Chocolate Almond Granola
This oil free chocolate almond granola is delicious on top of yogurt or eaten by the handful. Try a scoop of this deliciously crunchy granola when you need a tasty snack!
Granola is one of my favorite snacks and I love being able to customize it depending on what I’m craving. I was thinking about making this chia almond granola but I decided I needed something chocolatey. This granola has plenty of chocolate to satisfy your sweet tooth but it’s still made with healthy ingredients like whole grain oats and chia seeds!
Chocolate Almond Granola Ingredients
- Maple Syrup or Honey- I like honey best, but if you wanted to keep this granola vegan, use maple syrup instead.
- Peanut Butter– Peanut butter helps make the granola clumpy. You can substitute almond butter, if you like.
- Oats– Rolled oats are best for this recipe. Do not use instant oats.
- Chia Seeds– Chia seeds help create clumps of granola. They also add healthy fats, protein, and fiber.
- Sliced Almonds– I like to use sliced almonds which get deliciously crunchy. If you’re using whole almonds, be sure to chop them before adding to the granola.
- Salt– A little salt enhances the sweetness.
- Chocolate Chips– These are a must for chocolate granola! Be sure to use dairy free chips if you wanted to keep this recipe vegan.
This recipe is made without any oil or butter! The peanut butter adds a little healthy fat to help create delicious clusters, but you don’t need any additional oil!
Tips for Baking Pefect Granola
- Melting the peanut butter and sweetener in the microwave makes it easier to combine with the rest of the ingredients.
- Keep a close eye on the oven temperature. This granola cooks at a low temperature so it gets crispy without getting burnt.
- Stir the granola halfway through cooking, to ensure it cooks evenly.
- If you’re using salted peanut butter, add salt to taste, as you may not need as much salt.
- Don’t add the chocolate until you remove the granola from the oven. It will melt slightly on the warm granola, without getting burned.
Is Granola Healthy?
You may be wondering, “Is granola healthy?” The short answer is, it can be. But oftentimes, store-bought granola is loaded with oil and sugar. This granola is made without any oil or butter. Instead, it uses peanut butter for a healthy fat that helps create clusters of granola. While this granola is certainly sweet (it is chocolate granola after all) it’s sweetened with honey or maple syrup and it uses just enough to give this granola a sweet taste, without adding too much sugar. I like pairing granola with plain Greek yogurt, which has a lot of protein and helps balance out the sugar from the granola.
How to Store Granola
Store granola in an airtight container at room temperature. Keep in mind that this granola contains chocolate chips so if you take it on the go, beware of it melting in hot temperatures! I do not recommend storing this granola in the fridge.
Granola Variations
If you want to mix up this recipe, here are a few additional ingredients you could add:
- Dried fruit– Dried fruit like cherries or raisins would be delicious! Just wait until the granola comes out of the oven to add the fruit pieces.
- Coconut– You could add unsweetened coconut slices to this granola. Just be sure to coat it with the honey and peanut butter, so it doesn’t burn in the oven!
- Hemp seeds– Stir in hemp seeds for a little more protein!
- Cocoa powder- To make this granola extra chocolatey, stir in a tablespoon of cocoa powder to the honey and peanut butter mixture. It’ll make the granola extra rich!
Ways to Use Granola
- Add it on top of these frozen yogurt bites!
- Try it on a tasty yogurt bowl recipe.
- Sprinkle it onto chocolate granola bark!
- Use it as a topping for this chocolate almond smoothie bowl.
Looking for more granola ideas? For a unique twist on a classic snack, try my savory granola! Or switch things up with my grain free granola.
PrintChocolate Almond Granola
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 35 mins
- Yield: 4 cups 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Breakfast
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This chocolate almond granola is sweet and crunchy with plenty of clusters! Try this as a snack or sprinkle it on top of a bowl of yogurt!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup or honey
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 4 cups of rolled oats
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
- Add the maple syrup or honey and peanut butter in a large microwave-safe bowl.
- Microwave for 15-20 seconds until the peanut butter is slightly melted. Stir until the peanut butter and maple syrup or honey are completely combined.
- Add the oats, chia seeds, sliced almonds, and salt.
- Scoop onto a large cookie sheet or a 9 X 13 pan. Do not spread into a thin layer. Leave it about 1″ thick.
- Bake at 300 for 10 minutes, then stir and continue to bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove it from the oven and sprinkle in the chocolate chips.
- Let cool, and eat! You can store it in an airtight container for a week or two.
Notes
You can gently stir the chocolate chips after adding them, to mix the chocolate into the granola, or you can leave them in separately chunks.
Yummy.
Me? I’m looking towards warmer days!
Friends are the best. No matter what we are going through, we are able to laugh hysterically which always makes everything ok. And yeah, dessert doesn’t hurt either.
Love the sound of this Liz. It really looks wonderful, got to love granola for breakfast and snacks.
I’ve still never made homemade granola, but yours looks simple and easy. Girls nights are the absolute best when you’re stressed out. I really need a vacation right now, but luckily the countdown to Mexico is on!
Ohhhh yay!!! Have an amazing time in Mexico! Soak up some sun for me!
I need the snow to end! Seriously, we are pushing the school year really close to our wedding!
Simple and easy is perfect. Sometimes you just don’t have coconut sugar or other ingredients laying around.
Exactly! And I’m sure you could sub different nuts!
I need a vacation but that’s not happening any time soon so I may just have to settle for a beach day!
Glad you were able to get some girl time in the middle of everything that’s going on. 🙂
Ohh man. I could go for a beach day! Or even just some warm sun! Send me some from Miami? 😉
Pinned this to my pinterest board. I cannot wait to try this recipe! This is so perfect for wine night.
Woohoo!! Wine and granola 🙂 what a combo!
Awwww best friends are the best! I couldn’t get by without my close girl friends, that granola looks delicious can’t go wrong with a little chocolate! : )
Seriously, what would we do on our own?!
You sure do have some awesome friends. I could go for some vanilla frozen yogurt with rainbow sprinkles right about now.