Healthy Chocolate Granola (Vegan, Gluten Free)
This healthy dark chocolate granola is made with peanut butter, cocoa powder and maple syrup, and the perfect breakfast or snack to enjoy anytime! Quick, easy and 100% vegan, gluten-free and refined sugar-free! 
We love our oatmeal-based snacks on here, including flourless oatmeal cookies, no-bake oatmeal cookies, and this chocolate granola- It truly is the best!
Made with wholesome ingredients like rolled oats, peanut butter, maple syrup and loaded with nuts and seeds, this dark chocolate granola will be a staple in your kitchen!
What is granola?
Granola is a popular breakfast cereal or snack, made up of rolled oats, nuts, seeds and sweetened by several means.
Most store-bought granola is often made with oil, butter and several forms of sugar, and could be classified as more of a dessert than breakfast or a snack.
In some countries, granola can be referred to as muesli.
Granola is often enjoyed with milk for breakfast, over yogurt or made into a parfait.
Is granola good for you?
Depending on the brand of granola you buy of the kind you make, granola can be a healthy choice when it comes to food.
Unfortunately, many brands are full of unhealthy fats, sugars and are loaded with calories!
My granola, however, is quite the opposite. It’s made with healthy ingredients, 100% refined sugar-free and full of protein and healthy fats.
Does granola have gluten?
Unless your granola uses certified gluten-free rolled oats or made without wheat, granola tends to contain gluten.
My homemade version uses certified gluten-free rolled oats, along with other gluten-free ingredients, making it 100% gluten-free.
How to make homemade chocolate granola
Making this healthy chocolate granola is super simple, and takes less than 5 minutes prep!
- Firstly, you will preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add your rolled oats, quick oats, salt and nuts of choice. Set aside.
- In a microwave-safe bowl or stovetop, combine your peanut butter with maple syrup. Heat until warm and melted. Whisk together, until fully incorporated.
- Then, you’ll combine your wet ingredients into your dry ingredients. Mix very well, until combined.
- You’ll then transfer the granola on the lined pan and spread out on an even layer. Place the granola mixture in the oven.
- Allow the granola to cook for 10-12 minutes until the edges have started to go golden brown. Remove the granola from the oven and gently stir it, using a rubber spatula. Top with chocolate chips and mix very well. Place back into the oven.
- Continue to bake the granola for another 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Remove the granola from the oven and allow the granola to cool completely.
Storing Granola
Store granola in a sealed container or covered completely. It will keep fresh for up to 2 months.
What to serve with this healthy chocolate granola
- Sprinkle some over some yogurt (e.g. Greek yogurt, coconut yogurt or similar)
- Top over some keto vanilla ice cream
- Enjoy mixed into some low carb oatmeal
The Best Healthy Chocolate Granola
Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten free rolled oats
- 1 cup quick oats
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup nuts of choice I used salted peanuts
- 3/4 cup peanut butter can use any smooth nut or seed butter of choice
- 3/4 cup pure maple syrup can substitute for agave nectar or honey, if not strictly vegan
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips of choice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the rolled oats, quick oats, salt and nuts of choice.
- In a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl, heat the peanut butter with the maple syrup until it just begins to bubble. Add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture and combine until fully incorporated.
- Spread out the granola mixture evenly on the lined oven tray and bake for 10-12 minutes (depending on the oven) until the edges start to go slightly golden. Remove from the oven and stir through the chocolate chips. Place back in the oven and continue to bake until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and stir through remaining chocolate and allow to cool completely. Once cooked, break up the granola and store in an airtight container.
Notes
Nutrition
I love that this actually uses chocolate, and not just cocoa. Looks amazing!
Thank you, Regan! Definitely real chocolate here 😉
YES! Chocolate is a necessary part of granola 😉 haha. This recipe looks so yummy!!
Thank you, Liz! And happy Wedding! 😉
Dark chocolate granola – that looks delicious yet dangerously moorish! I cannot wait to have a stock of that mayver’s nut butter!!
Mayver’s is dangerously delicious- expect a cheeky giveaway soon 😉
hahaha, you sure you’re not stalking her all through life? 😛 Thanks for sharing the recipe! I am somewhat of a granola fiend, but had to vow not to make my own until I finish the frightening stores I have first (waste not, har har).
I was known as the apple girl! I was a science camp counselor for a while, so we taught the kids to eat the cores to lessen the waste and join the hardcore club (heh heh heh). I had friends who later admitted to watching me eating apples, looking away for a moment and wondering how it was that when they turned back, there’d be no evidence of it left.
I like this Spill It, Sundays thing! 😀 May join up on it this weekend!
Hahahahaha hardcore club. Thanks for the good laugh.
Hope to see you join in 🙂
A great way to eat granola and get your chocolate too!
I LOVE your mindset, Cindy!
I was always the granola bar friend! I didn’t have much experience with other kids in “real school” (home-schooler since forever) but at all dance recitals you could count on me to bring along some kind of granola or meal bar.
My favorite store bought snack bar is Luna (carrot cake is my #1; lemon zest takes a close second).
NOOO Not lemon zest- The white chocolate and macadamia is del-i-cious.
I don’t think I have a granola friend. 🙁 I think my favorite snack is hummus. I love the stuff! This would b really good in yogurt though!
Oh Tonya I read that as hummus would be good in yogurt and thought…that Sh!t crayyyy.
Yum!! I am definitely jealous of your granola friend. Wish I had this granola on top of my oatmeal today for breakfast!
Make a batch, it is delicious- even better on oatmeal.
I DO have a granola bar friend! It’s Kristi— she loves the chewy s’mores bars. It’s her business calc go-to snack. Just like nuts are my go-to snack!
LOL- Alison!!!! I am not kidding you, but my business calc snack in America was those Chewy bars too- (I think-) Did they come in a box with chocolate chip and a peanut butter style one? By Quackers? YES? YES?
YES! Man, we really are alter egos. Either that, or you’re just all my friends in one person.
Shut up and let’s make s’mores.
I just made granola for the first time last week. I can’t believe I’ve never done it before. It’s so easy and simple! I would have never thought about putting Mayver’s in it, so I may have to try that out next time!
It is really simple, isn’t it! the only possible error is burning it- so many failed batches!
I’m known for having fancy snacks with me at work. Like kale salads and protein chia pudding. I’m eating a carrot muffin right now.
How healthy of you. Kale salads? You’re kale-ing me softly with your voice.
Haha I’m definitely that girl who always has a granola bar lurking in her handbag…you never know when they’ll come in handy! Any recipe involving nut butter and dark chocolate has potential to be the best, so I am taking your word buddy! Lately I’ve been loving those store-packaged bags of popcorn…the sweet & salty flavor is especially addictive!
My friend is currently in Japan and went to Universal in Tokyo and get this- they had a popcorn factory store with flavours like curry, soda and burnt caramel!
I think anything with chocolate beats fruit or yogurt flavor! HA.
My parents packed me a lunch…I was always that pudding cup kid.
Hahaha pudding cup kid. I’m LOLZ-ing right now.
Chocolate granola ftw! Bear Naked makes a chocolate granola that I was OBSESSED with. Sadly for me, like yours it had honey so it had to go after my fructmal diagnosis. Happily for me, thanks to you I now have a recipe so I can make my own and sub a tummy-friendly sweetener. Winning!
Try it out with brown rice syrup but cut the proportions by 2-3 T- as long as the stickiness is there, it shouldn’t detract from the chocolate flavour 🙂
OK, I’m a chocolate peanut butter freak – I have a PB granola recipe I add chocolate chards to but loving the idea of using a dark chocolate nut spread in a granola – yum!!
Thank you, Deanna! I think it exemplifies the chocolate flavour!