Like all things “chunky monkey” this paleo and vegan chunky monkey granola is about to become a favorite! It’s sweet, nutty, with lots of big clusters and chocolate chunks. Sweetened with bananas and pure maple syrup and totally grain free and dairy free.
After making my chunky monkey scones I had a chunky monkey moment for sure. I won’t bombard you with ALL the chunky monkey recipes at once, but they’ll be coming over the next couple of months :).
Today it’s all about homemade GRANOLA because it’s just about my favorite thing in the world to snack on. And chunky monkey granola? Please, please, please sign me up!
Crunchy nuts, bananas, maple syrup, creamy almond butter, cinnamon, and lots of chocolate chunks, of course. It’s perfect as is, or with a little almond milk, and even over dairy-free yogurt. Basically, this chunky monkey granola is going to make snacking a whole lot more awesome.
It couldn’t be easier to make either. I use a food processor to chop up my nuts, but you can also do this by hand if you prefer. The dry ingredients are mixed in one bowl, the wet in another.
After you combine the two mixtures, you spread it all over a parchment lined baking sheet as shown above. This granola can burn easily, so it’s important to bake it in the upper half of your oven, and watch it closely as it bakes, especially during the second half of the baking time.
After baking, the granola will still be soft, but will get super crunchy as it cools. After about 30 minutes, it should be completely cooled. At this point, it’s time to stir in the chocolate chunks!
I used a Hu Kitchen Cashew Butter Vanilla Bean dark chocolate bar chopped up into chunks. You can use any chocolate you like, but I used this one because a.) it’s completely paleo b.) the cashew butter goes perfectly with the chunky monkey theme and c.) it’s flipping delicious!
After the chocolate is tossed in, it’s time to dig in! There will obviously be tons leftover, but no worries – this granola stores extremely well in an airtight container at room temperature. If you want to keep it longer than 2 weeks, just refrigerate it and it will stay fresh even longer, up to one month.
I hope you’re ready for chunky monkey heaven in the form of homemade granola! Grab all your ingredients and preheat your oven – it’s time to go!
Chunky Monkey Granola {Paleo, Vegan}
Chunky Monkey Granola {Paleo, Vegan, Grain Free}
Ingredients
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1 cup cashews
- 1 cup almonds
- 1 cup coconut flakes unsweetened
- 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp sea salt or to taste
- 1 medium banana very overripe mashed (about 1/3 cup)
- 1/2 cup smooth almond butter no sugar or salt added
- 6 Tbsp pure maple syrup or raw honey, if not vegan
- 1.5 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 Hu dark chocolate bar chopped into pieces, OR about 3/4 cup dark chocolate chunks or chips*
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 325° F and place an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
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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.
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Place the chopped nuts in a large mixing bowl and add the flaxseed, coconut flakes, cinnamon and salt. Stir to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together the mashed banana, almond butter, maple syrup, and vanilla until very smooth. Pour this over the dry mixture and stir well to fully combine. The granola should form “clusters” as you mix it - these are good!
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Spread the granola on the prepared baking sheet, then bake in the preheated oven for 14 minutes. Remove and use a silicone spatula to gently stir/turn over the granola (like you’d do for roasted veggies!), return to the oven and bake another 7-10 mins or until golden brown.
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Remove from the oven and place the baking sheet on a wire rack to cool. Once the granola is completely cooled, break it up into desired chunks and stir in the chocolate chunks or chips. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, or in the refrigerator for longer. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
*I used the Hu Cashew Butter Vanilla Bean Dark Chocolate Bar which is my absolute favorite and goes so well with this granola.
Nutrition
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Want More Paleo Granola and Granola Bar Recipes? Try One of These!
No Bake Chocolate Chip Raisin Granola Bars
No Sugar Added Berry Granola Bars
Apple Cinnamon No bake Granola Bars
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Approximately how much is a serving? ex 1 cup
Could you substitute apple sauce or something else for the banana? I am allergic to bananas.
I’m not sure what could sub in here but maybe pumpkin or sweet potato?
Homemade granola is one of my favorite things to make (and eat)! This chunky monkey version combines some of my favorite flavors together. Can’t wait to make this!
I love Chunky Monkey! Such a great idea making a chunky monkey granola – looks amazing ♥
I made this yesterday, and it was delicious! I will be making it again! I really enjoy your blog and your recipes!
I love this recipe so much, I have made it exactly 5 times! My 4 old son and hubby devour it as well!
I’ve also made few of your banana bread recipes (the caramel coffee-cake one is my fave!) And actually made many many of your recipes, and love them all!
Thank you thank you?
This is a great recipe! I substituted canned pumpkin for the banana and called it Chunky Punky. I’ve given it as gifts and its a huge hit!
Do you mind sharing how much pumpkin you used? That sounds delicious!
I have made this before & l ove it. But what was your recipe for coconut oil chocolate chunks? I thought it was on here but i can’t find it.
I made this yesterday and it’s FANTASTIC!!! I did have to increase the cooking time a little because I couldn’t get mine to spread thinly enough, but it still turned out amazing. Thank you, AGAIN! 🙂
Loved this to switch up my usual paleo pancakes, perfect for that morning sweet tooth 🙂