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Deep into Reno-cation week, the idea of this dessert granola came to me. I was sore, I was weak, and I was needing a major pick-me-up at the end of a long day of painting intricate wood trim.
Chocolate sounded like the answer.
Eric said it was my best idea all week.
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I dreamed of crunchy and clumpy, warm, chocolaty granola cascading over the top of a bowl of cold Banana Soft Serve. It was just the thing to give me hope that renos would some day come to an end.
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Because when you’ve been wearing red plaid PJ’s and clogs for a week straight, hope is all you have!
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Chocolate Crunch Dessert Granola
Yield: ~6 cups
Ingredients:
- 2 & 1/4 cup regular oats
- 1/2 cup peanuts (or whatever nuts you prefer)
- 1/2-3/4 tsp kosher salt, to taste (I used 3/4 tsp)
- 2 tbsp peanut butter (or other nut butter)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp brown rice syrup (this gives the clumpy factor)
- 3 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 & 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325F and line a baking sheet with parchment or a non-stick mat.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (oats, salt, peanuts). In another smaller bowl, stir together the oil, brown rice syrup, and peanut butter. Heat in microwave for about 45 seconds. Stir well and stir in vanilla.
3. Add wet to dry and stir very well until oats are coated. Spread on baking sheet and bake at 325F for 20-25 minutes, flipping once half way through (it will be very sticky, not to worry!). Allow to cool on baking sheet for about 30 minutes before transferring into a container. I store mine in the fridge to keep the chocolate firm. Makes 6 cups.
Note: You can probably substitute other liquid sweeteners for BRS and other light-tasting oils for coconut oil. The Brown Rice Syrup makes it quite clumpy though, so I prefer to use that sweetener in granola!
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Luckily for me (and my sore arms!), this recipe was quick and easy. It only takes 5 minutes to throw this together and pop it into the oven.
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The most important ingredient to your dessert granola:
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You know the drill by now…mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Then mix the wet (heat up in microwave), and then add wet to dry and stir well.
Add in chocolate chips…
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Spread onto your prepared baking sheet.
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Bake for 23-25 minutes at 325F, flipping once half way through. Cool for 30 minutes (if you can!)
This is what I’m talking about!
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The result is a super clumpy and chocolaty dessert granola….without being too sweet.
I served some granola warm over Banana Soft Serve and it was to die for! It is also really good on cereal and VOO.
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As for those renos, we did 3 coats of paint yesterday and also installed the wainscoting. The room is looking awesome! We now have to paint the wainscoting and finish up a few details. I’m going to wait to show you the rest of the pictures until we are done! It will be a fairly dramatic before and after, I’m hoping… :)
I also have an 11-mile long training run to tackle today…after skipping a few workouts for renos. Something tells me this isn’t going to be easy!
This recipe looks a little bit like a granola we used to make on canoe trips when I used to be a camp counsellor! It was always the best part of my day. :D
Oh my goodness this looks amazinggg – I loved that you topped it on your banana soft serve YUMMMM
Sounds delicious. Can’t wait to try out the recipe. Clumpy granola is the best!
So simple. So delish. Another win for Angela!
Must…resist…stuffing…face…
This granola sounds delightful! Whenever a recipe calls for brown rice syrup, I substitute with honey because that’s all I have. I wonder if brown rice syrup makes a significant difference in the texture of the granola?
What’s granola without chocoalte clusters? Not soul-soothing, that’s for sure!
Peanut Butter + Chocolate + Banana (softserve) = the best combo ever!
i’ve totally been craving granola — I’m going to have to make a version of this!
This sounds so amazing. I tried the nature’s path love crunch granola and didn’t love it so I need to attempt this to actually taste the chocolate!
Oh yes. Oh yes yes yes. I just made homemade fig and cashew nut butter, and I think that that, along with this chocolate granola, would make for the best garnishes for oatbran ever…
this past week was awful…please send dessert granola ASAP!
I love that this recipe is made up of basic/common ingredients!
Oh. My. Word!! I made this granola last night (definitely one of those “saw-it-and-had-to-have-it” recipes!) and ended up skipping the stir-fry I’d planned and eating granola for dinner! It was amazing out of the oven when it was still soft — I definitely ignored your warning and won’t be tasting anything for a few days, but TOTALLY worth it! The only thing I wish I’d done was to spray my parchment paper with oil, because once the granola got hard, it stuck to the sheet I’d put in the baking pan. It didn’t stop me though… and if I die from ingesting bits of waxed paper, at least I’ll go in a fit of ecstatic, chocolate bliss! :)
Okay, I’m not sure if I should hate you for this recipe or love you to death….. we’ll see what my waist line says at the end of the week when I finish it off (never mind, it won’t take that long!)
SO DELISH, I’ve had 2 bowls a day since I made it last night. You are da-bomb!
p
Wow this looks amazing and I am DEFINITELY making it! I have become obsessed with making homemade granola, 1-2 recipes/wk! Just wondering if it is very “crunchy”? I prefer mine on the crunchy side more so than chewy? Thanks!
Loving your chocolate granola!! Especially in a parfait.
I made this last night and I was amazed my family didn’t eat all of it while it was cooling. I had some with greek yogurt this morning for breakfast, AMAZING!
Thats what I put mind with…..Even got my BF to eat it!
I made this tonight amd OMG it is as good as it looks!
Mmm…this looks good. I just posted my some granola on my blog, so I have it on my mind. And this looks so good! Is there anything besides rice syrup that would work for the clumpy effect?
maybe honey?
Love this. I eat it for breakfast as a treat. :) I used 1 cup of cacao nibs instead of dark chocolate chips, and the sweetness from the brown rice syrup does a really nice job of balancing the bitterness from the pure chocolate! I added some freeze-dried raspberries and strawberries and – voilà, homemade chocolate “Love Crunch” granola (from Nature’s Path).
Thanks for the great recipe! :)