Chocolate Chip Granola
User Reviews
5
Chocolate Chip Granola
Description
This granola recipe uses a combination of rolled and quick oats with almonds and sunflower seeds, coated in a mixture of nut or seed butter, maple syrup, molasses, and vanilla extract. The addition of chia seeds soaked in water creates a gel that helps bind the granola clusters. After mixing, the granola is baked in two stages to develop a light golden color and maintain chunkiness. Mini dark chocolate chips are folded in after baking to prevent melting, providing pockets of rich chocolate flavor throughout.
The texture balances crunch from toasted nuts and seeds with the chewiness from the oat mixture. This granola can be eaten as a breakfast cereal with milk, sprinkled over yogurt, or enjoyed as a snack on its own.
To create nut-free granola, almonds and cashew butter can be substituted with sunflower seeds and sunflower seed butter. Using quick oats helps form better clusters, but if unavailable, blending rolled oats briefly can substitute. The recipe yields about 1/3 cup servings and contains flaked sea salt as a finishing touch.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 cups rolled oats old-fashioned
- 2/3 cup quick oats see notes
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds roasted, salted
- 1 cup almonds see notes, sliced
- 1/3 cup cashew butter or sunbutter to keep nut free, creamy
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 1/3 cup neutral cooking oil melted & cooled coconut, avocado, or light olive, generic cooking oil
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips mini
- sea salt for sprinkling once cooled, flaked
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325ºF and line large baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat. Set aside.
- Make chia seed gel: In a small bowl combine chia seeds with water; set aside for about 3-4 minutes until mixture gels together.
- Combine dry ingredients: In large bowl combine rolled oats, quick oats, almonds, sunflower seeds.
- Combine wet ingredients: In medium bowl combine nut or seed butter with oil, maple syrup, molasses and vanilla. Note: if nut or seed butter is very thick, try warming up first.
- Combine together: Now stir in chia seed mixture and add dry ingredients. Use large wooden spoon or sturdy silicone spatula to combine, using hands at end as necessary to get the mixture fully coated.
- Bake: Spread onto lined baking sheet, spreading out almost flat but keeping some chunks. Bake granola for 15 minutes, then flip the granola using flat spatula (to prevent from browning too much) and bake for another 15-18 minutes, until lightly golden.
- Cool: Remove granola from oven and allow to cool for about 15 minutes on baking sheet. Next sprinkle mini chocolate chips over granola and gently cluster granola together – this will melt some of the chocolate chips. Finish with flaked sea salt and allow granola to cool completely – about one hour.
- Store: Transfer granola to airtight container. Granola will keep at room temperature about 2 weeks.
Notes
- Using quick oats or pulsing rolled oats improves clumping for chunkier granola.
- To make nut-free, replace almonds with additional sunflower seeds and use sunflower seed butter instead of cashew butter.
- Store granola in an airtight container to maintain crispness.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4cups
Amount Per Serving
Calories 370 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1g | |
| Calories | 370kcal | 19% |
| Carbohydrates | 33g | 11% |
| Protein | 9g | 18% |
| Fat | 23g | 35% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 13g | 76% |
| Fiber | 7g | 28% |
| Sugar | 12g | 24% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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