Double Chocolate Granola Recipe with Crunchy Cacao Clusters

Granola is more often eaten as a snack than as a breakfast cereal in our house. The kids regularly grab a handful as they pass by the repurposed pretzel barrel that serves as our granola jar, so I try to pack nutrition into it without sacrificing the irresistible snackability. Enter Double Chocolate Granola. I developed this version after realizing how often I was buying expensive bags of chocolate granola to sprinkle over yogurt while waiting for my youngest at ballet. I had to hide the stash from the kids to keep it for myself, so I learned how to make it at home.

This isn’t the most nutrient-dense granola I’ve ever made, but it’s really good. It still leans toward wholesome: old-fashioned rolled oats, coconut oil, dark maple syrup, unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, vanilla, and a whole apple (more on that below) form the base. I also stir in a cup and a half of dark chocolate chunks after toasting; they melt into the warm granola, creating crunchy, chocolatey clumps. If you ask me, dark chocolate counts as a mental health food. The finished product is rich, crunchy, and full of chocolatey clumps.

Cook’s Notes

• Quick oats may work, but I haven’t tested them; I prefer the chew of old-fashioned rolled oats. If you try quick oats, let me know how they turn out.
• I’ve made this with both rice cereal (Rice Krispies) and more natural puffed rice. Either works fine—just use unsweetened puffed rice.
• Avoid buying tiny jars of sesame seeds from the spice aisle; they’re expensive. Check the bulk section, a local Asian market, or larger containers to save money.
• For the richest chocolate flavor, use Dutch-process cocoa powder. It delivers a deep, unsweetened chocolate taste; if you can’t find it locally, larger retailers typically carry it.
• I recommend dark Grade B maple syrup rather than light Grade A. Grade B brings a deeper, caramel-like flavor and contains slightly more minerals, which helps justify the cup used here.
• You can divide the granola across multiple smaller pans, but half sheet pans are ideal for even toasting. They’re some of the most useful pans in my kitchen.
• About the apple: a powerful blender (like a Blendtec) can liquefy a whole apple quickly. If your blender is less powerful, chop the apple small first or use a food processor. The liquified apple helps bind the granola so you get clumps and adds subtle sweetness.

Double Chocolate Granola

Rebecca Lindamood

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Rich, indulgent-tasting, crunchy chocolate granola with clumps enrobed in melted dark chocolate.

Ingredients

• non-stick cooking spray
• 8 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 2 cups non-sweetened crisped rice or puffed rice
• 1/2 cup sesame seeds
• 1 cup dark maple syrup Grade B
• 1/2 cup extra virgin coconut oil
• 1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1 fresh apple peeled, cored, and quartered (or roughly chopped if your blender is less powerful)
• 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract

To Add After Baking:

• 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chunks

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly spray two half-sheet pans with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the rolled oats, crisped or puffed rice, and sesame seeds. Place the maple syrup, coconut oil, Dutch-processed cocoa powder, chopped apple, and vanilla extract in a blender or food processor with a metal blade and process until the apple is liquified and the mixture is a uniform dark brown. Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients and toss gently with a silicone spatula until evenly combined.
• Divide the mixture evenly between the two half-sheet pans and spread it out.
• Bake for one hour, removing the pans every 15 minutes. Gently insert a spatula under sections of granola and flip them to encourage some clumping while ensuring even toasting. Move edges to the center and the center to the edges every other turn for uniform browning. If steam still rises after an hour when you stir, lower the oven to 300°F and continue baking—stirring every 15 minutes—until the granola feels dry to the touch and a sample piece is crisp when cooled.
• Sprinkle the dark chocolate chunks over the hot granola and let sit for 5 minutes so the chocolate softens and partially melts. Gently stir to coat the granola with melted chocolate; it doesn’t need to be perfectly even. Let the granola cool completely at room temperature—the chocolate will firm up again. Once cool and the chocolate has solidified, transfer the Double Chocolate Granola to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to two weeks.

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using the exact ingredients you use with your preferred nutrition calculator.