Whether you enjoy it for a tasty breakfast or grab a handful for a mid-afternoon snack, this healthy chocolate granola recipe is great to have on hand in your pantry. The ultimate crunchy homemade granola that’s loaded with dark chocolate chips and is so quick and easy to make! {Vegan, dairy-free & gluten-free}
Nothing beats the taste of fresh homemade crunchy granola and chocolate! That’s why you’re in for a real treat with this healthy chocolate granola recipe!
Made with cocoa, almond butter, maple syrup and chocolate chips, this double chocolate granola is a delicious tasting healthier alternative to store-bought, that’s minimally processed and lower in sodium. Plus, with its rich chocolatey flavours, it almost feels like you’re eating a brownie in granola form!
We’re huge fans of homemade granola because it’s so convenient to have on hand. Grab some for a quick breakfast on a busy morning, enjoy it as a snack on some yogurt, or use it to top up your favourite desserts for a crunchy chocolatey bite.
So many ways to put it to use, and it’s so easy to make!
If you’re looking for more healthier granola recipes, be sure to try my Easy Granola Recipe {4 ways} and Healthy Granola Bar Recipe too!
Table of Contents
Why we love this DIY granola recipe
- Quick and easy: Just mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl, spread on a baking sheet and bake! It really doesn’t get much easier than this!
- Make ahead: Be sure to make a big batch of this granola. It has a pretty good shelf life, so you can make it once and enjoy it for weeks.
- Simple ingredients: You only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. Many of them are common pantry staples, so you probably have most of the ingredients on hand already!
- Kid-friendly: My kids gobble up this double chocolate granola! It makes a fun topping for Greek yogurt, apple nachos or a banana split, all while getting the goodness of the oats, almond butter and dark chocolate!
Ingredient notes
- Oats: I find that rolled oats are typically best for homemade granola as they’re larger in size and have a nice chewy texture to them. Quick oats can be used in a pinch. Avoid steel cut oats as they won’t work well for granola due to their tough texture.
- Seasonings: Cinnamon, salt and vanilla extract help to flavour up the the granola.
- Cocoa powder: Use unsweetened cocoa powder for a rich chocolatey flavour. Cacao powder works well too for a less processed option and more antioxidants.
- Coconut oil: Some form of fat is required when you make granola, otherwise the oats will be too dry and won’t crisp up as much. Coconut oil is a great option for this homemade chocolate granola and adds a nice flavour too.
- Maple syrup: Used to sweeten the granola. You can use honey too if you don’t require the recipe to be vegan.
- Almond butter: This adds a nice nutty flavour and also helps to get the granola nice and crunchy. Natural peanut butter can be used as well.
- Dark chocolate chips: Because there’s no such thing as too much chocolate! I like to use mini dark chocolate chips since you get little bits of chocolate in every bite, but you can use regular-sized chocolate chips as well.
Required kitchen equipment
No fancy equipment is required to make this granola recipe, so the prepping and clean up is a breeze!
Here’s what you’ll need:
How to make chocolate granola – step by step
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the oats, cinnamon, salt, and cocoa powder. Stir to combine.
- Pour in the coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla and stir to combine.
- Add the almond butter last, and mix until incorporated. It’s okay if there are some clumps here and there, just try to get it mixed in evenly.
- Spread the granola evenly onto the lined baking sheets.
- Bake for 12 minutes. Toss the granola on the pan, ensuring that you move the bits on the edges to the inside of the pan, so they don’t get burnt. Bake for 11-15 more minutes, or until golden brown and crunchy.
- Allow the granola to cool completely before removing from the baking sheets. Toss in the dark chocolate chips and store in an air-tight container.
Recipe Notes:
- Spread the granola mixture evenly on the baking sheets so that it all cooks and crisps up evenly.
- Make sure that the granola stays closer to the middle of the baking sheet. If the little bits of granola creep too close to the edges, it’s more likely to burn.
- Don’t add in the chocolate chips when the granola is still warm, otherwise they might melt. If you like ooey-gooey chocolate granola, this isn’t a horrible thing, but it may be messier to handle.
- After you take the granola out of the oven, allow it to fully cool before handling it. Don’t go tossing it around or breaking it up with a spatula (or eating it all by the handful) since that will prevent the crunchy clusters from forming.
How to make granola crunchy
There are a few ways to ensure that your granola gets extra crunchy.
- First, when you mix the ingredients together, make sure that everything is really well combined and the oats are evenly coated.
- Additionally, be sure to spread the granola mixture in a single layer when baking so that it crisps up evenly, and toss it halfway through cooking.
- Before storing, let the granola cool fully on the baking sheets.
How to store homemade granola
You may be wondering how long can homemade granola last? Good question! It can be stored at room temperature in an air-tight container or mason jar for up to a month.
Recipe FAQs
The chocolate granola recipe does not need to be refrigerated. Store it at room temperature out of direct sunlight to prevent the chocolate chips from melting.
Yes! Granola will keep well frozen for up to 3 months. Store in it freezer bags, with as much air removed as possible. Thaw it out at room temperature before enjoying.
Not all granola is gluten-free, so it’s important that you check the labels if purchasing store-bought or the ingredient list if making homemade granola. This recipe for chocolate granola is naturally gluten-free. If you do have an intolerance to gluten, be sure to double check that your oats are certified gluten-free as they can be cross contaminated with gluten when processed.
Once again, not all granola is vegan, so double check the label and ingredients. This recipe is a vegan option. We use maple syrup to sweeten the granola and dark chocolate chips are used which don’t contain dairy.
This DIY dark chocolate granola is free from highly processed ingredients. It contains complex carbs and fibre to help keep you satisfied and provide energy for the day. Additionally, the almond butter provides heart-healthy fats that can help keep cholesterol levels in check. The cocoa and dark chocolate chips are rich in antioxidants and some research has found that dark chocolate may help lower blood pressure when consumed in small amounts. Keep in mind that the higher the percentage of cocoa solids, the more heart-healthy flavonoids the chocolate contains, so aim for a higher percentage wherever possible to reap the most benefits.
A million times yes! It’s often lower in salt and sugar, and less processed overall. It’s definitely a more nutritious option since you can control exactly which ingredients you’re putting into the granola. Plus, it tastes so much more fresh! I love making my own granola as you can easily customize it to suit your tastes.
Optional add-ins
Make this granola your own by trying some of these additional ingredients:
- Shredded coconut
- Sliced or chopped almonds
- Raisins
What to eat with homemade granola
Serve this healthy chocolate granola recipe with:
- In yogurt (try it on some of this Homemade Fruit on the Bottom Yogurt)
- In a parfait
- On a PB and banana wrap
- As an ice cream topping (try it on this Chocolate Nice Cream)
- Mixed with nuts and dried fruit as a trail mix
- With milk
- On a smoothie bowl
- Sprinkled on apple slices with peanut butter (or on these Apple Nachos)
- By the handful (try not to get too carried away)!
Recipe variations
More similar recipes
- Chocolate Avocado Pudding
- Healthy Rice Krispie Treats
- Heart Healthy Trail Mix with Dark Chocolate
- Healthy Oatmeal Muffins {4 Different Ways}
- 6 Mason Jar Protein Overnight Oats
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
- Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
- 4-Ingredient No-Bake Peanut Butter Protein Bars
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a rating and review!
Healthy Chocolate Granola Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup coconut oil melted
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup almond butter
- 1/2 cup mini dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the oats, cinnamon, salt, and cocoa powder. Stir to combine.
- Pour in the coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla and stir to combine.
- Add the almond butter last, and mix until incorporated. It’s okay if there are some clumps here and there, just try to get the almond butter spread out as evenly as possible.
- Spread the granola evenly onto the lined baking sheets.
- Bake for 12 minutes. Toss the granola on the pan, ensuring that you move the bits on the edges to the inside of the pan, so they don’t get burnt. Bake for 11-15 more minutes, or until golden brown and crunchy.
- Allow the granola to cool completely before removing from the baking sheets. Toss in the dark chocolate chips and store in air-tight container.
Notes
- Spread the granola mixture evenly on the baking sheets so that it all cooks and crisps up evenly.
- Make sure that the granola stays closer to the middle of the baking sheet. If the little bits of granola creep too close to the edges, it’s more likely to burn.
- Don’t add in the chocolate chips when the granola is still warm, otherwise they might melt. If you like ooey-gooey chocolate granola, this isn’t a horrible thing, but it may be messier to handle.
- After you take the granola out of the oven, allow it to fully cool before handling it. Don’t go tossing it around or breaking it up with a spatula (or eating it all by the handful) since that will prevent the crunchy clusters from forming.
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