This healthy and simple chocolate orange granola recipe is so so good! It has the perfect balance of rich chocolate and zesty orange and that amazing granola crunch! You will be excited to wake up and enjoy this breakfast, as we do almost daily! G (my husband) LOVES chocolate and fruit combos, so the credit for this idea goes to him! I love making swaps for store-bought staples and this homemade granola is no exception!
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.
The recipe is a variation of my basic granola recipe. You can always swap out steel-cut oats for rolled oats and vice versa. Since a cup of steel-cut oats is denser than a cup of rolled oats, I usually do 2 cups of steel-cut the same as I would 3 cups of rolled. This is to get the correct dry-to-wet ratio.
How to Make Chocolate Orange Granola
Ingredients
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup chopped nuts (such as almonds, pecans, or walnuts)
- 2 tbsp ground flax seed (or seed of choice)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- Zest of 1 large orange (we used two mandarins)
- 1/4 cup butter, melted (you could use melted coconut oil here)
- 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
- 1/3 cup nut butter (such as almond, cashew, peanut, etc.)
- Juice from 1 large orange (again, we used two mandarins)…don’t forget to reuse your orange peel!
- 1 teaspoon orange extract
- Pinch of sea salt
- Optional: 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks (I like to use artisan chocolate from a local maker, but this round, I was in a pinch and bought chocolate chips)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 170°F or 200°F
- In a large bowl, combine the rolled oats, chopped nuts, seeds, cocoa powder, and orange zest. Stir until well combined.
- In a small saucepan, combine wet ingredients by adding butter (or coconut oil), honey or maple syrup, nut butter, orange juice, orange extract, and a pinch of salt. Heat on low until everything is smooth and well combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until everything is evenly coated.
- Spread the granola mixture in an even layer onto a baking sheet (I use a stainless steel pan. Try to avoid parchment paper as it creates waste and doesn’t allow for easy stirring)
- Let bake/dehydrate for a few hours, stirring sparingly, until the granola has reduced moisture and becomes crunchy (to your liking).
- Remove from the oven and allow the granola to cool slightly on the baking sheet.
- Once cooled, stir in the optional dark chocolate chips or chunks. You want the chocolate to stick to your granola, so the granola should be slightly warm so that the chocolate can melt and stick
- Transfer the granola to an airtight container and store it at room temperature for up to two weeks.
Notes on Granola Cooking Time
Most recipes on the internet (and perhaps the one you use) call for baking for 20-30 minutes at 325°F or 350°F. You can absolutely do this, but I prefer an alternative method. I am notorious for burning my granola, so I lower my temperature way down, usually to the lowest oven setting. Then I let the granola sit in the oven for a few hours. This ensures I get that crunch that I like, but I don’t have to worry about it burning on the edges.
Creating Chocolate Orange Granola Clusters
Creating large clusters goes along with cooking time. To create clusters in your granola, you have to stir very little. When I bake my granola at a higher temperature, I need to stir more often to ensure that the cooking is even and the edges don’t burn. When I bake at the lowest temperature, I do not need to stir much at all and I get AMAZING clusters. So if you’ve got the patience, it’s totally worth it! When you stir granola too often, it breaks apart and creates small pieces.
Serve and Enjoy!
Making your own granola is so satisfying and uses basic ingredients that you probably already have on hand. G and I eat granola almost every morning for breakfast (and sometimes for an afternoon snack). It’s nutritionally dense and so yummy! Enjoy your Chocolate Orange Granola with your favorite yogurt, milk, or as a crunchy topping for smoothie bowls. I hope you feel inspired to make your own simple staples at home with confidence! We buy so many things from the store that we can easily make at home, which are so much cheaper and so much healthier. Once you get into a routine, you will learn one of the best ways to feed your family is through homecooked recipes, including pantry staples!
Try These Granola Recipes
Steel Cut Crunchy Granola Recipe
Equipment
- 1 saucepan
Ingredients
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup chopped nuts such as almonds, pecans, or walnuts
- 2 tbsp ground flaxseed or seed of choice
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- Zest of 1 large orange we used two mandarins
- 1/4 cup butter melted (or sub coconut oil)
- 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
- 1/3 cup nut butter such as almond, cashew, peanut, etc.
- Juice from 1 large orange again, we used two mandarins
- 1 teaspoon orange extract
- Pinch of sea salt
- Optional: 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 170°F or 200°F
- In a large bowl, combine the rolled oats, chopped nuts, seeds, cocoa powder, and orange zest. Stir until well combined.
- In a small saucepan, combine wet ingredients by adding butter (or coconut oil), honey or maple syrup, orange juice, orange extract, and a pinch of salt. Heat on low until everything is smooth and well combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until everything is evenly coated.
- Spread the granola mixture in an even layer onto a baking sheet (I use a stainless steel pan. Try to avoid parchment paper as it creates waste and doesn’t allow for easy stirring)
- Let bake/dehydrate for a few hours, stirring sparingly, until the granola has reduced moisture to your liking and become crunchy
- Remove from the oven and allow the granola to cool slightly on the baking sheet.
- Once cooled, stir in the optional dark chocolate chips or chunks. You want the chocolate to stick to your granola, so the granola should be slightly warm so that the chocolate can melt and stick
- Transfer the granola to an airtight container and store it at room temperature for up to two weeks.
Leave a Reply