The only question with this chocolate coconut granola is, breakfast or dessert? My answer: Why choose? With milk or yogurt it’s breakfast, and with ice cream, it’s dessert. I recommend strawberries either way. No matter what you eat it with, this dark chocolate granola is very addictively delicious.
One night a couple of weeks ago I was trying to do too many things right before bed. I was making batches of both my hazelnut chocolate brownies, and my go-to coconut ginger almond granola, and suddenly I had a crazy idea. What if I threw some of the cocoa powder I was using for the brownies in the granola, for chocolate granola? In general, adding chocolate to things is usually a good idea. What could go wrong?
So I did it.
As soon as the granola was out of the oven, and had cooled enough for me to taste, I declared myself a cooking genius. Did you ever have Cocoa Puffs or Chocolate Rice Krispies when you were a kid? This granola is like a less sweet, more sophisticated version that you can eat for breakfast without getting a sugar high. Oats and nuts and coconut are all good for you, and chocolate is full of antioxidants. Add some fruit and Greek yogurt, and you’re good to go.
Yes, I even eat this granola for breakfast instead of my beloved avocado toast. We’re just taking a break, it’s nothing serious.
Chocolate Coconut Granola
5 cups rolled oats
2 cups barley flakes
1 1/2 cups unsweetened dried coconut flakes
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp cardamom
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
3/4 cup water
Preheat oven to 300 F. Cover two rimmed baking sheets with silicon mats or parchment paper.
Combine the ground flax seeds and water in a bowl or large glass measuring cup. Whisk together and refrigerate at least 15 minutes, until thickened.
In a very large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients and stir together to mix. Add the melted coconut oil and vanilla extract, and stir to mix. Whisk the thickened flaxseeds and water, then add to the dry ingredients, and stir until evenly mixed.
Divide the granola between the baking sheets and press into thin layers. To help the granola cook evenly, leave an open circle a few inches in diameter in the middle of each of the pans.
Bake 30 minutes. Rotate pans and switch shelves. Bake another 30 minutes and turn over granola with a spatula. Bake another 25-30 minutes until browned. The granola will still be soft at this point, but will crisp as it cools.
Remove from the oven and allow the granola to completely cool in the pan. Transfer it to an air-tight container for storage.
Notes:
- Feel free to substitute your favorite chopped nuts for the almonds.
- This granola isn’t especially sweet, but you can cut down the sugar even further, to 3/4 cup.
- The barley flakes can be subbed out for additional rolled oats, or rye flakes.
- This makes a lot of granola. Unless you halve the recipe, you’ll need a big bowl to stir it up. I use the largest version of this bowl from Ikea.
Hi Rachel, This looks delish. When you say rolled oats what exactly do you mean? Thanks, Pat S
Pat, I just mean regular old-fashioned, rolled oats, not steel-cut or instant. I buy them from bulk bins, where they’re labeled rolled oats, but Quakers or any brand of rolled oats is fine. If you’re still confused, this post might help: http://www.thekitchn.com/whats-the-difference-between-steel-cut-rolled-and-instant-oats-138355