Healthy Dark Chocolate Granola with the biggest clusters made with all vegan and gluten-free ingredients.
It has taken me approximately 3 years to perfect a granola recipe with extra large clusters.
Ok ok, it’s not like I test this too often since I just buy granola at the store (aka lazy).
But the day is here and we finally have a healthy granola recipe with CLUSTERS. Lots and lots of big mama clusters. In fact this granola comes out of the oven in one ginormous cluster, ready for you to break it a part. It is SO good!!
I eat granola for the clusters. I pick them out first and then make my way to the crumbs. Or really just give them to Jord because he doesn’t get as excited as I do over a big a$$ granola cluster..
The easiest homemade granola recipe ever.
Homemade granola is something that is so easy to make once you have a good recipe you love. I have made a few granolas here on the blog but none have ever compared to store bought ones (in my opinion). This granola is made of all vegan and gluten-free ingredients and has a base of gluten-free rolled oats, coconut shreds, pecans and various seeds.
I sweeten it with some maple syrup and coconut sugar (so delicious paired together) and I add in some dreamy dark chocolate chunks after it is done baking from Hu Kitchen.
I buy Hu Kitchen chocolate religiously. The cashew butter flavor is truly the most dreamy when it is melted (as is the hazelnut!). I love using those two in this recipe but truly anything works. Hu makes all paleo and vegan dark chocolate and it is sweetened with coconut sugar.
Have you guys made the Paleo Deep Dish Double Chocolate Brownie, Paleo Brownie Bread or The Best Paleo Chocolate Sheet Cake? Ya as you can see, their chocolate and I are attached at the hip in the kitchen! And if you are looking for a grain-free granola, here is my favorite grain-free granola with CLUSTERS on the blog!
Enjoy this granola in your breakfast bowl, with yogurt, on your oats, or just hand to face as I am doing as I write this blog post. It is SO CRUNCHY!
Healthy Dark Chocolate Granola with Clusters
Healthy Dark Chocolate Granola with Clusters made with vegan and gluten-free ingredients for an easy and healthy homemade granola recipe!
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 4 cups 1x
Ingredients
- 3 cups gluten-free rolled oats
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut shreds
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans (or any nut)
- 1/4 cup flaxseed meal
- 3 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup liquid coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons hot water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup Hu Kitchen Dark Chocolate (code RACHL for free shipping), chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper
- In a large bowl, mix together the oats, coconut, pecans, flaxseed meal, chia seeds and cinnamon
- In a small bowl, mix together the coconut sugar, maple syrup, coconut oil, hot water and vanilla extract
- Pour the wet ingredients onto the dry ingredients and mix well to evenly coat
- Add the granola to baking sheet and press down so the ingredients are in one layer, stuck together
- Bake in oven for 15 minutes then rotate tray and bake for another 15 minutes
- Allow the granola to cool for 15 minutes then add in chocolate chunks
- Break the large cluster into smaller pieces and enjoy!
Notes
*Store in airtight container for up to a week on counter or a month in the fridge
xx, Rach
Thank you Hu Kitchen for sponsoring this post. It means so much to me to partner with brands I love and believe in!
Share this recipe
Claire
Hi Rachel!!
Just simply wondered why the need of hot water?
Your granola looks Ahmazing and I love big clusters yayyyyy
Rachel
helps mix together the liquid ingredients a bit and oil would over saturate the granola.
Georgia
Just making it now but wonder if it’s 350 with a fan oven as it definitely looks like it’s gettig too dark and still has another 10 minutes… any suggestions 🙂
Rachel
likely depends on the strength of your oven. feel free to adjust timing to work for your kitchen! xx
Helena
How would one substitute the coconut?
Rachel
i haven’t tried this without coconut. but it would need another dry ingredient similar. maybe some pumpkin seeds or something else but again not sure how it will turn out 🙂
Mel A
Hi,
I made this today without the coconut shreds (I’m not a coconut fan) and no substitution and it turned out so delicious!
Rachel
thank you for sharing!!
Hospital Bag Checklist: What I am Bringing for Me + Baby – rachLmansfield
[…] few different snacks + mints (packed meat sticks (code RACHL), granola I made, snack bites (code RACHL for 15% off), Perfect Bars and dark […]
Lucia
Can I add more maple syrup instead of the coconut sugar? (I love coconut sugar, but I hate it’s very expensive in my country!)
Sophie
Great recipe, Rachel! I love love love dark chocolate in granola – it’s such a winning combination. It feels a little bit naughty but healthy at the same time – perfect for breakfast, snacking and baking. Love the addition of the pecans and cinnamon here – I bet they taste great. Can’t wait to try it.
Sarah
I’ve now made this twice without the chocolate and I love it! It’s perfect to go on yogurt or fruit, but also great by itself. The clusters are amazing!!
Super Chunky Grain-free Chocolate Chip Granola (vegan + gluten-free) – rachLmansfield
[…] not biased when it comes to grain-based or grain-free granolas. I usually spice things up a bit and mix them together in fact. My fridge […]
Kristin
This granola recipe is SO easy and SO delicious!! I left out the chocolate since I wasn’t really feeling like it and it still tasted amazing!!!
Rachel
sooo happy to hear!
Anandita Parekh
Hi! Would the hot water need to be boiling? Or just Luke warm would do?
Rachel
luke warm works
Jeannine Heal
So good! I made this granola as an afternoon snack for my quarantine and it really hit the spot/comforted me during these difficult times. Just the right amount of sweetness and totally satisfying!
Rachel
yay thanks boo!
Jessica Long
I have seriously never been addicted to granola before…… until now!!!!! Totally obsessed!!!! so delicious and makes my kitchen smell AMAZING!!!!!
Rachel
aw yay thanks!!
Raven
What could be susbsituted for flax seed meal
Rachel
i haven’t tried another ingredient. perhaps some almond flour or ground chia seeds?
Tricia
Amazing!! I’m never spending $7 on GF granola again. Ever better than my favorite brand!
Rachel
this just made my day!!!!!
kenzie
can i make this recipe without flaxseed meal and chia seeds?
Rachel
you’d need to add more oats or something similar in as the ratios will be off and your granola won’t crisp as much
Marta
Hi there! I’ve cooked with flax meal before and I don’t like the flavour it adds. Will baking the flax in this recipe give off a strong flavour as well? If so, how could I substitute it?
Rachel
not at all! it just helps mind it all
Kristina
I had to sub in olive oil and brown sugar but this still turned out great! The chunks are HUGE! Love that I don’t have to mix the granola halfway through baking like in some recipes. I added a sprinkle of salt to the dry mixture to help balance the sweet and I highly recommend! You don’t even *need* the chocolate chips on this because it’s good as is!
Kate
My granola came out tasting burnt but I followed the directions exactly… any ideas why??
Rachel
hi kate! if the temperature of oven and ingredients were exactly as listed, it won’t burn 🙂 i make this weekly along with many and haven’t heard this before. my only other thought is your oven may be stronger? try lowing temperate to 325 F or so!
Vivian
This granola is AMAZING! Best granola recipe I’ve ever tried. The granola is perfectly clustered and chocolately and SO SO good
Rachel
omg thank you!!!!
Nicole
Best Granola ever! Can’t stop eating it lol
Rachel
awww yayyy
Niki
Hands down best granola I’ve ever had! My two year old tried a bite and kept coming back for more. We’re obsessed!!!
Rachel
awwwww yay!!!!
Renny Ingalls
Best granola and super easy!
Rachel
aawww yay!!!
Logan
Favorite granola recipe out of many other ones that I have tried! It may be an unpopular opinion but I prefer it without the chocolate- love the granola clusters!
Rachel
you will love the new recipe coming tomorrow then 😉
Maggie May
This is the best!!!! So filling too…Rachel you are the queen of making healthy taste amazing!!
Rachel
awww thanks maggie!
Jamie
This is my favorite healthy granola recipe ever!
I make a new batch every time I’m out to keep some on hand. I prefer things a little less sweet so I cut the coconut sugar down to about 2 tablespoons and leave the chocolate out. Still has plenty of sweetness for me and is great for topping yogurt, fruit, or on it’s own as “cereal” with milk. It also makes the kitchen smell like sweet cinnamon goodness which is an added bonus!
Rachel
🙂 YAY!
Shao Ying
Just made this today and it’s so delicious!!!!
Rachel
YAYYY!
Lauren
Hi Rachel…if i cut coconut sugar and maple syrup in half will it still turn out??
Sora
So good!
The chocolate is not sticking to the clusters- is it supposed to?
Just wondering if I didn’t do something right.
Rachel
not really!! unless you want it too. if that’s the case, add when its still warm so they melt/stick a bit.
Michelle
This has become my go-to granola, so versitile, you can change the nuts and add other things to it too. just made a new batch, added dried cranberries instead of chocolate, so excited to have later when cool.
Rachel
YAYYYYYY! xx