Chocolate Coconut Granola

Rich Chocolate Coconut Granola with big crunchy clusters and a real chocolate swirl, this recipe is vegan-friendly, contains no refined sugar, and includes flax seed for added fiber.

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Total Time 50

Servings serves

Calories 330kcal

Ingredients

1/3 cup coconut oil 78ml, melted
5 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder 20g
1/2 cup maple syrup 120ml
1 tsp vanilla extract 5ml
½ tsp salt 3g
3 1/2 cups rolled oats 315g
½ cup ground flax seeds 45g
1 cup shredded coconut 60g, unsweetened
1 cup chopped chocolate chips 160g

Instructions

Preheat oven to 300°F/150 C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine the coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt. Whisk until blended.
Add the cocoa powder and stir until a smooth paste forms.
Fold in the oats and ground flax seeds. Mix until all the chocolate paste is well distributed and coats every bit of oats.
Fold in the shredded coconut until just mixed.
Spread mixture into an even layer on the prepare baking sheet. Flatten as much as possible to create clusters. The oats being in contact with each other and limited disturbance during the baking and cooling will result in the biggest clusters.
Bake for 35 minutes, until dry and firm.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top. Return to the oven for 5 minutes.
Remove from the oven and swirl the chocolate. Set aside to cool completely before storing in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

Oven Temperature is Critical: Do not increase the oven temperature. This recipe uses a low-and-slow bake at 300F (150C) to prevent the cocoa powder and coconut from scorching, which is a common problem with chocolate granola. If your oven runs hot, reduce the temperature slightly to be safe.

For Big Clusters: Avoid stirring while cooling. Once the granola comes out of the oven, do not break it up until it is completely cool. The chocolate swirl and maple syrup need to fully harden on the pan to form those big clusters.

Flax Seed Reminder: The use of ground flax seeds is essential, not just for nutrition, but because it acts as a binder, increasing the size and stability of the final clusters.

Sweetness Adjustment to Balance the Dark Cocoa: This is not a super sweet granola, it is more rich, dark chocolate-forward. If you prefer a sweeter granola, increase the maple syrup by 1 to 2 tablespoons, or swap the unsweetened shredded coconut for sweetened coconut.

Nutrition