Chocolate-Strawberry Granola

This is the granola recipe you didn't know you needed—chunky, textural and tasty!

What's In Granola?

Granola usually consists of oats, nuts and dried fruit. It's great to add to a yogurt bowl, or as a cereal sub with milk. I also like to add it to popcorn for texture-more on that in another blog post.

How Do I Make Granola Chunky?

The keys to making your granola chunky are in the process. Baking it low and slow will dry it out but keep it stable. The honey will dry out and not burn and the granola should stick together like one big sheet.

Weighing down your granola with another baking tray before baking will also help when forming clusters later. Just make sure to place another sheet of parchment between the trays so nothing sticks.

What Makes this Choco-Strawberry Granola?

There are so many ways to make granola, and this is definitely a favorite. I've added 4 tbsp cocoa powder and 4 tbsp of freeze-dried strawberries that have been ground. Adding chocolate chips also works here too!

What are Freeze-Dried Strawberries?

Freeze-dried strawberries are essentially strawberry slices that have been in the freezer until they lose their moisture. This allows them to keep shelf life, but also be super concentrated in strawberry flavor. Your local grocery store might have them as a snack–they are tasty on their own, or in granola and trail mix.

Dietary Information

This recipe is vegetarian. To make it vegan, substitute the honey for maple syrup.

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Chocolate-Strawberry Granola

10 minutes active time

40 minutes baking time

Instagram Video

Ingredients

- 1 1/2 cup rolled oats

- 1 cup raw almonds

- 4 tbsp cocoa powder

- 4 tbsp ground freeze-dried strawberries

- 1/4 cup honey (or maple syrup)

- 1/4 cup canola oil

- 1/3 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 325ºF. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or a silicon mat, and cut an identical sheet.

2. In a large mixing bowl, add 1 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1 cup raw almonds, 4 tbsp cocoa powder, and 4 tbsp ground freeze-dried strawberries. Give a quick mix under elements are evenly dispersed.

3. Add in 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup and 1/4 cup canola oil. Mix until all elements are evenly coated. Stir in 1/3 cup chocolate chips if using.

4. Spread the granola evenly onto the baking tray. The layer should be no thicker than a centimeter. Place the second sheet of parchment over the granola, then place another baking tray on top.

5. Bake for 30 minutes.

6. Let cool for 10 minutes with the tray still on top, then remove the tray and parchment paper and let cook for an hour. Break granola into chunks and keep in a cool, dry place. Enjoy!