Hmm... I'm not doing a very good job convincing you that I'm not a chocolate person, am I. Well, this granola is the shiznit, even for a non-chocolate person like myself.

Granola uses sugar and oil to bind everything together, so it's fairly caloric by nature. Because of that, I didn't need to add any extra sugar or fat to turn my regular granola recipe into a chocolaty delight. I decided to cut my imminent snacking rampage short by making a small batch... because if I have granola in my vicinity, I can't stop. If regular granola is highly addictive, this chocolate granola is even more so. Be warned: it's dangerously delicious.

It's super chocolaty, not too sweet, and has lots of yummy coconut and almonds in it. And did you see my price? Yeah, how much is that teensy-weensy bag of chocolate granola cereal at the store? $5? Ha! Knowledge is power. Use it wisely.

Remember how your Chocolate Pebbles and Coco Puffs cereal used to turn your milk into chocolate milk when you were a kid? This granola does that, too. Value added!

Want a low sugar, low fat granola-essque breakfast? Try muesli! It's one of my favorites!

Choco-Coconut Granola

Total Recipe cost: $1.51
Servings Per Recipe: 4 (1 cup each)
Cost per serving: $0.38
Prep time: 15 min. Cook time: 45 min. Total: 1 hr.

INGREDIENTS		COST
2 cups	old-fashioned rolled oats	$0.42
1/3 cup	shredded coconut	$0.26
1/3 cup	sliced almonds	$0.37
2 Tbsp	vegetable oil	$0.06
1/4 cup	brown sugar	$0.08
2 Tbsp	honey	$0.15
1/4 tsp	salt	$0.02
1/4 tsp	vanilla extract	$0.03
3 Tbsp	unsweetened cocoa powder	$0.12
2 Tbsp	water	$0.00
TOTAL		$1.51

STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, stir together the dry rolled oats, shredded coconut, and sliced almonds.

STEP 2: In a small pot, combine the oil, brown sugar, honey, salt, vanilla extract, cocoa powder, and water. Heat over a medium-low flame and stir until the sugar is dissolved (about 5 minutes).

STEP 3: Pour the chocolate mixture over the oats. Stir very well until everything is evenly coated. Cover a baking sheet with foil and pour the oat mixture out onto it. Spread the mixture into a layer about 1/2 inch thick. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.

STEP 4: When the granola comes out of the oven, take a spatula and press it down to compress it. Allow the granola to completely cool. Once cooled, break into chunks and serve or store in an air-tight container at room temperature.

Step By Step Photos

Begin by combining the oats, coconut, and almonds. Stir until they are evenly mixed. You can used sweetened or unsweetened shredded coconut. I would have preferred unsweetened, but my store only had sweetened. :(


Combine the rest of the ingredients (oil, brown sugar, honey, salt, vanilla extract, cocoa powder, and water) in a small pot. Heat over a medium-low flame and stir until the sugar is dissolved.


There, it's all dissolved. That only took a few minutes.


Pour that chocolate mixture over the oats/coconut/almonds.


Stir, stir, stir, and stir until everything is evenly coated in chocolate goodness.


Spread the mixture out on a baking sheet that has been covered in foil. Bake in a preheated 300 degree oven for 45 minutes - no stirring required.


After it comes out of the oven it will still be soft. Press it down with a spatula to compress the granola - this is going to be what makes the nice large chunks when it cools.


Let it cool COMPLETELY and then break it up into chunks. You can store this granola at room temperature in an air-tight container.


Move over Count Dracula!

Okay, while typing this up I thought about how awesome it would be to add some banana chips to this. Do it after it's baked so that you don't burn them.

Also, I might have to try making an Aztec Cocoa version... YUM!