There’s a certain chocolate granola with dried berries that our family has been enjoying thoroughly lately - so much so that I thought it was about time I tried to make my own version to save a few bucks. Am I glad I did! This granola is very close to the original and, thanks to aquafaba, has a wonderful crispy texture. The second ingredient in the store-bought granola is cane sugar and the third is soy oil. My recipe is oil-free and can be sugar-free (depending on if you choose chocolate chips that contain sugar - there are several on the market that contain alternatives). I feel so much better about eating this granola by the handfuls.
What I love about this vegan granola:
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Chocolate. I mean, need I say more?
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Freeze-dried berries. These are surprisingly satisfying, with great flavor and texture. I’ve found them in the dried fruit section at my local store and at Trader Joe’s.
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A crisp texture without oil or eggs, making this a great snacking granola to eat by the handful.
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Depth of flavor. The vanilla, chocolate, berries, coconut, and maple syrup work well together to provide layers of deliciousness.
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This is a gluten-free recipe, so everyone in the family can eat it. To avoid oats potentially processed in the same facility as gluten-containing items, choose oats marked gluten-free.
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Prep for this recipe is quick and then it’s just letting it bake to perfection - easy!
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Big batch. This recipe makes a lot - and that’s a good thing, since it is such an easy snack or breakfast for everyone in the house to enjoy, even on the go.
I’ve been reluctant to use aquafaba much, it just seems weird to use the leftover liquid from canned chickpeas. Yet, it’s not exactly mysterious - it’s just the water chickpeas were cooked in. And, it’s undeniable that aquafaba can be a helpful tool in place of egg whites for vegan baking, the key in making fluffy meringues and marshmallows, thickening mousses and mayos, and crisping up baked fries and granola, like this one. There doesn’t seem to be much of a downside in using it. For those concerned about phytates or lectins in aquafaba, the jury still seems to be out on whether there is much, if any, and we have not noticed any symptoms (increased gassiness) as a result of eating baked items with aquafaba (so far, I’ve only baked with it).
I was inspired to use aquafaba in this recipe after trying Minimalist Baker’s Aquafaba Granola (Oil Free!) recipe (I encourage you to try it, too). The texture kind of blew me away considering there was no oil or egg involved, and I knew it would work well as I tried to replicate the store-bought granola.
Chocolate Love the crunch granola
recipe
vegan • gluten-free • oil-free • sugar-free (option) • quick prep • easy • year-round
Category: Breakfast, Snack
Yield: 30 servings (about ¼ cup)
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 40 minutes
Ingredients
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6 cups oats (choose gluten-free specific, if desired)
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1 cup unsweeted coconut shreds
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¼ cup chia seeds
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½ cup date or coconut sugar
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½ cup cacao powder
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1 teaspoon salt
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½ cup aquafaba
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½ cup maple syrup
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1 teaspoon vanilla
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½ cup chocolate chips (use a sugar-free brand, if desired)
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¼ cup freeze-dried strawberries
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¼ cup freeze-dried raspberries
Steps
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Set oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, stir together the oats, coconut, chia, sugar, cacao, and salt.
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Using an high-speed blender, whip the aquafaba on high until it’s foamy and increases in volume, about one minute. Alternatively, you can use an electric mixer and whip about 5 minutes. While running the machine of choice on low, add the maple syrup and vanilla and stir until well blended.
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Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Spread in a thin layer onto baking sheets lined with parchment and bake 30 minutes, taking the granola out about halfway through to stir, spooning the granola from the middle to the outer edges so that it bakes evenly.
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Remove the baked granola from the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips and freeze-dried berries evenly over the top. Let the granola cool completely before storing. Can be stored in a sealed container in a cool dry place for up to a few weeks or frozen up to a few months.
Inspired by the Minimalist Baker Aquafaba Granola (Oil Free!) recipe and Nature’s Path Love Crunch Granola.
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