Vegan, Crunchy, Oil Free Chocolate Granola
You will be jumping out of bed to get some mouth watering, vegan, oil free, chocolate granola for breakfast. If your anything like me, you wake up starving and and need some chocolaty oat goodness to get your day started on the right foot.
Growing up, I used to looooovvveeee coco pops… (mouth watering), but they were definitely a treat in our house. This is a take on the beloved coco pops, with a healthier twist. My kids just love this granola, not just eating it, but also making it. To avoid using oil or butter, we whip up the aquafaba from the can of chickpeas… you can’t even taste the difference…. I promise… and your waist line will be thanking you for it!
This quick and simple recipe can be made with the kids, and you can adjust the amounts of ingredients such as sugar and nuts to your taste… I just used a quick 11 ingredients – if you dont have any of them , feel free to leave them out.. use what you have, that’s what makes this so quick and easy.
Ingredients:
- Oats – whole oats, not quick oats
- Coconut – I like to use shredded so it has some bite, but you can use desiccated.
- Aquafaba – from the can of chickpeas (make some hummus with the chickpeas… waste nothing)
- Sweetener – I like to use a mix of maple and coconut sugar, but you can use just maple, or brown sugar. It just depends how sweet you like it.
- Seeds/nuts – just use what you have available. I have given what I use, but if you don’t have it, do not worry. It will still taste delicious. I like to use hazelnuts tho, to give it the “nutella” feel…
- Cocoa/Cacao – this adds the chocolate flavour. If you like it richer, add more…
To begin, we need to get the aquafaba from a can of chickpeas. Then whip it, whip it real good, until it forms soft white peaks… just like egg whites… yep, just like egg whites. And it makes the granola nice as crispy, minus the egg, oil or butter!! Add the maple to the aquafaba and mix.
Next we mix all the dry ingredients. Feel free to go wild here.. add what you like. I have kept it very basic but go with whatever you have in the cupboard!
Finally add the wet to the dry and mix mix mix! Here I like to give it a wee taste test. If it taste good now, wait until it is cooked. Lay it all out on the tray and throw it in the oven! Let the house fill with the smell of delicious cooking chocolate granola.
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This is the most delicious granola. Its crunchy, its sweet, its chocolaty and wholesome. It will last 2-3 weeks in the cupboard, that’s if your kids don’t get to it first. Feel free to add some chocolate chips if that takes your fancy… But it definitely does not need it…
Please comment below if you try it… I would love to hear your thoughts and whether you enjoyed it as much as my family and I do.
Vegan, Crunchy, Oil-Free Chocolate Granola
Equipment
- mixer
- mixing bowls
Ingredients
- 3 cups Oats
- 1/2 cup Coconut
- 1 cup roasted nuts (hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts) if raw, add before cooking.
- 1 tbsp chia, flaxmeal, hemp seeds optional – use what you have
- 1/4 cup cocoa/cacao
- 1/2 cup maple
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar, or omit if you do not want it too sweet
- 1 can chickpeas (aquafaba juice) chickpeas drained and omitted.
- 1 cup dried fruit optional
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 160 C and line a baking tray with non stick baking paper
- Drain the chickpeas and keep the aquafaba in a bowl
- Blend the aquafaba using a mixer until soft peaks are formed.
- Add the 1/4 c maple syrup to to the aquafaba mixutre. Place to the side
- In a clean bowl, place all the dry ingredients and mix together. If the nuts are raw, add them here. If they are already roasted, add them at the end.
- Add the aquafaba and maple syrup mixture to the dry ingredients and mix together.
- Lay out mixture evenly on the prepared tray and place into the oven.
- Cook for 30min, mixing 2-3 times. Make sure that you keep checking it, as it can burn easily.
- Once cooked, remove from the oven and let it cool. Add dried fruit (optional) Place into jar or air tight container once it is sealed. It will keep for 2-3 weeks in a cool, dry place.
I have puffed rice, do you think it would go ok in the granola or would it go soggy?
Hey Karen, great question. I like to add it once its cooled and out of the oven. Then it just adds extra crunch when your eating it… yum!