Cherry Chocolate Chip Paleo Granola {Vegan, GF}

This crunchy paleo granola is loaded with goodies and so incredibly tasty!   Grain free nut and coconut clusters are baked with maple and tossed with sweet and tart dried cherries and dark chocolate chips.  It makes the perfect sweet snack or breakfast that everyone will love!  Gluten free, vegan, paleo.

Every time I make granola I vow to myself I will always make enough to have on hand AT ALL TIMES.  It’s irresistible and then some, to say the least.  And then, inevitably, Adam realizes I’ve made granola and it’s all gone within 2 days.

Of course, it would be wrong to just blame him because, well, I know I take my fair share as well.  In any case, the stuff is addicting and it should be used with caution.

Okay, that was your warning, now let’s get on and talk about how you need to make/eat this crunchy, toasty, sweet paleo granola right now!

This nut/coconut based granola is so good, that honestly there is no need to ever consider eating non-paleo granola ever again.

The granola clusters are a mix of chopped nuts – I used a mix of 3 kinds – unsweetened coconut flakes, and a bit of flaxseed mixed with pure maple syrup (or honey, if you prefer) and coconut oil.

I prefer to “chop” my nuts by pulsing them a few times in a food processor to get the perfect texture for clusters, leaving lots of larger pieces in there for the best crunchy texture.  You can also simply chop the nuts by hand if you prefer to get the same result.

The granola bakes on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper in a (mostly) single layer.  I stirred mine about halfway through and added the dried cherries in for the second part of the baking time.

When the granola first comes out of the oven, you’ll wonder why it’s not yet crunchy.  No worries!  The crunchiness happens while the granola cools, so make sure no to interrupt those marvelous crunchy clusters while they set!

Once it’s room temperature and nice and crunchy, you can finally toss in those chocolate chips!  Honestly, this stuff is so tasty without the chocolate chips, but, well, this is cherry chocolate chip granola after all and we’re keeping it that way.

I won’t be mad if you skip the chocolate chips though – you do your own granola, of course!

As for the cherries, I decided to use a mix of sweet dried bing cherries and dried tart cherries since I had both on hand and honestly couldn’t choose between them!  I actually think it’s perfect with both – you get the extra sweet/chewiness PLUS the sweet/tart flavors in there as well.

I’m not going to lie – this granola is RICH and will probably feel more like a dessert than a breakfast.  That said, a little bit goes a long way!

It’s wonderful eaten as cereal with sliced bananas and almond milk AND it’s also perfect for use grabbing a small handful for a snack.  Trust me – I’ve done it all with this granola and you’ll be happy however you decide to indulge.

Side note – like I said earlier, once your family figures out this paleo granola is in the house, they’ll devour it and probably leave you with none – so act fast and take your part before you announce it to the world!

And, all that said, it also happens to store really well AND even stay crunchy in a tightly lidded container at room temperature.  You should be able to store it for about 3 weeks that way while still maintaining textural integrity.

Yup, I actually just said “textural integrity” while describing granola – at least you get that I take my job pretty seriously 🙂  And now we’re off to get started with the tastiest homemade paleo granola you’ll ever make – let’s go!

Cherry Chocolate Chip Paleo Granola {Vegan, GF}

Cherry Chocolate Chip Paleo Granola {Vegan, GF}

This crunchy grain free and paleo granola is packed with goodies! Clusters of nuts and coconut are baked with maple and tossed with sweet tart dried cherries and dark chocolate chips. Perfect for snacking or a sweet breakfast with almond milk!

Author: Michele

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

cooling time: 25 mins

Total Time: 35 minutes

Course: Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: Paleo, Vegan

Servings: 16 servings

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5 from 6 votes

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw almonds
• 1 cup raw walnuts or pecans
• 1 cup raw cashews
• 2 Tbsp ground flaxseed
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
• 2 Tbsp organic coconut oil refined, melted
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup or raw honey, for non-vegan, or a combination
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4-1/2 tsp sea salt depending on your tastes
• 1 cup dried cherries tart, sweet, or a combo as I used
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and place an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. You can either roughly chop all the nuts by hand, OR, pulse them in a food processor until you have a roughly chopped texture - some smaller and larger pieces are fine.

3. Place chopped nuts in a large mixing bowl and add the flaxseed, coconut flakes, cinnamon and salt. Stir to combine, then whisk together the melted coconut oil, vanilla, and maple syrup or honey in a small bowl, pour over the dry mixture. Stir well to fully combine. The granola should form “clusters” as you mix it - these are good!

4. Spread the granola on the prepared baking sheet, then bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove, add the dried cherries, and use a silicone spatula to gently stir/turn over the granola (like you’d do for roasted veggies!)
5. Return to the oven and bake for another 10-12 minutes, or until granola appears golden brown. Don’t worry if it seems soft, as it will crisp up a lot while cooling!
6. Place the entire baking sheet on a cooling rack and allow granola to cool for about 25-30 minutes or until room temp, then stir in the mini chocolate chips.
7. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

I used a combination of tart cherries (these) and sweet (these) but feel free to use what you prefer.

Nutrition

Calories: 260kcal

Fat: 20g

Saturated fat: 7g

Sodium: 42mg

Potassium: 217mg

Carbohydrates: 17g

Fiber: 4g

Sugar: 9g

Protein: 5g

Vitamin A: 5.4%

Vitamin C: 0.3%

Calcium: 5.5%

Iron: 8.7%

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