I have an obsession with breakfast food. Cereals and crunchy granola, in particular. I eat a bowl of either one every morning, and another bowl of either one (sometimes I mix ‘em up in the same bowl) for a late night snack.
I also love eggs, bacon, crepes, pancakes, French toast… oh sorry, this post is not about any of these.
Back to my Chocolate Granola. I love it.
I mix it up with a bunch of dried fruits, I sometimes add in chocolate chips, and there are times when I use it to dress up my ice cream. Yep. I’ll take granola any way that I can.
The chocolate granola that I make came about because of my husband. He doesn’t care for breakfast, but he cares a lot for chocolate. This was the best way that I could get him to eat his needed amount of fiber for the day. I’m such a good wifey.
Chocolate Granola
Ingredients
- 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 1/2 cup walnuts , chopped
- 1/2 tablespoon wheat germ
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup dried fruits (optional)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 325.
- Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl combine the rolled oats, cocoa powder, walnuts, almonds, wheat germ, ground cinnamon, salt and dried fruit.
- In a small saucepan, pour in the water, oil, honey, brown sugar, and vanilla; bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
- Pour the honey mixture over the dry ingredients and toss together until all ingredients are coated.
- Spread onto the baking sheet and bake for about 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally so the mixture browns evenly.
- For a crunchier granola, bake it for a few minutes longer; the browner the granola, the crunchier it will be.
- Place on a wire rack to cool.
- While the granola is still a bit warm, break up some of the larger clumps.
- Once the granola has cooled, store in an airtight container.
- Serve with milk, yogurt or even ice cream and some fruit.
- Keeps in an airtight container for weeks.
Notes
Want To Save This Recipe?
One more thing you should know about granola; it keeps you “regular”. I’m not even going to try to find a fancier way to convey that message. It is what it is.
Add just one other thing; Store-bought granola can be high in fat and calories. (And in price!) Create your own so that you can control the amount of fat, calories and sugar.
how much is one serving? im concerned about the calories. you said that one serving was 90 calories but how much is one serving?
Hi! One serving of store-bought granola is about 1/4 cup, but I’ve updated this recipe, and after consulting with other recipe calculators on the net, I am going to go ahead and up it to 1/3 cup serving and bring that up to almost double the calories. Important thing about granola is that, it’s high in fiber and iron, while nuts and seeds add heart-healthy unsaturated fats and a bit of protein. I hope that helps.
I get dried fruit & nut mix at Costco would that work in granola?
Oh, I just love granola (as if it wasn’t obvious from my blog name!). This looks wonderful.
Ah, what we do for the men in our lives? I love homemade granola. I have never tried a chocolate version. I cannot believe it is just 2 Tbsp of cocoa.
Oh girl… Love granola, and I never even thought to add chocolate to it!! Man, and I just made a giant batch with weekend without!!! 🙁
I absolutely love granola! I especially love it over fruit. And adding chocolate? Genius! I bet that this would go wonderfully with strawberries 🙂
This really looks yummy! Will be trying this for my husband who loves granola.
Truly delightful!
Yum! I love granola of any sort, but yours sounds especially good! Chocolate plus all of the delicious add ins :)!
What a good idea to combine chocolate and granola – looks delicious! Love the labels on the jar too, very cute!
Your husband’s a smart guy 🙂 I’m making this granola asap! Congrats on the Top 9!
ANY excuse to incorporate chocolate into breakfast! This granola looks amazing Kate!
I love granola too. Great idea to add cocoa powder.
Congrats on making the top 9 with this one. That granola looks awesome (and it has chocolate?! – who could resist?
Love your fix of chocolate for breakfast. I recently found out that Bobby Flay has a show called Brunch @ Bobby’s on the Cooking channel and if you love your morning treats, you might want to check it out. Here is a link for his show details: http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/brunch-at-bobbys/index.html
Congrats on Top 9!
I have an obsession with chocolate and granola, so I think we should just be best friends 🙂
I’m with you… I could basically live on cereal and granola! I have to say I’ve never had chocolate granola, but wow, I can sure imagine a scoop of this crunchy treat over ice cream, or may yogurt! MMm!! Congrats on a well deserved Top 9!!
This looks DEEEVINE! I can hardly wait to make it!
I cannot even begin to tell you how delicious that granola looks. Congrats on the FB top 9!!
Like you I eat granola every day, usually on top on my yogurt, an you are right about it being expensive. This sound perfect. I’ll give it a try, but without the chocolate! Not that I don’t love chocolate, but just not in my granola. Thanks for sharing.
Congrats Kate on making Top 9!
Great Granola recipe, Kate!!! I’ll love the taste – I am sure!! And I love your photos – so stunning and beautiful!! Oh, and congrats on Top 9 – absolutely deserved… I’ve been busy recently and couldn’t spend as much time as I’d like with you guys :)) but I will catch up now…
Hi Mina!! I know what you mean… I have been really busy with trying to improve my site that I haven’t had much time to go through my favorite food blogs… I hope to catch up this coming weekend because it looks like I’m almost at the finish line with uploading this site to a new host.
You and I are both on Top 9 today!!! YAAAAAY!!! Congrats sweetheart!
Congrats on Top 9 🙂
Congratulations on the Top 9 today! Your granola looks so good, and chocolate, too!
CONGRATS on top 9 today and this sounds yummy!
Thank You, DD!!
I’m like you, I love my granola and I have it a couple times a day. Glad to see your site is back up.
Oh I love this idea. I will have to try it next time. Thanks
My daughter has just made her first homemade granola for a 5 star junior post coming up and we are both totally addicted to it (junior actually put choc chips into her portion)! Absolutely love the idea of adding cocoa powder.
I love granola, and chocolate in it sounds wonderful. I’m with you, I love granola so much and always make it at home, cereal too 🙂
Love it, and I love how delicately you put, it keeps you regular. He He
Just came to grab your new add. Hope you have a great week.
-Gina-
Did you say chocolate? I love it. I’m going to have to give this a try this weekend!
I love adding granola to Greek yogurt for breakfast!
Granola and yogurt in the morning is a power breakfast. Never thought to make my own granola though…until now!
It’s very tempting..I’m planning to make granola sometime and this recipe I like especially
I made chocolate granola once and it was a disaster. I’ll have to try your recipe! This looks amazing. 🙂
I’ve never heard of chocolate granola, but it sounds and looks good! And those hubbies do always need a push in the fiber department. haha
Kate, the chocolate granola is my kind -o-food! Half breakfast half treat!
I’ve never been a fan of granola before making my own! I did love one granola… that was very expensive and still not as good as homemade ;). Yours looks yummy :).
I have a weakness when it comes to granola…I can eat it dry with a spoon, with milk, on ice cream…any way is OK with me! Your version looks wonderful…and gorgeous photos as always!
Oh I love this! I’ve made granola with dark chocolate chunks but never with cocoa powder. I am so looking forward to trying this recipe!
Love this chocolate granola! It looks delicious and your photos are beautiful too!
This looks delicious! I also enjoyed reading your post, you have a great sense of humour 🙂
Your homemade granola sounds and looks amazing! Maybe it’s time for me to make some and if I decide to do so, I will be back to your post- bookmarked! It is always a pleasure to stop by your place and eye-eat something delicious 🙂
I just made a batch of homemade granola, and now I’m wishing I had added some chocolate…plus, your photos are just lovely.
Yum yum and some more yum! Look and sound soo delicious Kate! Nice photos too!
Oh, I am freaking out over this recipe! It sounds so good! I have a chocolate granola that I found a few months back and I have not been able to find it since. This will be perfect!
I make my own as well but I’ve never thought to add cocoa. What a decadent way to start the day!
This looks so tasty! I love homemade granola!
This is an absolutely “Must Try” for me… I will make this next weekend. Love both chocolate and granola!!
Fantastic! Love the clicks too… 🙂 I really need to control my fats .. this is on my list 🙂
Kate, made a mistake reading this before going to bed since I want this for breakfast already. Will need to get my act together quickly to make this for something different this week. It looks SO good! What lovely photos, as usual 😉
Gorgeous! It just amazes me how expensive cereal is from the store – and how much you can save by making it at home…and it tastes better! Great job!
I think I am going to make this right now! This looks so delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
Love this recipe Kate, I’d like to have it warmed with vanilla soymilk.
Yummy! I love granola and of course chocolate granola is even better! Cute presentation, too.
Must-make! Oh my husband will marry me all over again if I serve this for breakfast!! lol ♥- K
Mmmm, this looks delicious! I love granola, too, and much prefer homemade! With a few tweaks (dark chocolate chips and agave instead of honey) your delicious granola is vegan! Awesome! Thanks for the great recipe!