Chunky Chocolate Granola

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!).

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. For more alternatives, see this post on maple syrup substitutes.
• 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

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.

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!

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And if you liked this recipe...

...you might also like:

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

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