Crunchy & Nutritious Coconut Granola
This homemade crunchy coconut granola recipe is packed with good-for-you ingredients for a nourishing start to your day. It’s made with just 10 simple ingredients including coconut, dried fruit like mango and pineapple, rolled oats, nuts, and chia seeds. It’s a solid breakfast meal prep option, and it stores well too!
Alright, You’ve been asking for more breakfast recipes and I’m listening! We’ve got savory with the best ever breakfast burritos, your daily dose of greens with the tropical green smoothie, and a ton of other meal prep breakfast recipes for those of you that like to get ahead of them game! (hint – as a dietitian, meal prep is something I highly recommend to my clients for more sanity and time efficiency in the kitchen!) today it’s time for a crunchy and nutritious coconut granola that will make any other breakfast bowl pale in comparison!
This coconut granola (coconola?) is seriously like a little slice of the tropics IN YOUR MOUTH!
Made with just 10 simple ingredients in under 30 minutes you could almost whip this baby up while your morning coffee brews.
Ingredients Needed for Crunchy & Nutritious Coconut Granola
- Coconut oil
- Honey
- Rolled oats
- Chia seeds
- Pecans
- Walnuts
- Coconut pieces
- Level Ground Trading Dried Mango
- Level Ground Trading Dried Pineapple
Ingredient spotlight: I’m using my favorite dried fruit from Level Ground Trading, their dried mango and pineapple. It is seriously the best dried fruit I’ve ever had. Many store-bought dried fruits are coated in sugar which I find actually takes away from the natural flavor of the fruit! None of that here. No preservatives or additives, just a one item ingredient list — organic fruit, and that’s it.
I often carry a bag of these in my purse for when those low blood sugars hit and I need a quick snack to pick me up.
Ingredient Substitutions & Add-Ins
Dried Mango & Pineapple: You can totally swap this out for other dried fruit! I like these to go with the tropical theme but dried banana, cranberries, blueberries or pretty much any other dried fruit would work too!
Walnuts & Pecans: Again here, pretty much any nut or seed would work. Others I’d recommend include cashews, almonds, or macadamia nuts.
Honey: To make this recipe vegan you could swap the honey for maple syrup. It may not be as clumpy but the flavor works really well!
Coconut oil: If you don’t have coconut oil on hand, butter will also work here!
Meal Prep Tips for Crunchy & Nutritious Coconut Granola
Alright, as you know, my style of meal prep with The 3-2-1 Method is all about prepping core ingredients that can be mixed and matched for different meals versus batch prepping and having to eat the same thing day in and day out.
But this recipe is actually sort of the best of both worlds!
You can totally batch prep it AND use it in a variety of different ways! See ideas here.
I recommend doubling the batch and freezing extras to have on hand.
How to Store Crunchy & Nutritious Coconut Granola
You’ll want to store your coconut granola in a cool dry place to avoid oxidation and extend shelf life. This could be in your pantry or cupboards, in the fridge or in the freezer.
In the Pantry: Store in an airtight container and place at the back of the pantry or where the least light will hit. The fat in the coconut, walnuts and pecans will oxidize over time (you’ll know byt the rancid smell) when exposed to air or light. Keep in the pantry up to 2-4 weeks
In the Fridge: Keeping your granola in the fridge helps extend the shelf life. Store in an airtight container or reusable freezer bag for up to a month.
In the Freezer: Store in an airtight container or reusable freezer bag for up to 3 months
For more easy meal prep recipes, download this free 5 day meal plan designed to save you time and eliminate food waste ever week!
How to Serve Crunchy & Nutritious Coconut Granola
There are so many ways to enjoy this coconut granola!
- Sprinkle it on a yogurt bowl or smoothie bowl
- Make a parfait by layering yogurt, granola, and fresh fruit
- Add to smoothies after blending to add a little crunch and chew factor
- Pack it up for a snack on the go
Nutrition Benefits of Crunchy & Nutritious Coconut Granola
Coconut
- Coconut contains a good source of lauric acid. This fatty acid has antimicrobial benefits that can help fight against viruses and some bacteria, and might be useful to protect against microbial infection.
Mango & Pineapple
- Besides giving you a mini morning vacay to start your day off with some zen, these fruits are packed with nutrition. Mangos are high in Vitamin C (start stocking up to ward off cold and flu season!) and pineapples contain a special enzyme known to aid digestion. The perfect dessert to finish off a meal!
Oats
- Oats contain a good source of fiber that helps promote digestive health and slow the absorption of sugar, which can help keep blood sugar levels balanced.
If you make this Crunchy & Nutritious Coconut Granola, it would make my day if you would leave a comment and/or star rating below— I love hearing your feedback! And don’t forget to snap a pic and tag me on Instagram @lindsaypleskot so I can see your versions! It makes me so happy to see these recipes come to life in your kitchens! xo
Crunchy & Nutritious Coconut Granola
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 cups 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Tropical
Description
This homemade crunchy coconut granola recipe is packed with good-for-you ingredients for a nourishing start to your day. It’s made with just 10 simple ingredients including coconut, dried fruit like mango and pineapple, rolled oats, nuts, and chia seeds. It’s a solid breakfast meal prep option, and it stores well too!
Ingredients
- ½ cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp honey
- 3 cups of rolled oats
- ¼ cup chia seeds (optional, but I like them for a bit of extra fiber and nutrients!)
- ½ cup pecans, coarsely chopped
- ½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
- ½ cup coconut pieces, coarsely chopped
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup Level Ground Trading Dried Mango
- ½ cup of Level Ground Trading Dried Pineapple
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Add coconut oil and honey to a small microwave safe dish and microwave for 15-30 seconds (depending on how hard they are) or until melted. Whisk with a fork to combine and set aside.
- Meanwhile, add oats, chia seeds, pecans, walnuts, coconut, and salt to a medium size mixing bowl and stir to combine ingredients. Pour the coconut oil and honey mixture overtop and mix with a fork to coat ingredients well.
- Distribute mixture in a single layer, between the two baking sheets, so it browns nice and evenly.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, stirring after the first 10 minutes. Add the chopped fruit for the last 5 minutes of baking (if you put it in too soon it will overcook and just become an undesirable crunchy texture). **Baking time will differ depending on how brown you like it. (I like mine golden all over and baked for 17 minutes).
- Remove from the oven and let it cool. Store in an airtight jar.
Notes
This granola isn’t overly sweet. I often add it to yogurt with fruit or smoothies which are naturally sweet from the fruit so I prefer a less sweet granola. If you’d like it sweeter, you can add more honey!
For a clumpier granola, mash 1 very ripe banana and mix it with the coconut oil and honey before combining with the dry ingredients. Use your hands to press together to form little clusters. This will also add some extra natural sweetness!
If you like spices, you could also add in a dash of cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg and/or clove.
Swaps & Add-Ins:
Dried Mango & Pineapple: You can totally swap this out for other dried fruit! I like these to go with the tropical theme but dried banana, cranberries, blueberries or pretty much any other dried fruit would work too!
Walnuts & Pecans: Again here, pretty much any nut or seed would work. Others I’d recommend include cashews, almonds, or macadamia nuts.
Honey: To make this recipe vegan you could swap the honey for maple syrup. It may not be as clumpy but the flavor works really well!
Coconut oil: If you don’t have coconut oil on hand, butter will also work here!
Have recently been making this recipe and love it! I’ve added hemp hearts to mine as well. It’s a perfect mix with chunky bits which I love in my granola.
So happy to hear you’re enjoying it Katelyn!! Such a good idea to add the hemp hearts! I’ll have to try that!