This Tropical Coconut Oil Granola Recipe is guaranteed to make your morning more pleasant. Every spoonful takes your imagination to your favorite island destination. What better way to awaken the senses first thing in the morning?
I am a cereal-for-breakfast kind of person. Sure, pancakes and bacon & eggs are great, but I keep those for weekend breakfasts - that is, when I actually have time.
During the week, I have to have cereal. Firstly, I LOVE it, and secondly, it's quick!
Cereal is the Best Breakfast
Usually I cook some sort of hot cereal (oatmeal etc.) because most boxed cereal is just too sugary (aka unhealthy) for me. When I have cold cereal, it is most likely homemade granola. Take this awesome tropical version that I made with coconut oil, for example.
The benefit of homemade granola is that you know exactly what is and isn't in there. I like to increase the nutritional value by adding a variety of nuts and seeds (which can be adjusted according to taste preferences and availability).
To give this version a tropical twist, it uses not only coconut oil, but also shredded coconut, some orange zest, and pineapple chunks. Aloha!
Three Cheers for Coconut Oil
Do you love coconut oil as much as I do? It has become my favorite oil to bake with (just look at this coconut oil recipe collection), especially when making healthier desserts. If you think about it, a coconut is a super versatile food. Not only can you drink its milk, but you can also make coconut water, eat its meat, or extract its oil and use it for delicious recipes. I love coconuts. Thank you, Coconut Gods!
Now, there are different grades of coconut oil and I definitely always prefer the organic, virgin variety. I came to love it when I tested my Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies here.
Tropical Coconut Oil Granola
Ingredients
- 3 cups oats old-fashioned/large flake
- ¾ cup almonds chopped
- ½ cup coconut shredded, unsweetened
- ¼ cup chia seeds
- ¼ cup sesame seeds
- â…› cup quinoa
- zest of ½ an orange
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup coconut oil
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup brown/raw/coconut sugar
- 1 cup candied pineapple chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper
- Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl.
- In a small saucepan melt coconut oil, honey, sugar and vanilla extract over medium heat. Pour over the oat mixture and stir until evenly coated.
- Spread mixture onto prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Stir and bake for another 15 minutes or until golden brown (an extra 5-10 minutes may be required).
- Sprinkle chopped pineapple over the granola and let cool. Once cool break granola into chunks and store in an airtight container or large ziploc bag.
- Enjoy with milk, over Greek yogurt or as snack.
Other Recipes You Might Enjoy
Check out these similar recipes!
- Almond Mocha Granola
- Apple Pie Granola
- Healthy Roasted Banana Coconut Granola
- Paleo Tigernut Granola
Random Questions
Oil in granola serves several purposes. It helps to bind the ingredients together and promotes crispness and browning during the baking process. Additionally, it adds flavor and moisture to the granola, enhancing its overall texture.
If you prefer to substitute coconut oil in granola, you can use other oils such as olive oil, canola oil, or even melted butter. Each of these options will impart a slightly different flavor profile, so choose one that complements the other ingredients in your granola.
The ingredient that helps granola stick together is typically a binder such as honey, maple syrup, or another sweetener. These ingredients act as a natural glue, binding the oats, nuts, and other components together to create clusters or chunks in the finished granola.
Homemade granola might not turn out crunchy for several reasons. It could be due to insufficient baking time, not spreading the granola thin enough on the baking sheet, or not using enough oil or sweetener to bind the ingredients properly. To achieve the desired crunch, ensure that the granola is spread evenly and baked until it reaches a golden brown color.
Megan's Cookin'
I love homemade granola and this looks perfect!
Elena
I would make muffins
Mary Beth Elderton
I love coconut oil in our morning smoothies. I hadn't thought about it it before, but I might try something like your granola!
Kathleen
We use coconut oil for many things: in cooking, in smoothies, in making raw chocolate, in oil pulling, in deodorant and other topical uses! Thanks for the giveaway!! 🙂
Yesenia J
I use coconut oil as a moisturizer, to oil pull and in recipes.
Debra Lee
I would make some banana bread!
Vicki Ponichtera
I use it for everything! Skin, face, body, oh and in all my cooking! 🙂
Sue P
I make my own toothpaste with coconut oil, baking soda, and a drop or two of peppermint essential oil....use it as a moisturizer, in essential oil blends, in my cooking.....:)
Pam Tovaas
I would make cookies with the coconut oil. I already use it on my hair and skin and love how it's working. I want to win a gallon!!!
Karen D
I'd make pie crusts for apple pie, chocolate chip cookies and use it instead of shortening for cakes.
Vesper
I would try and make some muffins with this oil
Sue D
I like to use Coconut oil for baking, cooking, making granola and making deodorant.
Diana
I love to use coconut oil for oil pulling my teeth, lotions and deodorant. I would love to get into using it more for cooking.
Anne Taylor
We love coconut oil! We'd use it on our skin, in our hair, on our scalp, for baking, frying and even as a quick lip gloss!
thanks
Sue H.
I would make the hard shell chocolate topping for ice cream.
JessicaC
I'd use it to make homemade deodorant!
Harlena Dyer
I'd try your granola recipe first & then a recipe I ran across for whipped body butter using coconut oil
Eve
Learning to use coconut oil more everyday! Just starting out though so still in the baby steps learning phase!
Eve
woo!