Easy Healthy Homemade Chocolate Granola

Once you try healthy homemade granola, you won't go back to the store-bought variety. Not only is it better for you, but it's also incredibly easy to make. All you need is a sheet pan and basic pantry ingredients. If you love chocolate and you love granola, you're going to love this chocolate granola recipe. You'll finally have a good reason to start your day with chocolate.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Nutritional Benefits
• Instructions
• Cooking Tips
• Recipe Video
• How To Serve
• Recipe Variations
• Equipment
• Similar Recipes
• Easy Healthy Homemade Chocolate Granola

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need for this healthy homemade granola recipe.

• Rolled oats: You can use another alternative grain, but oats are a good choice because they easily soak up flavour. If you would like this recipe to be gluten-free, be sure to use gluten-free oats.
• Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, coconut smiles and ground flaxseeds: These nuts and seeds add texture to the granola. Chop them or leave them whole - it's up to you. You'll see in my suggested swaps section that you can alternate these for other options to your heart's desire.
• Vanilla extract: This adds warming spice to the granola.
• Cocoa powder: Because, chocolate. Cocoa powder adds decadence, without being overly sweet. If you don't have any on hand, here are some healthy alternatives.
• Salt: Whatever you do, don’t skip the salt. Without it, your flavours will fall a little flat. I like to use himalayan sea salt as it's the healthiest, but any salt will do.
• Coconut sugar: Sweetener is important in granola because it helps bind the mixture. You can use any natural sweetener, like honey or maple syrup.
• Coconut oil: Oil also plays a role in binding the mixture and making it crispy. You can replace with any unrefined oil, like olive oil or avocado oil. These options will have a slightly more savoury flavour.

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

Nutritional Benefits

This healthy granola recipe is much better for you than store-bought varieties that are generally filled with added sugar and other unhealthy additives. It's made with whole grains, unrefined oil, natural sweetener, and all-around good-for-you ingredients. It's truly the best granola recipe.

What makes this chocolate granola recipe healthier?

• Whole grains: Compared with refined grains, whole grains provide more fiber, B vitamins, iron, selenium, folate, potassium and magnesium. Always choose whole grains.
• Nuts and seeds: Healthy homemade granola always has nuts and seeds because they add healthy fats, protein and fiber to the mix. Not only are these good for your health, but they help you feel full for longer and give you regular bowel movements.
• Unrefined oil: Refined oil is bleached or deodorized after extraction. Use unrefined oils, which haven't been messed with since extraction. These are healthiest for you. I like coconut oil for the flavour and texture it produces in the granola. But, if you already eat a lot of saturated fat (i.e. red meat), you might want to swap for another unrefined oil.
• Naturally sweetened: I used coconut sugar in this granola. But honey and maple syrup are good alternatives. Natural sugars are a healthier option than pure white table sugar, since they offer up some vitamins and minerals.

Instructions

Let’s break it down step by step to take any guesswork out of this low calorie granola recipe.

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Combine oats, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, coconut smiles, cocoa powder and salt in a large bowl. Stir to mix ingredients. In general, nuts and seeds can go straight into your raw oat mixture so they can get toasty and fragrant while they bake. If you use coconut flakes instead of smiles, add these in when there is 10 minutes remaining in baking.

• Combine coconut sugar, coconut oil and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Stir until mixed.
• Add mixture from small bowl into the larger bowl. Toss to coat oats and seeds thoroughly. 

• Line a baking sheet and pour the granola mix from the large bowl on top. Spread out evenly across baking pan to ensure even cooking. Lightly press down with a spatula to help create clumps in granola.
• Bake for 20 minutes. Baking slow and low is the secret to making healthy homemade granola. Any hotter than 350 degrees and you'll burn parts of your mix before it's ready. The nuts, seeds, and coconut smiles may burn before the batch has a chance to dry out and crisp up. Keep an eye on your mixture, stir it from time to time, and remove it from the oven when it's golden brown.
• Cool completely and store in airtight container in a dark cupboard for up to one month.

Recipe Notes

• To get more clumps in your granola: Use a spatula to gently press down on the mixture when adding it to the baking sheet. Do this again 10 minutes into baking. Also, be sure to let the granola cool completely before breaking up the mixture.
• It's wise to use a rimmed baking sheet: The edges ensure no granola falls off during baking.

For the full ingredient list and step-by-step directions, scroll down to view the recipe card.

Cooking Tips

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about making this healthy homemade granola recipe.

Recipe Video

Want to see how I make this recipe? Watch the video below!

How To Serve

Now that you have a delicious chocolate granola recipe, it’s time to build the perfect meal with it. Here’s a few delicious options.

• It's an easy granola recipe for yogurt or chia seed puddings: Add this granola on top of yogurt with berries or chia seed puddings for an easy everyday breakfast or snack. It's nutritious and delicious when you don't feel like cooking.
• Top your favourite smoothies with this granola: Add a little bit of crunch to your favourite smoothie by sprinkling a tablespoon of chocolate granola on top after it's blended. I love using this healthy granola to amp up my chocolate smoothies with even more delicious chocolate flavour.

For more inspiration, check out these easy healthy recipes that would benefit from a sprinkle of homemade chocolate granola.

Recipe Variations

I think this is the best granola recipe. But, now that you have my basic recipe, you can play around with the add-ins to make it your own go-to granola.

One of the best things about granola is how easy it is to make substitutions. The only rule: keep the ratio of wet to dry ingredients approximately the same as in the original recipe.

Here are some suggested swaps.

• Nuts and seeds: I used sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and coconut smiles to make this recipe. But, swap these out to your heart's content. Other great options include walnuts, cashews, slivered almonds, or pistachios. Add these before baking. The only exception is coconut flakes, which should be added when 10 minutes remain in baking.
• Embrace alternative grains: Just like you can swap out your nuts and seeds, you can alternate oats for a different flaked whole grain. While oats are good at soaking up flavour, some times it's just fun to mix it up. Other good options are rye, quinoa flakes, cooked quinoa, or spelt. Just keep the ratio the same.
• Warming spices: I added ½ teaspoon of cinnamon to this batch. Other great warming spices include ground ginger, allspice, nutmeg, ground cardamom, or pumpkin spice. These are stronger spices, so start with ¼ teaspoon. In general, a little bit goes a long way with dried spices. Anything more than one teaspoon will be overpowering.
• Flavour extracts: Another great addition is vanilla extract or other varieties, like almond extract. These need to be added to the mixture before it goes in the oven to allow flavours to infuse.
• Dried fruits: This can add additional sweetness and contribute to a a delicious, chewy consistency in your granola. Good options are dried cherries, dried apricots, craisins, or raisins. Add the fruit in when for the last 10 minutes of baking or at the end. Don't add at the beginning, or the dried fruit will turn rock hard.
• Citrus flavour: You can add up to 2 teaspoons of fresh citrus zest to the mixture before baking. The most popular for granola is orange zest.
• Natural sweetener: I used coconut sugar in this recipe. You can swap this for other natural sweeteners like honey or maple syrup.
• Unrefined oils: Similarly, you can swap out oils for different flavouring. I like to use coconut oil. Other good alternatives are olive oil, avocado oil, walnut oil, or grapeseed oil.
• Add more chocolate: After the granola cools, add dark chocolate chips That way they won't melt into the mixture. You could also add cacao nibs into the mixture in the last few minutes of baking.

Equipment

Here's what you need to make this recipe.

• Rimmed Baking Sheet: to avoid any spillover during baking
• Parchment Paper: to ensure the sweetener sticks to the granola mixture instead of the pan
• Mason Jars: to store the granola in an airtight container after it's cooled

Similar Recipes

Still hungry? If you enjoyed this recipe for chocolate granola with oats, I invite you to check out my collection of other easy condiments or check out the ones below that I hand selected for you.

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Please let me know how this recipe turns out for you in the comments below! I love hearing from you and hope this healthy homemade granola recipe becomes your new favorite.