Growing up, cereal was my favorite food in the world! I could eat it for every meal of the day. Probably because my mom bought us the best junky cereal. Cocoa puffs, Peanut Butter Captain Crunch, and Cookie Crisp were my favorites. There was something so comforting about eating crunchy cereal with cold milk. I’m one of those people who must have ice cold milk with their cereal. I also have to eat it as soon as the milk is poured. I cannot eat soggy cereal. I just. can’t. do. it. The thought makes my stomach heave. Is there anyone else who has these same struggles or am I a lone weirdo?!
Now that I have children of my own, it’s healthy Kashi and Brown Rice Puff cereal instead of the sugary ones I grew up with, a. because whenever I bought junky cereal my kids would eat the whole box in one day and b. they contain so much extra sugar and additives that I just don’t want my kids eating! Lately, I’ve been making granola for us to eat as cereal. The kids love it and I know exactly what’s in it, so it’s a double win!
This chocolate granola is great with milk, as a topping for yogurt, or just to munch on to satisfy that chocolate craving. It’s chocolatey, mildly sweet, and full of healthy ingredients, not to mention it’s pretty easy to make! Trust me, it’s worth the little bit of time and effort to make this delicious granola!
If you happen to have raw hazelnuts which still have the peel on, just place them on a baking sheet and roast them at 350F for 10-12 minutes. Then wrap them in a clean kitchen towel and use the towel to rub the skins off. They peel right off, plus they’re not as bitter, so it’s worth the extra step. If your hazelnuts are already roasted and peeled, then just skip this step.
Combine the oats, almonds, coconut, and hazelnuts in a bowl and set aside. In a medium saucepan, stir together the coconut oil, maple syrup, cocoa powder, and salt. Cook over medium heat for a few minutes, just until the ingredients have melted together.
Pour the chocolate mixture over the oat and nut mixture and stir to combine. Spread the granola mixture evenly onto a lightly greased or parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake at 300F for 20-25 minutes until granola has browned and is crunchy. Let cool thoroughly before storing in a jar or air tight container.
My favorite way to eat this granola is with bananas or berries and cold almond milk. It’s also a delicious topping for parfaits, chia pudding, smoothie bowls, or even ice cream! Hope you enjoy it, friends!
- 2.5 cups rolled oats
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut chips*
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped almonds*
- 1/2 cup roasted and peeled hazelnuts, coarsely chopped* (directions below)
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder (I used dark cocoa)
- 1/2 cup maple syrup or honey
- pinch of sea salt
- If you have pre-roasted and peeled hazelnuts, skip this step. Preheat oven to 350F. Place hazelnuts with skins on a baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. Wrap the warm hazelnuts into a clean dish towel and use the towel to rub the skins off.
- Preheat oven to 300F. In a bowl combine oats, coconut, almonds, and hazelnuts. Set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine coconut oil, cocoa powder, maple syrup, and salt, stirring to combine. Cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, or until mixture is smooth and melted. Pour chocolate mixture into the oat mixture and stir to combine. Spread granola mixture evenly onto a lightly greased or parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake granola at 300F for 20-25 minutes, until lightly browned and crunchy, stirring midway through baking so it cooks evenly. Remove from the oven and let cool thoroughly before storing in a container. Yields about 4 cups of granola.
- *You can easily substitute any of the nuts for a different nut of your choice.
Where do you buy your hazelnuts? Also, which dark cocoa do you use?
Hi Elizabeth! I usually buy my hazelnuts from the bulk bins at either Whole Foods or Sprouts. As for the chocolate, I used Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder this time, but any cocoa or cacao powder should work fine! 🙂
Hi Joscelyn,
what a lovely, lovely recipe. That dark chocolate, it is sooooo yummy looking.
Captain Crunch was my favorite too. How funny is that? My technique was milk first, cereal after, for the exact same reason as you: I really dislike soggy breakfasts.
Sorry it’s been a bit quiet my end. I always try to pop by your blog and say hi, but have been in exam stress, so can only just put my weekly blog post together and like some pics on instagram on my way to work.
Thanks for sharing.
Kimberly
Thank you, Kimberly! I like your ‘milk first, cereal after’ technique. I should try that sometime:)
I appreciate you stopping by amidst all of the busyness! I hope things calm down for you soon.. 🙂
Soggy cereal is definitely a no-no!! I also grew up on the candy cereal (PB Captain Crunch!), and crave that crunch- this recipe looks perfect for a sweet-tooth craving. Thanks for sharing!!
Yay, glad I’m not alone! Thanks for stopping by, Minna!