A healthy, but absolutely delicious Dark Chocolate Almond Granola with the perfect clusters. Naturally sweetened and made with cocoa powder and a bit of coconut oil, it’s a low fat and sugar free treat that’s great for breakfast, a snack or even dessert!
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Guys, if you haven’t tried making homemade granola yet, please, PLEASE, do yourself a favor and make this one!
It was my first time with a proper cruster-y granola and I cannot with how much I loved it! I want to cry at how good it was. Ate it straight out of the jar – no milk nothing!
I had no plans of making any sort of granola. The idea came from bananas that I wanted to use up and thought of doing a banana bread granola thing. But then chocolate happened.
This was at 2 am the previous night.
I’d had granola plans for months now, but just kept put them off. This time I decided to actually give in to my cravings just coz it was something I wanted.
Best out-of-the-blue thing ever!
Ingredients for this healthy (and sugar-free) chocolate granola
The ingredient list here is really simple – just a few pantry staples that you can totally customize too!
- Rolled Oats – Use gluten free if you need to
- Chopped Almonds
- Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
- Salt – I didn’t need to add any, so optional
- Maple Syrup – I used a naturally (monk fruit) sweetened one from Lakanto
- Unsweetened Cocoa or Cacao Powder
- 1:1 Sugar-free Brown Sugar Substitute – I used Swerve. Coconut sugar would be an alternative.
- Coconut Oil – Just a bit
- Vanilla Extract
How to make Dark Chocolate Coconut Almond Granola
If this is your first-time making homemade granola, well this recipe is just right for you – easy, perfect clusters and all the flavor without much effort.
This was my first time too, and it turned out spot on, so I can definitely attest to that statement!
- Preheat your oven to 325°F.
- Mix the oats, chopped almonds, shredded coconut and salt in a large bowl.
- Melt the sugar substitute, maple syrup, coconut oil and cocoa in a small pot over medium heat.
- Take the pot off the stove and stir in the vanilla.
- Pour the chocolate mixture over the oatmeal mixture and stir it to form the granola mix.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Spread the mixture evenly on the baking sheet and press it down to flatten.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes. I would recommend 30.
LET IT COOL!
It will be very tempting, trust me I was right there, to just indulge, but you want the chocolate granola bark to cool completely before breaking it unto clusters. Or you won’t have any clusters at all!
Combine Stir Bake
How to store these easy chocolate granola clusters:
The sole reason I had extras of this dark chocolate granola is because I eat healthy, only cook for myself and track my macros. If not, I could have eaten that entire 3 cups worth of granola in one sitting!
If that’s you too, well thankfully this keeper keeps.
Store the leftover – cooled – granola in a sealed airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
What makes this the best ever healthy chocolate granola cereal?
- Sugar free or low sugar – I used a naturally sweetened (with monk fruit) maple syrup, and a zero calorie no-sugar brown sugar substitute.
- No dairy – No butter in here like a lot of other granola recipes
- Low in fat – There’s only a bit of coconut oil in here, which also makes this a low calorie
- Protein & Fiber – From the almonds and even more if you use cacao powder in this granola
Some alternative ingredients for this crunchy Vegan homemade granola
If you don’t have any of the X, use the Y
- Rolled oats – Instant or quick oats would be great
- Almonds – Some other crunchy chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans
- Shredded Coconut – Coconut flakes or some flax or chia seeds!
- Sugar-free Sugar Substitute: Coconut Sugar is also healthy, but not sugar free
- Maple Syrup – Maybe honey; Again not sugar free
- Coconut Oil – Another neutral oil like avocado, olive, or just plain oil vegetable oil
More oat breakfasts you’ll love:
Healthy Dark Chocolate Almond Granola
Ingredients
- 2 cups Rolled Oats, 180g
- ¼ cup Chopped Almonds, 30g
- 2 tablespoon Shredded Unsweetened Coconut
- ¼ teaspoon Salt, Optional
- ¼ cup Maple Syrup, Stevia sweetened preferred
- ¼ cup Cacao Powder, or Unsweetened Cocoa
- 3 tablespoon 1:1 Sugar-free Brown Sugar Substitute, or coconut sugar
- 2 tablespoon Coconut Oil
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine rolled oats, almonds, shredded coconut, and salt if using.
- Heat a small pot over medium-low, combine maple syrup, sugar substitute, cocoa powder and coconut oil, and cook for 2-3 minutes until sugar is dissolved.
- Remove pot from heat, ddd vanilla to pot and stir.
- Pour chocolate mixture over oat mixture and stir to combine.
- Transfer mixture to baking sheet, spread evenly, and press down to flatten.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes.
- Let cool 1-2 hours, then break into clusters. This is required or the granola will be too soft.
- Serve with cold milk or just eat plain!
Notes
- Let the granola cool completely first.
- 2-3 weeks in an airtight container.
- Swerve Brown Sugar Replacement
- Lakanto Maple Flavored Syrup
- Kiva Cacao Powder
- Use code HAYLS.KITCHEN15OFF for 15% off your order
- Servings: 3 cups | Serving size: ½ cup
- Calories: 217kcal
- Fat: 10.5g | Saturated fat: 5.4g
- Carbohydrates: 31.8g | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 0.3g
- Protein: 6.2g
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