Chocolate Chip Granola with Strawberries
Posted: 03/14/2018
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Chocolate Chip Granola with Strawberries walks the line between breakfast and dessert but it is fully and completely in DELICIOUS territory! Strawberries and chocolate are a match made in heaven, and all the other players in this granola make the flavors pop! Make it today and enjoy it all week!
My son N (5 years old) is the funniest kid, he makes me laugh every single day. We recently had a Mother’s Tea at his preschool. Each year, they focus on a different country, and this year was America. The day before the tea, N asked me, “Did you know about the song God Bless America before I told you about it?” When I told him that yes, I did, he said, “Can you try to forget about it before tomorrow?”
On the day of the Mother’s Tea, he told me twice that he was “going to remember this day forever.” That kid is a pro at melting his Momma’s heart! I knew it was a special day for him, so when I was saying goodnight to him and tucking him in that night, I made a point to tell him thank you for the crafts he made me and the songs he sang that day.
His reply? “You’re welcome, Mommy, but I didn’t really have a choice.”
That story has nothing to do with this granola, but it was too cute not to share. At least I think it was cute, but I’m his mom so I’m more than a little biased. I was going to try to segue into the granola somehow…it’s nut-free so N can eat it! But let’s be honest, that’s a big stretch and I’m not even going to try.
But now let’s talk about the recipe!
About this Chocolate Chip Granola
This chocolate chip granola treads the line between dessert and breakfast, but most granola recipes do. If you’re eating a normal-ish diet, granola isn’t really something you would typically want to fill an entire cereal bowl with.
(But hey, if you do, I’m not judging.)
I like granola for a small afternoon snack in a 1/2 cup or so portion, or sprinkled on top of yogurt. If we’re leaning more towards dessert, I love it sprinkled on top of ice cream.
This granola is especially good with milk added. The milk rehydrates the freeze-dried strawberries, making them soft and flavorful, perfectly complementing the crunchy granola. If you like the strawberry/chocolate combination (who doesn’t?), try strawberry chocolate chip muffins.
I flavor this chocolate chip granola with cinnamon (is it even granola without cinnamon?), cardamom, and coconut. I love the chewy texture the coconut adds to the granola, but if you’re not a fan, feel free to leave it out. I love the subtle flavor of the cardamom with the strawberries, but if it’s not a spice you keep stocked in your pantry, you’re still going to love this chocolate chip granola without it.
Make this granola your own:
- Don’t have or don’t like coconut oil? Substitute canola oil or vegetable oil.
- Want to make it vegan? Use maple syrup instead of honey and choose vegan chocolate chips.
- Prefer milk chocolate to semisweet? Use milk chocolate chips!
- Try a different freeze-dried fruit in place of the strawberries – raspberries, blueberries, or peaches would be terrific!
- Add some protein and crunch to your granola with nuts or seeds. I love slivered almonds, chopped walnuts, or sunflower seeds in granola.
- Can’t get enough chocolate? Me neither! Try adding 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder in with the dry ingredients for double the chocolate!
Tip: This granola makes a fantastic gift! Place it in a jar, tie on a bow, and you’re good to go! It’s great as a hostess gift or a edible Christmas present.
Storage Directions:
Store granola in an airtight container at room temperature. Make sure to cool completely before covering container to prevent steam from forming inside the container. It will make the granola soggy and spoil faster.
More Granola Recipes:
- Easy Granola Recipe with Pecans and Cranberries
- Homemade Granola Recipe with Pecans and Almonds
- Flax Granola with Cinnamon and Sunflower Seeds
- Almond Vanilla Granola
- Mocha Granola with Almonds and Chocolate Chips
- Apple Granola
- Savory Granola (for salads, snacks, or soups)
- Paleo Granola from Tastes of Lizzy T
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
cups
Chocolate Chip Granola with Strawberries walks the line between breakfast and dessert but it is fully and completely in DELICIOUS territory! Strawberries and chocolate are a match made in heaven, and all the other players in this granola make the flavors pop! Make it today and enjoy it all week!
Ingredients
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup flaked unsweetened coconut
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
- 2 tablespoons wheat germ
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons canola or coconut oil
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ounce bag dehydrated strawberries
- 1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F. Spray a sheet pan (rimmed baking sheet) with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, coconut, flaxseed, wheat germ, cinnamon, cardamom and salt. Stir to combine.
- In a 2 cup microwave-safe measuring cup (or small bowl), add oil, honey, brown sugar, and vanilla. Heat in microwave for 45 seconds on 50% power. Stir to combine. If using coconut oil, continue to heat in 30 second increments until coconut oil is completely melted. Pour over dry ingredients and stir until everything is coated. Spread into an even layer on prepared baking sheet.
- Place in preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, stir, and continue to bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. If you like big chunks, press down with spatula and let cool completely on pan. If you prefer not to have large chunks, stir 3-4 times as granola cools.
- Stir in strawberries and chocolate once completely cooled. Store in airtight container.
Notes
- This recipe is nut free, but make sure to check labels on your dried strawberries and chocolate to make sure they do not contain nuts.
- You can leave out the coconut if you’d like - I love the texture it adds!
- If you choose to add nuts to this granola, make sure to add them before baking so they get toasted and flavorful!
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1cup, Calories: 465kcal, Carbohydrates: 58g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 24g, Saturated Fat: 17g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Sodium: 101mg, Fiber: 9g, Sugar: 24g
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
Verdict: I love this granola! Usually Ben eats most of the granola when I make it, but I was all over this stuff.
Husband’s take: I’m not even sure Ben has tried this!
Changes I would make: None are necessary, but have fun with some of the variations I mentioned!
Difficulty: Easy!
Denise says
looks healthy and fun to eat