Honey Walnut Granola with Chocolate and Cinnamon

The best homemade granola recipe with honey and coconut oil, walnuts, chocolate, and a hint of cinnamon. Ready in just 30 minutes!

Having tried quite a few homemade granolas over time, until recently I felt a bit Goldlilocks about it. Some were too crunchy, others not crunchy enough. Some too sugary, others not sweet enough. Many too fussy, with multiple rounds of stirring the granola mixture as it baked.

Ain’t nobody got time for that.

And above all, none formed what I consider a hallmark of really good granola – large, substantial, solid clumps.

I recently made an effort to pay more attention, however, to the ingredient lists of granolas I really liked from the store and a few farmers markets, and noticed a definite trend. Most included coconut oil, which I had never used before!

Intrigued, I gave it a try, and after a little bit of experimenting, am thrilled with the results. The coconut oil acts as an additional binding agent. Finally, I have a go-to granola that is sweet but not syrupy, crunchy, easily forms large clusters, and above all, is simple to make.

Making granola with honey and coconut oil

This granola recipe truly could not be simpler. You’ll warm honey and coconut oil together in a large microwave-safe bowl, then stir in oats, nuts, and a pinch of cinnamon.

Of course you could substitute any type of nuts or spices you want, but lately my favorite combo has been walnuts, cinnamon, and a little chocolate stirred in at the end. Like dessert for breakfast, but better for you. 🙂

Then simply spread the granola out onto a large sheet pan, and bake for 30 minutes – without stirring! You can see how it takes on a beautiful golden color in the middle photo below.

When to add chocolate to granola

As you can see, you’ll want to wait to stir in any chocolate chips or chunks after the granola is baked. Otherwise it would just melt and be a big mess! If you want the chocolate to soften and adhere just slightly to the granola clusters, mix it in about 15 minutes after you remove the pan from the oven.

Pro tip – If you don’t already have a quality baking sheet, do yourself a favor and add these to your wish list. A pan that is large, sturdy, and conducts heat evenly makes a huge difference in the quality of your baked goods!

And the silicone liners are worth several times their weight in gold! This one fits the above pan perfectly, as you can see.

If you try this honey granola or any other recipe on the blog, please remember to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. I love hearing from you, and other readers will benefit from your experience!

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5 from 7 votes

Honey Walnut Granola with Chocolate and Cinnamon

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 35 minutes mins

Servings: 12

The best homemade granola recipe with honey and coconut oil, walnuts, chocolate, and a hint of cinnamon.

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Ingredients

• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1 cup walnuts - coarsely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C), and line a large baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
• Combine honey and coconut oil in a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave on full power for 20-30 seconds, then stir to combine.
• Add oats, walnuts, and cinnamon to the bowl. Stir well, so that the mixture is evenly combined and moistened.
• Spread the mixture into an even layer on the prepared baking sheet, and bake for 30 minutes, until the top is lightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool without touching the granola. It will still be soft at first, and become crunchy as it comes to room temperature.
• Using a rubber spoon or spatula, remove cooled granola from the baking sheet and break into clumps of your desired size. Toss with chocolate, and enjoy!

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Notes

1. Granola can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, or frozen for up to 3 months.
2. If you would like to melt the chocolate slightly, let the granola cool for about 15 minutes on the pan, then sprinkle over the chocolate pieces and gently stir. The residual heat from the granola will soften the chocolate ever so slightly. 🙂

Nutrition Estimate

Calories: 213 kcal, Carbohydrates: 21 g, Protein: 3 g, Fat: 13 g, Saturated Fat: 5 g, Cholesterol: 1 mg, Sodium: 6 mg, Potassium: 95 mg, Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 10 g, Vitamin A: 15 IU, Vitamin C: 0.2 mg, Calcium: 27 mg, Iron: 1 mg

Author: Monica

Course: Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: granola recipe honey

Looking for creative ways to use granola beyond the bowl or yogurt parfait? These 9 ideas from Food & Wine and 14 suggestions from Super Healthy Kids are bound to give you some new inspiration!