Cherry Chocolate Granola, Vegan & GF

This cherry chocolate granola is an excellent excuse to start your morning off with chocolate! Rich and chocolatey without being overly sweet – what a fantastic breakfast treat!

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Let’s Have Chocolate for Breakfast

I used to run mid-morning, after breakfast settled in my stomach, when I needed a break outside of the house. But now it is 100 degrees outside. I must run by 7 am otherwise sweat will be dripping into my eyeballs and I will be scanning the neighborhoods for possible sprinklers to run through. And then I get weird looks, like my sprinkler habit is not appreciated. I get home sweaty and starving so the last thing I want to do is sit around over a hot stove waiting for steel cut oats to finally become soft enough to eat. I would much rather reach for a cold breakfast. Summer granola replaced my bowl of oatmeal, soy yogurt replaced warm soy milk, and iced coffees replaced steaming hot ones. This cherry chocolate granola has become my go-to post workout meal, my favorite summer breakfast, and sometimes even dessert!

I know, chocolate for breakfast does not exactly sound healthy. It makes me think of chocolate croissants and ridiculous sugary cereals. But this granola is made with cocoa powder and sweetened with a bit of maple syrup, making it rich but not overly sweet. To add some extra sweetness, I have added dried cherries. Dried cherries give you a little burst of sour/sweet fruit mixed in with the rich, nutty chocolatey goodness. I often eat this granola with extra fresh fruit, such as a banana, fresh cherries, or strawberries. This gives it more natural sweetness and is much better from a nutrition standpoint.

So let’s get started on making this easy breakfast treat!

Baking the Chocolate Granola

Preheat your oven to 350.

In a large bowl, mix 2 cups gluten free rolled oats, ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 cup chopped almonds, ½ tsp vanilla extract, ¼ cup maple syrup, and ¼ cup melted coconut oil. One of the delights of warm weather is that my coconut oil is always fully melted in the jar, so I do not need to melt it on the stove. Ah, summer.

Mix until the oats are fully coated and the cocoa powder is evenly distributed. Then sprinkle the granola over a baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Remove the tray from the oven and let the granola rest until cool. This helps it crisp up and become crunchy – just leave it be, if you eat it right away it will be chewy. Mix in ½ cup dried cherries and ¼ tsp kosher salt when the granola is cooled off. Store the granola in an airtight container.

Extra Cherries, Extra Chocolate, Extra Tasty

I highly recommend eating this with your favorite vegan milk or yogurt, and topping with strawberries, bananas, or extra fresh cherries! If I am eating this for dessert (or breakfast, who am I kidding…) I like to throw in a small handful of vegan chocolate chunks!