This gluten-free and paleo granola made from nuts instead of oats is rich with cocoa and studded with bits of bittersweet chocolate.
This is not your typical granola. There are no oats to be found which means it’s not only gluten-free its grain-free as well. But what it does have is chocolate, and let me tell you, that is always a good way to start the day.
For those following a grain-free or gluten-free diet, breakfast can be the hardest meal to adjust to. Most of us have spent our lives eating cereal, oatmeal, toast and pancakes in the morning, but my breakfasts lately consist of smoothies, leftover frittata, coconut flour crepes or this granola with homemade yogurt.
It’s a cross between trail mix and granola, rich with the deep dusky flavor of cocoa. Studded with bits of bittersweet chocolate, it rouses you from the deepest of slumbers to the kitchen table. A truly fortifying breakfast, this homemade granola is well worth the time it takes to pour a bowl and grab a spoon in the morning.
At once hearty, but delicate, the granola is bound together into light and crisp cluster from the slurry of honey, cocoa and butter. What sets this granola apart are the nuts; rather than a secondary addition they are the stars in this granola.
Soaked walnuts and almonds are briefly pulsed in the food processor to form small clusters resembling oats. Once coated and baked at a low temperature the clusters clump and crisp to form exquisitely light and crunchy mouthfuls.
Far from the cloying sweet and sugary supermarket versions, this chocolate grain-free granola is just subtly sweet, but entirely decadent due to the double dose of chocolate. Its toasty flavor is as well suited for breakfast as it is for a portable mid-afternoon snack. Mix a few spoonfuls with dried fruit for a homemade trail mix when you’re craving a little something between meals.
It's breakfast redefined.
Gluten-Free, Paleo Chocolate Granola
This gluten-free and paleo granola made from nuts instead of oats is rich with cocoa and studded with bits of bittersweet chocolate.
Ingredients
- 1 cup/ 112g raw walnuts
- 1 cup/112g raw almonds
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- ¼ cup/ 60g raw honey
- 3 Tablespoons/ 42g unsalted butter
- 3 Tablespoons/ 23g raw cacao or natural cocoa powder
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons/ 15 g chia seeds
- ½ cup/40g unsweetened shredded coconut
- 2 oz/60g bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Soak walnuts and almonds covered in water with a pinch of salt overnight or for about 8 hours.(Soaking the nuts first removes the enzyme inhibitors, making them easier to digest)
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees F/ 93 degrees C.
- Drain and rinse the nuts and quickly them in a cloth towel.
- Place the nuts in the bowl of a food processor and pulse briefly until just coarsely chopped.
- Gently melt together the butter and honey in a small saucepan over low heat stirring continually to combine.
- Add in the cacao or natural cocoa powder along with a pinch of salt and the vanilla and whisk to blend until well combined.
- Add the chocolate mixture to the food processor and pulse to combine.
- Add the chia seeds and shredded coconut to the bowl and pulse again until everything is about the size of oats.
- Spread chocolate nut mixture evenly on a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet.
- Bake at 200 degrees for about 4 hours, or until dry and crispy.
- Cool on wire rack. Stir in chopped chocolate and store in airtight container.
Notes
Gluten Free, Grain Free, Vegetarian, Paleo
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 276Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 16mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 4gSugar: 5gProtein: 5g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
Vita says
Hello 🙂 chocolate for breakfast is the best way to start the day 🙂
Uhm, since there's a copyrighted sign at the bottom of your recipe, I thought I would let you know that there is the exact recipe on http://paleodietlifestyle.com/chocolate-nut-granola/ with a claim the author created it. I am not sure what's the deal with it (maybe you let them borrow the recipe or vice versa) but I am merely informing 🙂
Sylvie says
Hi Vita,
Thank you for letting me know, I'll take a look.
Jean says
Hi Sylvie -
Made this over the weekend in the dehydrator for my 5 yr old twins - the LOVED it! The flavor & texture is fantastic! I dehydrated at 105 for 24 hours and it came out perfect! Thanks for sharing this recipe!!
Jean says
Hi - this recipe looks fantastic! I soak and dehydrate all my nuts and really want to try this recipe, has anyone tried making it in the dehydrator? I would want to keep the temp around 105? I am looking to keep the nuts truly raw. Thanks!
Sylvie says
Hi Jean,
I'm certain this would work in the dehydrator as well you would just have to adjust the time since the temperature is lower. Let me know how it goes if you try it!
-Sylvie
Jean says
Hi Sylvie -
Made this over the weekend in the dehydrator for my 5 yr old twins - they LOVED it! The flavor & texture is fantastic! I dehydrated at 105 for 24 hours and it came out perfect! Thanks for sharing this recipe!!
Sylvie says
That's great, so glad you liked it!
suekenai says
This chocolate nut granola topping is light and crispy with a not too sweet cocoa flavor. I have it on plain yogurt for breakfast and on vanilla ice-cream for dessert. I used Droste Belgium Cocoa for a divine cocoa taste. If you object to using honey I found substituting brown sugar works. Also Chia Seeds are becoming scarce due to their popularity so I substituted Golden Flax Seeds.
Sylvie says
So happy to hear that you liked it and thank you for the suggestions for substitutions.
Kaycee says
Hi:
Thanks for the recipe, I'm baking it now. However, I didn't see where in the recipe we're to use the bittersweet chocolate. Did I miss it?
Thanks!
Sylvie says
It's the last step, once the granola is cooled you mix in the chunks of chopped bittersweet chocolate.
Poornima says
A breakfast like this would make my day! Absolutely delicious!!