Chocolate Sea Salt Granola | Gluten Free + Dairy Free

Combining chocolate + granola together is a dangerous game, but it’s one that I’m totally signing up for. This Chocolate Sea Salt Granola is like straight breakfast crack + I’m not one little bit sorry for creating it! Because while it’s addictive, it’s also gluten, dairy + refined sugar free, so I feel really great about dumping it on top of my green smoothie or my husband’s yogurt bowl. Let’s get into why this stuff is so dang good…

What makes this Chocolate Sea Salt Granola special?

There are a couple of things that make this granola a little bit extra. We’re adding some ingredients that you might not always have in your cupboard, but are totally worth the purchase JUST for your granola making recipes. I’m looking at you, AMARANTH!

I’m sure that you’re thinking what I was the first time I heard about this stuff, “What the heck is amaranth + why do I want it in my granola?” Amaranth is an ancient grain that’s rich in fibre + protein, plus it adds amazing texture to granola. However, if you’re going to add it, be sure that you buy puffed amaranth. You can buy it as a grain for cooking too, but that won’t work in your granola! You can also use some quinoa flakes for a smilier texture if those are easier for you to find. Or, just leave it out entirely. It won’t be AS good, but it’ll still be delish.

The second part of this special granola making endeavour is not in the prepping or the cooking, but in the COOLING. We’re going to skip the traditional step of stirring the granola halfway through the baking process + instead we’re going to just leave the freaking granola be. That means, once you place it in a single layer on your baking sheet, LEAVE IT that way until its completely cool.

Leaving the granola in one single layer, untouched, to cook + cool means that it can form those gorgeous clusters that everyone is after. I like a really good mix of crumbs for mixing into smoothies, but big ole clusters to grab straight from the jar for a snack. This little cooling trick is the best way to get total control over your granola texture.

The Ingredients for a Good Granola

To get the perfect texture + taste in a granola, it’s all about the mix of wet and dry ingredients. For this chocolate sea salt granola, the ingredients were chosen to ensure we get a rich, chocolatey, lightly sweet end result + by golly, we got it.

We’ve already talked about the amaranth, but the real star of the dry ingredients here are the oats. I recommend using rolled oats rather than quick cooking ones for the best texture, but you do you! I always use gluten free oats, since that’s something I really care about, but it won’t alter the recipe if you don’t. Coconut flakes are added for their amazing toasty, crunch, but you can leave them out if you aren’t in the coconut flavour. But before you make a snap judgement, I just have to say, toasted coconut is completely different than raw. It’s 1 billion million times better! Lastly, for dry, is a bit of salt!

The wet ingredients are even simpler, but they’re just as important. Firstly, choose a nut butter. I’d recommend cashew for its mild flavour, but any nut butter would work! Then, to sweeten, I chose maple syrup. Honey is fine, but maple syrup adds a wonderful depth. Then, we need a fat! Coconut oil is my preference, but feel free to use melted butter or ghee too.

The final thing we’re going to add to our wet mix is cacao, which I know isn’t technically “wet”, but it mixes in beautifully with the other liquids. This allows the chocolate flavour to permeate the entire batch of granola in the dreamiest way!

Baking + Storing Chocolate Sea Salt Granola

Once you’ve got your ingredients mixed together, the only thing to do is to spread it onto a baking sheet + to cook it. I’ve already shared my thoughts on cooling this baby the correct way, but you do whatever you like! I know, from experience, how hard it is to wait for it to cool before digging in.

Whether or not you wait for it to be cool to eat it is up to you, but you absolutely must make sure it is 100% cool before you pack it away or it’ll get soggy. Ain’t nobody like soggy granola. I like to keep mine in the cupboard in an airtight container. It will last you at least 2 weeks and stay fresh, but I doubt it’ll hang around for that long. Mark and I go through ours in less than 5 days every single time, ha!

This stuff is incredible in a bowl with some berries + milk, on top of a smoothie, yogurt bowl or even on some ice cream (if your tummy can handle it). Or, of course, you can always just snack on it straight from the jar…which might be my fav way, ha!

As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts once you try this gorgeous cereal. Ratings + reviews hugely help my little site be found by other people, so I really do treasure each one! Or, tag me in your photos on instagram so I can follow along with your kitchen endeavours. Its always fun to connect there too!

P.S. If you liked this recipe, my Maple Almond Sea Salt Granola is INCREDIBLE, even if its photos aren’t nearly as pretty 😉

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