueberries.
      What to Eat with Granola
    • Granola Storage Tips (Plus Can You Freeze Granola?)
    « Easy Creamy Cashew Queso Dip
    Baked Cajun Honey Butter Salmon »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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    1. Shelby

      May 02, 2022 at 9:52 am

      5 stars
      Granola is my love language haha this was the perfect indulgence!

      Reply
      • Janessa

        May 02, 2022 at 10:03 am

        Haha, I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe!

        Reply
    2. Savannah

      May 02, 2022 at 5:13 pm

      5 stars
      Mm, crunchy chocolate granola is my favorite with a bowl of cold dairy-free milk. Delightful! This recipe is amazing!

      Reply
      • Janessa

        May 02, 2022 at 5:31 pm

        I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe, Savannah! Thank you for your kind review.

        Reply
    3. jennifer

      May 03, 2022 at 9:00 am

      5 stars
      You had me at chocolate, almonds . . and well, the promise of crunch awesomeness. It delivered and definitely satisfied my chocolate cravings in a better way!

      Reply
      • Janessa

        May 03, 2022 at 10:35 am

        Yay, I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for your kind review.

        Reply
    4. tina

      May 03, 2022 at 11:47 am

      5 stars
      Perfect tasty treat or snack when I'm craving for something chocolatey - thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Janessa

        May 03, 2022 at 11:51 am

        I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe, Tina!

        Reply
    5. Donny

      May 04, 2022 at 11:21 am

      5 stars
      The big sheet pan full of granola had me sold, and I'm so glad! This was so good!

      Reply
      • Janessa

        May 04, 2022 at 11:25 am

        I'm glad you liked this granola, Donny! It's definitely one of my favorites.

        Reply
    6. ChihYu

      May 04, 2022 at 3:58 pm

      5 stars
      This granola is divine! Chocolatey, chunky, nutty! Perfect with a bowl of almond milk or on its own!

      Reply
    7. Stacey

      May 05, 2022 at 9:38 am

      5 stars
      So crunchy and sweet, and I love that it makes the milk turn chocolaty!

      Reply

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    Janessa

    Hi, I'm Janessa and I'm passionate about sharing recipes that are made with wholesome ingredients, are quick and easy and most importantly, delicious!

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