dark chocolate coconut quinoa granola // my bacon-wrapped life

Guys. It’s November. NOVEMBER! The month of first snows and Thanksgiving and the beginnings of holiday shopping and Christmas music. I’m getting all excited just thinking about it.

I, for one, love the holidays. (I don’t do Christmas music until after Thanksgiving though. THEN it’s game on, All-I-Want-for-Christmas-is-You style allllll the way until December 25, yo.) In every other way, I am happy to start celebrating as soon as it’s socially acceptable, and November 2 = totally, totally acceptable. Bring. It. On.

dark chocolate coconut quinoa granola // my bacon-wrapped lifedark chocolate coconut quinoa granola // my bacon-wrapped lifedark chocolate coconut quinoa granola // my bacon-wrapped lifeIt might be a little too early to start planning out Christmas presents (I mean, right? I need a reality check here sometimes, because nothing gets me going like a good Christmas present Excel sheet…) BUT I figured, why not whip up a little something that would be the perfect indulgent yet wholesome, cozy yet refined chilly-morning breakfast that also just miiiiiight be the perfect thing to gift everyone you love this holiday season? I’m not SAYING it, but I’m saying it, you know what I mean?

Enter: this dark chocolate coconut quinoa granola. WOW. This sweet and crunchy and nutty and dark chocolate-packed granola is just so freakin’ good. Since I started this blog, I’ve posted a classic, easy everyday granola that’s perfect for a weekday breakfast on the go and a super indulgent browned butter bourbon version that is just so special and perfect for making for people you love. This is somewhere in the middle – classy enough for weekend guests, but choco-coconut trashy enough to shove into your mouth by the handful while standing over the counter. Believe me, it’s going to happen. Just embrace it and move on.

dark chocolate coconut quinoa granola // my bacon-wrapped lifedark chocolate coconut quinoa granola // my bacon-wrapped lifedark chocolate coconut quinoa granola // my bacon-wrapped lifeOne of my favorite things about this granola is the addition of quinoa. It sounds weird, but it just provides this extra special crunch, a gorgeous visual element, and some extra whole-grain goodness. The coconut is subtle and fills the granola with awesome toasty flavor, and the dark chocolate gets all melty and makes every bite so decadent and fantastic. My favorite way to eat this granola (and all granola, really, but this sweet version in particular) is over a bowl of super-thick plain Greek yogurt – the tart, rich yogurt is the perfect counter-balance to the chocolatey sweetness and the whole shebang is basically all I ever want to eat, ever. So whether you’re already thinking about holiday gifts (not I) or if you just want a little treat to brighten your week, this granola is absolutely where it’s at. I hope you love it as much as I do!

dark chocolate coconut quinoa granola // my bacon-wrapped life

Dark Chocolate Coconut Quinoa Granola
Serves 12
This dark chocolate coconut quinoa granola is special enough to give a gift, but easy enough to make all the time. It's decadent and sweet and also packed with whole grain oats and quinoa - best of both worlds!
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
35 min
Total Time
45 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
35 min
Total Time
45 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 cups old-fashioned oats
  2. 1 cup raw almonds
  3. ½ cup raw pecans
  4. ½ cup sweetened flaked coconut
  5. 1/3 cup uncooked quinoa
  6. 1/3 cup brown sugar
  7. 1 ½ tsp. ground allspice
  8. 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  9. ½ tsp. kosher salt
  10. ¼ cup (half a stick) unsalted butter
  11. 2 tbsp. honey
  12. ½ cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 300°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, quinoa, brown sugar, allspice, cinnamon, and salt. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the honey with the butter. When fully melted and combined, pour the mixture over the dry ingredients and toss to combine. Spread the mixture out onto your baking sheet in an even layer.
  3. Bake the granola for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 20 minutes, bake for about 15 more minutes, this time stirring more frequently and checking often to make sure the granola is not burning.
  4. Once the granola is nice and toasty-brown, remove from the oven. Do not stir, and sprinkle the dark chocolate chips over the top. Allow to cool for about 20-30 minutes so it clumps up nicely. After it’s fully cooled, use a spoon to break up the granola and stir in the dark chocolate. It will melt a bit and also serve to bind the granola.
  5. Store in airtight containers at room temperature. This granola will keep for about 2 weeks, or longer if you freeze it.
My Bacon-Wrapped Life https://www.mybaconwrappedlife.com/

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