This strawberry chocolate granola recipe is a fun variation on classic homemade granola and will surely elevate your breakfast, whether it’s just a quick bite on a weekday morning or a special brunch for a crowd.
I have yet to meet a version of homemade granola that I don’t love. There’s just something about the freshness and the crispy clusters of oats, nuts, seeds, and other ingredients that is much better with the homemade version than the store-bought. I was inspired to make this slightly more fun version, similar to my homemade maple pecan granola because the back-to-school season is almost here and it would be a great, kid-friendly staple to stock my pantry with for snacking and breakfasts. I always find myself so inspired by all the exciting ingredients available when I visit my local bulk foods store. When I came across dried strawberries in the dried fruits section, I knew I had to incorporate them into this creation for an extra little bit of shelf-stable sweetness. Here’s how to make the homemade strawberry chocolate granola recipe!
Ingredients Needed to Make Strawberry Chocolate Granola
You’ll need:
- Large flake oatmeal
- Raw cashews – coarsely chopped
- Shredded coconut
- Puffed quinoa
- Ground flax
- Cocoa powder
- Salt
- Vanilla
- Maple syrup
- Coconut oil – melted
- Chocolate curls
- Dried strawberries
If you find yourself inspired to try this homemade chocolate strawberry granola recipe but want to use up things you already have in the house, the nuts in this granola can be switched out for another type of nut or seed. You can also use just about any oatmeal you happen to have as the base for this recipe. Still, the large flake oats are the prettiest in the final product and will give you the best presentation if you’re using this for a special breakfast or brunch and want to make some beautiful yogurt parfaits.
I used chocolate curls and just a bit of unsweetened cocoa powder for a deliciously light hint of chocolate in this granola to make keep things a bit sweet but not too indulgent. However, you can easily substitute larger chocolate chunks or semisweet chocolate chips if you’d like to increase the yummy chocolate factor. More chocolate is always a delight.
Method for Making the Best Homemade Granola
If your kids are like mine and need a little extra motivation to try your homemade granola because the more basic recipe looks too boring, this recipe will be the right one to try. According to Jack, the dried strawberries make it so much better. I’m surprised he wasn’t more impressed by the fact that this is essentially a breakfast cereal with bits of chocolate throughout, but whatever, I’ll take the compliment as it is. 🙂
If you’ve never made homemade granola before, I promise you that you’ll be amazed at what a large quantity of deliciousness you can create with so little effort. You’ll feel so productive when you have a freezer fully stocked with homemade granola, and it really only takes about ten minutes of active time on your part. So let’s make chocolate strawberry granola with all the classic flavors of your favorite chocolate covered strawberries recipe!
Mixing and Baking
In a large mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients except the dried strawberries and the chocolate curls. Whisk together the maple syrup and coconut oil after melting in a microwave-safe dish, then drizzle over the top. Stir with a wooden spoon until everything looks well-distributed and all the components seem to be well-coated in the maple syrup and coconut oil.
Cover a cookie-sheet with parchment and pour the contents of your mixing bowl out onto the parchment paper. With the back of a large spoon, spread everything around evenly and pat it down a bit so you have one big, smooth rectangle of granola mixture covering all areas of the baking sheet and place it in the oven to bake.
This next step is a vital part of the process for success with granola: The best part about homemade granola is those big clumps and clusters that you end up with when you bake it yourself in your own kitchen. To achieve maximum clumping, remove the baking sheet from the oven halfway through your baking time and press everything down with the back of a tablespoon again so things really stick together. Put the baking sheet back in the oven and finish the baking time.
Secrets for the Best Results
When the baking time is complete, remove the baking sheet and set it out to cool completely. This will take about 45 minutes to an hour, but it is absolutely imperative to the clustering process. As everything cools, the ingredients will all stick together. When you finally go to break your granola up and store it away, you’ll have beautiful, large granola clusters that will be sure to impress even the most discerning granola connoisseurs.
The final step is to mix in the chocolate curls and the dried strawberries. This is done at the end because the delicate chocolate curls will melt immediately when they come into contact with any heat, so your granola must be thoroughly cooled when you do this last step.
The granola can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container or plastic bag, or frozen for a longer shelf-life.
Ideas for Serving Strawberry Chocolate Granola
There are so many great uses for this homemade granola that I’m sure you’ll always want to keep a batch made in the freezer, just in case. Here are just the first half-dozen or so assorted ideas for using this delectable creation inspired by chocolate covered strawberries that first come to mind. I’m sure you’ll come up with quite a few more. 🙂
- Serve it in a bowl with juicy berries like fresh strawberries, cherries, and maybe even a perfectly ripe raspberry or two to make it even sweeter.
- Create a yogurt parfait bar featuring granola, nuts like walnuts and almonds, crushed pretzel bits, fruit, and other fun toppings like sprinkles at a decadent champagne brunch.
- Use it as a crunchy topping to decorate a healthy smoothie bowl to satisfy a chocolate craving.
- Use it as an ice cream sundae topping for a bit of crunch. Drizzle with chocolate sauce or salted caramel sauce, and add extra bittersweet dark chocolate chips or white-chocolate chunks if you love chocolate desserts.
- Crumble it over the top of a batch of homemade date fudge after melting everything together, but before you refrigerate.
- If you’re making a batch of sweets like brownies, sprinkle granola with marshmallow bits or crushed Oreo cookies over the final icing layer for a unique garnish.
Here’s the full printable recipe for chocolate strawberry granola!
This strawberry chocolate granola recipe is a fun variation on classic homemade granola and will surely elevate your breakfast.
- 3 1/2 cups Large flake oats
- 1/2 cup Raw cashews
- 1/2 cup Shredded coconut
- 2 tbsp Ground flax seeds
- 1/2 cup Puffed quinoa
- 2 tbsp Cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 tbsp Vanilla
- 1/2 cup Maple syrup
- 1/2 cup Coconut oil melted
- 1 cup Chocolate curls
- 1/2 cup Dried strawberries Cut into small pieces
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Combine all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl, except the dried strawberries and chocolate curls. Stir everything together and keep mixing until all ingredients are evenly distributed and well-coated by the coconut oil and maple syrup.
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Pour the granola mixture out onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and spread it out evenly with the back of a spoon, patting down as you go and covering all areas of the baking sheet.
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Bake in a 350° oven for 28 minutes. Halfway through the baking time, remove the granola from the oven and press it all down with the back of a spoon, once more, to help all the ingredients stick together and form clusters. Rotate the baking tray and return it to the oven for the remainder of the baking time.
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When the baking time is finished, remove the baking sheet and allow the granola to cool completely in place on the baking sheet without disturbing it. This should take at least 45 minutes to an hour.
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When the granola is fully cooled, carefully break it up into clusters of varying sizes and transfer them to a large mixing bowl. Mix in the dried strawberries and the chocolate curls and stir until everything is evenly distributed. Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the freezer for maximum freshness and longevity.
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- The Creek Line House Food and Recipe Archives
Courtenay Hartford is the author of creeklinehouse.com, a blog based on her adventures renovating a 120-year-old farmhouse in rural Ontario, Canada. On her blog, Courtenay shares interior design tips based on her own farmhouse and her work as founder and stylist of the interior photography firm Art & Spaces. She also writes about her farmhouse garden, plant-based recipes, family travel, and homekeeping best practices. Courtenay is the author of the book The Cleaning Ninja and has been featured in numerous magazines including Country Sampler Farmhouse Style, Better Homes and Gardens, Parents Magazine, Real Simple, and Our Homes.