This superfood granola is crunchy, chocolatey, and naturally sweet. With toasted quinoa, chia seeds, hemp hearts, cacao nibs, and chocolate, it's a healthy breakfast that tastes like a treat. It's easy to make and will keep for up to a month!

If you like to start your day with a healthy breakfast, also try our healthy breakfast cookies, healthy carrot muffins, or healthy breakfast salad.

a breakfast bowl of Superfood Granola and yogurt

We're big fans of homemade granola and this one gets bonus points because it's chock-full of healthy ingredients like quinoa, chia seeds, hemp hearts, and cacao nibs. We like it crunchy so we bake it until it's golden and allow it to cool completely before storing (this is the trick for big granola chunks).

For an easy, nourishing breakfast, we serve this superfood granola on smoothie bowls or with yogurt and fresh fruit. We sometimes even snack on it by the handful. It's so good!

It's a great granola recipe for making ahead of time for quick on-the-go breakfasts. It makes a lovely gift, too. Put some in a glass jar, tie a ribbon around it, and share it with a friend to make their day.

Superfood Granola on a baking sheet

Superfood granola ingredients

Here's everything you need to make this delicious superfood granola:

  • Quinoa – toasted quinoa gives this granola a nice crunch.
  • Rolled oats – regular or gluten-free depending on your preference.
  • Unsweetened shredded coconut – for texture and a subtle coconut taste.
  • Nuts – in the pictures, we used a mix of pecans, walnuts, and almonds but you can use your favorites.
  • Chia seeds + hemp hearts – these superfoods add nutrition like omega 3's and fiber.
  • Cacao nibs – these are the crumbled bits of dried cacao beans, they're unprocessed and not sweet.
  • Dried fruit – we like to use a mix of dried fruit including raisins, cranberries, blueberries, currants, and cherries. You can also use larger dried fruit (like dates or apricots) but make sure to chop them small.
  • Honey – to naturally sweeten it up.
  • Coconut oil
  • Sea salt
  • Dark chocolate or dark chocolate chips
Superfood Granola in a glass storage jar

How to make superfood granola

It's easy to make coconut cacao superfood granola in a few simple steps:

  1. Start by preheating your oven and preparing your baking sheet. Toast the quinoa in a small dry pan, shaking the pan until the quinoa is golden and begins to pop like popcorn (about a minute).
  2. Now, add the dry ingredients – oats, coconut, nuts, chia seeds, hemp hearts, cacao nibs, dried fruit, and toasted quinoa and mix well.
  3. Next, bring the honey, coconut oil, and salt to a gentle boil in a small pot. Watch it carefully because it tends to bubble up quickly!
  4. Pour the honey mixture over the oats and mix it all together then transfer it all to the baking sheet.
  5. Pop it in the oven, mixing it a couple of times during baking. You'll know it's ready when it's golden brown and smells amazing.
  6. Allow the granola to cool for a few minutes then gently stir in the chocolate. It will melt a little and adhere to the oats. That's okay, it helps glue together some of the oat clusters and prevents the chocolate from falling to the bottom of your bowl. Just don't mix it too much or it will melt completely. Let the granola cool completely before storing it. Enjoy!

Full recipe instructions are in the recipe card below.

FAQS

Can I use maple syrup instead of honey?

Yes! Maple syrup makes a great substitute for honey in this recipe. The oats don't form clusters as easily with maple syrup, but the granola will still be very tasty.

Can I use olive oil instead?

Yep! If you have neutral-tasting, light refined olive oil you can use that instead. Avoid using extra virgin olive oil in this recipe as the flavor can be quite strong.

How long does it keep?

It will keep for at least a month in a sealed jar or container at room temperature.

Ideas for serving superfood granola

This coconut cacao superfood granola makes an easy healthy breakfast or anytime snack. Enjoy it with milk or yogurt and fresh seasonal fruit. We especially love it with sweet-tart raspberries when they're in season!

We also love making smoothie bowls with it. It tastes especially great on top of our peanut butter banana smoothie, chocolate chia seed smoothie, and very berry almond butter smoothie.

breakfast granola with superfood ingredients in a bowl with yogurt and raspberries
breakfast granola with superfood ingredients in a bowl with yogurt and raspberries

Chocolate Nut Superfood Granola

Yield: 10 cups
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
This superfood granola is crunchy, chocolatey, and naturally sweet. With toasted quinoa, chia seeds, hemp hearts, cacao nibs, and chocolate, it's a healthy breakfast that tastes like a treat. It's easy to make and will keep for at least a month!

If you love this recipe as much as we do, let us know with a 5-star rating!

5 stars (53 ratings)
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Ingredients

  • Ā¼ cup quinoa
  • 2 cups rolled oats, use gluten-free, if needed
  • 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 1 Ā½ cups chopped nuts , see notes
  • Ā¼ cup chia seeds
  • Ā¼ cup hemp hearts
  • Ā¼ cup cacao nibs
  • Ā½ cup dried fruit, see notes
  • Ā½ cup honey
  • 3 tablespoons coconut oil
  • Ā½ teaspoon sea salt
  • Ā½ cup chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the quinoa to a small dry pan over medium-high heat. Once the quinoa starts to pop, shake the pan frequently until the quinoa is golden brown, about 1 minute.
    Ā¼ cup quinoa
    image for recipe instruction
  • Add the oats, coconut, nuts, chia seeds, hemp hearts, cacao nibs, dried fruit, and toasted quinoa to a large bowl and mix well.
    2 cups rolled oats, 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, 1 Ā½ cups chopped nuts, Ā¼ cup chia seeds, Ā¼ cup hemp hearts, Ā¼ cup cacao nibs, Ā½ cup dried fruit
    image for recipe instruction
  • Add the honey, coconut oil, and salt to a small pot over medium-high heat and bring it to a boil. Watch it closely as the honey bubbles up a lot.
    Ā½ cup honey, 3 tablespoons coconut oil, Ā½ teaspoon sea salt
    image for recipe instruction
  • Pour the hot honey over the oats and mix well. Transfer the granola mixture to the baking sheet and spread out in an even layer.
    image for recipe instruction
  • Bake the granola for 35-45 minutes, mixing it twice during baking. Take the granola out of the oven when it turns golden brown and smells amazing. It will crisp as it cools.
    image for recipe instruction
  • Let the granola cool for 5 minutes then gently stir in the chocolate. It will melt a little and adhere to the oats – just don't mix it too much! Let the granola cool completely before storing it.
    Ā½ cup chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips
    image for recipe instruction

Notes

In the pictures, we used a mix of pecans, walnuts, and almonds. But any variety of nuts that you like will work great!
We like to use a mix of dried fruit including raisins, cranberries, blueberries, currants, and cherries. You can add larger dried fruit (like dates or apricots) but make sure to chop them small.Ā 
Serving: 1 serving = Ā½ cup, Calories: 262kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 1g, Sodium: 71mg, Potassium: 195mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 16IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 42mg, Iron: 2mg
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