Chocolate Granola with Hazelnuts
Homemade granola is a staple item in my pantry. I love to have granola on hand for quick snacks and easy breakfasts. Plus, I love how much culinary freedom making my own granola gives me—I can add whatever ingredients I want! Recently I decided to branch out from my usual tahini granola, and so the recipe for this chocolate granola with hazelnuts was born.
Recipe Details
Chocolate Granola Ingredients
To make this granola recipe, you will need the following ingredients:
- Gluten-free rolled oats
- Raw hazelnuts
- Raw walnuts
- Coconut flakes
- Ground cinnamon
- Cocoa powder
- Sea salt
- Maple syrup
- Coconut oil
- Pure vanilla extract
- Cacao nibs
- Dried cherries or cranberries
*Continue scrolling for the full recipe with measurements
Techniques for a Chunky Granola
Achieving a chunky granola texture is very important to me. There is nothing better than big chunks of delicious granola; anything less will not suffice. The best tricks I’ve learned over the years for creating a chunky granola are these:
- Do not stir the granola while it is cooking! Instead, rotate the pan halfway through cooking to ensure even cooking. Mixing your granola while it is cooking will break it up and reduce your chances of achieving a chunky texture.
- Let your granola cool completely on the pan before breaking it up. As the granola cools, it will harden, which makes it more conducive to holding large chunks when you do break it apart to store it.
Chocolate Granola Substitutions
One of the many things I love about granola is how versatile it is. Generally speaking, I have a granola base recipe that I follow, and then I swap different ingredients to make each batch unique. Here are some great substitutions for ingredients in this chocolate granola:
- Swap gluten-free rolled oats for regular rolled oats. If you don’t have a gluten sensitivity, regular rolled oats can be used.
- For a nut-free option, pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds can be used in place of the walnuts and hazelnuts. Additionally, if you don’t love walnuts or hazelnuts, any other nut can be used instead. Raw cashews, almonds, or Brazil nuts would all be great subs.
- Use unsweetened shredded coconut instead of flaked coconut. If you can’t find coconut flakes, you can use unsweetened shredded coconut instead.
What to Serve with Chocolate Granola
I love to eat granola dry by the handful as a quick snack, but if you’re a more civilized human being than I am, here are some great pairings:
- Thick yogurt. I love this vanilla Skyr yogurt from Siggi’s.
- Fresh or frozen berries. I have a big bag of frozen cherries that I think pair really nicely with this. I warm my frozen fruit in the microwave for about 30 seconds, then add my yogurt and granola on top.
- Smoothie bowls or chia pudding. Add this granola to your smoothie bowls or chia pudding to bulk them up and add a nice bit of crunch.
- Milk. You can never go wrong with a simple bowl of cereal and milk.
How to Make Chocolate Granola with Hazelnuts
Step One: Prepare the Granola
Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a rimmed half sheet with parchment paper.
Roughly chop the hazelnuts and walnuts, then transfer them to a large mixing bowl. Add the gluten-free rolled oats, coconut flakes, cinnamon, cocoa powder, and salt. Fold the ingredients together using a baking spatula or wooden spoon.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and pure vanilla extract.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold together with a baking spatula until no dry pockets of ingredients remain.
Step Two: Bake the Chocolate Granola
Transfer the granola to the prepared baking sheet. Evenly spread the granola into a flat layer on the baking sheet using your spatula. Gently press the granola down, then transfer it to the preheated oven.
Bake the granola for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Do not flip the granola while it is cooking (see my chunky granola tips above).
Step Three: Add the Granola-Mix-Ins
After 30 minutes, remove the granola from the oven and allow it to cool completely on the baking sheet before adding the cacao nibs and dried cherries or cranberries.
Once the granola has cooled, add the mix-ins, then use your hands to break the granola up into chunks.
Step Four: Enjoy!
Store the granola in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a month. See above for some of my favourite granola pairings. 🙂
More Granola Recipes
If you loved this chocolate granola, be sure to try these other delicious granola recipes:
Super-Seeded Hemp Heart Granola
Lastly, if you make this Chocolate Granola with Hazelnuts, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love to hear from you. If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram so I can see your creations!
xx
Ashley
Chocolate Granola with Hazelnuts
Equipment
- Rimmed half sheet pan
- Parchment paper
- Measuring cups
Ingredients
Chocolate Granola Base
- 3 cups gluten free rolled oats
- 1/2 cup raw hazelnuts
- 1/2 cup raw walnuts
- 1 cup coconut flakes
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup melted coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Granola-Mix-ins
- 1/4 cup cacao nibs
- 1/2 cup dried cherries or cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a rimmed half sheet with parchment paper.
- Roughly chop the hazelnuts and walnuts, then transfer them to a large mixing bowl. Add the rolled oats, coconut flakes, cinnamon, cocoa powder, and sea salt. Fold the ingredients together using a baking spatula or wooden spoon.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and pure vanilla extract.
- Fold the wet ingredients into the dry until completely combined. There should be no pockets of dry ingredients remaining.
- Transfer the granola to the prepared baking sheet, spreading it into a flat and even layer with a baking spatula. Gently press the granola down with your spatula. Pop the granola into the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes, rotating the pan after 15 minutes.
- Remove the granola from the oven and allow it to cool completely on the pan before adding the cacao nibs and dried cherries or cranberries. Use your hands to break the granola up into chunks. Transfer to an airtight container or jar and store at room temperature for up to a month.
Notes
- The hazelnuts and walnuts can be swapped out for any other nut or seed. Great nut-free options include pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.
- If you can't find flaked coconut, unsweetened shredded coconut will work well too.
- Regular rolled oats can be used if you are not gluten-sensitive.