Mocha Granola

So I originally intended to make this recipe just for my husband.  He loves granola and coffee and I thought mocha granola would be a fun way for him to start the day.  What I wasn't expecting was that I would like it so much! I've already had a bowl for breakfast yesterday morning and might be munching on some more right now.

This granola is GREAT with milk (or yogurt, I bet) for breakfast but it's also a delicious snack all by itself.  I cut down on the sweetness so I was a little worried that it wouldn't be sweet enough or that the coffee flavor wouldn't be enough.  While I'm sure we could always make the coffee flavor stronger (we really like our coffee), I really enjoyed the sweetness -- it's not overly sweet but is perfect with the bits of chocolate in the granola.  The chocolate isn't overwhelming and isn't in every bite but is a real treat when you do get some.

With any granola recipe, it's easy to make changes to the recipe.  I used coconut oil instead of canola, added in extra shredded coconut (because I thought a coffee-chocolate-coconut combination would be delicious!), omitted the nutmeg and salt, used walnuts instead of hazelnuts, added wheat germ and chia seeds...the list goes on!  I also didn't measure out some of the ingredients but just eyeballed the proportions. Feel free to make changes based on your taste preferences or what you have on hand.


Mocha Granola
Taken from: Annie's Eats
Makes 10 cups (I cut this recipe down to 2/3)

• 2/3 cup hazelnuts, coarsely chopped (I used chopped walnuts instead)
• 2/3 cup sliced almonds
• 6 cups old fashioned rolled oats
• 6 tbsp. canola oil (I used a combination of coconut oil and melted butter instead)
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut, sweetened or unsweetened (optional)
• 1 cup honey (I used 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup honey)
• 2-3 tbsp. espresso powder (If you prefer a more subtle coffee flavor, use 2 tablespoons of espresso powder.  For a more prominent flavor, use 3 tablespoons.  Instant coffee powder may also be substituted but you will likely need to use more to achieve the same flavor.)
• ¼ cup ground flaxseed (optional)¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
• Pinch of grated nutmeg (I omitted)
• ½ tsp. salt (I omitted)
• 8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I just threw in a couple handfuls of dark chocolate chips without measuring but it was probably closer to 4-6 oz)

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and then add the chopped hazelnuts and almonds. Bake, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 6-10 minutes.  Stir in the oats and continue to bake, stirring occasionally, until the oats are lightly toasted, about 3-5 minutes.
2. Transfer the oat mixture to a large bowl and stir in the shredded coconut, and then the oil, honey, espresso powder, ground flaxseed, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.  Spread out onto the prepared baking sheet in an even layer.  Bake, stirring every few minutes, until the granola is light golden brown, about 15 minutes.
3. Move the granola to one side of the baking sheet and press gently into a thick slab.  Let cool to room temperature.  Break the dried and cooled granola into small clusters, mix in the chopped chocolate, and store in an airtight container.