This allergy-friendly classic healthy chocolate granola is loaded with seeds & gluten free grains, drenched in guilt-free chocolate ganache, and baked to perfection. Make it today!
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I don’t know about you, but I LOVE chocolate (well, sweets in general, really), and if I can have chocolate for breakfast, I’m all over it. (Remember those Chocolate Cherry Brownie Bites? Oh yeah, dessert for breakfast is my jam.) This easy-to-make and simple classic healthy chocolate granola truly makes my heart happy in the mornings. Since here at Our Sweetly Spiced Life, we work towards eating more healthfully overall, I wanted to create a chocolate granola full of whole foods and sweetened naturally (and somewhat lightly) with maple syrup.
Since I know many people with various allergies, I also wanted to create an allergy-friend chocolate granola, so this fabulous and healthy chocolate granola is nut-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free. Yay! I also provide two options for oils: coconut oil or sunflower oil, in order to give those avoiding coconut their perfect granola as well; just make sure to use the proper amount of maple syrup for your oil choice (see recipe)!
Loaded up with sunflower and chia seeds, puffed rice and rolled oats, and deliciously chocolatey and crunchy cacao nibs, this healthy superfood chocolate granola packs quite the nutritional punch! From healthy fats, plant-based proteins, fiber, antioxidants, and lots of vitamins and minerals, you can rest easy knowing your dessert-for-breakfast will fill you up, give you plenty of energy to start the day, and won’t drag you down with a sugar crash a couple of hours later!
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Classic Healthy Chocolate Granola… Or Healthy Chocolate Cereal!
While some granolas end up with big sticky clusters, this healthy chocolate granola actually feels more like a multigrain chocolate cereal, or a baked chocolate muesli, due to the lighter touch on the oil and syrup. For an entire batch, which makes about 6 cups of chocolate granola goodness, you only need ½ cup of oil and ½ to ¾ cup maple syrup, depending on your oil choice (coconut oil lends some sweetness naturally, so you need less maple syrup than when using sunflower oil, which has a more neutral flavor on its own).
Instead of the gooey clusters, you get smaller bits fully drenched in the chocolate sauce and baked to perfection, just waiting for you to toss on top of your morning yogurt or oats! Because this does remind me of a superfood chocolate cereal or a baked chocolate muesli, I regularly just pour myself a small bowl (seriously, this granola fills you up!), cover it with coconut or almond milk, and enjoy the crunchy texture as the milk gradually turns chocolatey brown, reminding me of my childhood chocolate cereals, though without the massive sugar crash and with far more healthy goodness!
Because this classic chocolate granola tastes amazing, rich, and indulgent, this healthy breakfast appeals to kids and adults alike. Kids will love to eat this as a chocolate cereal, especially with some fresh bananas or berries added in, and who doesn’t love a yogurt parfait? Creamy yogurt, layers of fresh fruit, and crunchy healthy chocolate granola topping… mmm, perfection.
You could even add this granola to your favorite hot oatmeal or overnight oats. I also love to make a quick little fruit salad for breakfast (strawberry banana, berry mix, pear and apple, etc.) and top it with this healthy chocolate granola, sometimes with a sprinkle of unsweetened shredded coconut for the finishing touch. No matter how you enjoy it, you need this classic healthy chocolate granola in your life today!
This allergy-friendly classic healthy chocolate granola is loaded with seeds & gluten free grains, drenched in guilt-free chocolate ganache, and baked to perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
1 ½ C Puffed Rice Cereal
1 ½ C Rolled Oats, gluten free if needed
1 C Sunflower Seeds
½ C Cacao Nibs
2 Tbsp. Chia Seeds
¼ tsp Sea Salt
Chocolate Sauce/Ganache
½ C Sunflower Oil or Coconut Oil, melted
½ to ¾ C Maple Syrup, depending on oil used and sweetness preference*
¾ C Cacao Powder
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl.
For the chocolate sauce/ganache
Combine oil of choice with cacao powder in small bowl, and whisk well until no clumps of powder remain.
Stir in maple syrup; if you’re using coconut oil and find it resolidifying, you can heat the whole mixture gently/microwave on low power until it liquifies again.
Add vanilla extract; stir to combine.
Combine & Bake
Fold chocolate sauce into dry ingredients, mixing well with a wooden spoon until all dry ingredients are thoroughly coated.
Spread the mixture evenly onto the lined baking sheet.
Bake at 325 for 20 minutes.
Stir mixture, then bake for another 5-10 minutes, checking regularly after 5 minutes, depending on the size of your baking sheet and the thickness of your layer of granola.
Allow to cool on baking sheet; then, transfer to airtight container.
Enjoy by itself as a snack, as a healthy chocolate cereal with milk, or on top of yogurt, oats, or fresh chopped fruit!
Notes
*we found with coconut oil, you only needed ½ C maple syrup due to the added natural sweetness of coconut oil, whereas with sunflower oil, you really needed ¾ C to get the same level of sweetness. Of course, if you want an even sweeter granola, go for ¾ C maple syrup, and use the coconut oil!
Need help finding ingredients or have questions about ingredients?
Check out our Pantry Staple Page for brief descriptions, brand recommendations, and links for purchase.
Want to ramp up this healthy chocolate granola with some added fruits and flavors for a new and different twist on the classic chocolate granola? Check back soon for two chocolate granola snack mixes for a simple way to mix things up! I love taking these granola mixes for afternoon snacks, but they make excellent traditional morning granolas too, especially for days when you don’t feel like chopping any fresh fruit into your yogurt or oats! Trust me, if you love chocolate, fruit, and fun flavors, you’ll want to whip up a batch of each of these healthy chocolate granola snack mixes! Check back soon!!
Black Forest Smoothie – a cherry chocolate breakfast smoothie that’s super healthy, will keep you filled up for hours, and basically tastes like an ice cream shake!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Toast – breakfast toast slathered with PB, covered with banana, and drizzled with a healthy 2-ingredient chocolate sauce!
Do you have a favorite dessert-for-breakfast treat? Tell me about it in the comments below, and remember to subscribe for tasty, healthy recipes, fun foodie finds, and unique home DIY ideas delivered straight to your inbox each week! Follow us on Facebook and Pinterest, or drop me an email at Joelle@OurSweetlySpicedLife.com. Talk soon, and as always, remember to enjoy the journey.
