Tropical homemade granola is the perfect way to get a healthy breakfast and feel a little bit like you’re on the beach! Totally customizable with ingredients already in your pantry!
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I’m going to be honest, January kind of bogs me down. Here in the Midwest, it’s gray and cold and just kind of bleh. We’re coming down off our sugar high from the last three months and trying to eat more vegetables. (Yay more vegetables…)
It all kinda just makes me wish I was somewhere beachy. Enter this granola. The easiest way to take a vacation when you can’t afford it is to get in your kitchen. This granola is inspired by all the things I love about traveling somewhere warm. It has the added bonus of no refined sugar so we can stick with some of our healthier eating New Year’s resolutions, at least for a few more days.
Let’s talk Ingredients:
- Coconut Oil-solid at room temp, so you’ll have to microwave it for 30 seconds to get it liquidy like we need
- Agave Syrup-light, not refined sugar sweetener made from the agave plant (fun fact: tequila is also made from the agave plant), vegan
- Old Fashioned Oats-holds up better than instant oatmeal in granola
- Chia Seeds-full of protein, fiber, and omega fatty acids
- Dried Mango and Pineapple-adds sweetness and tropical vibes
- Dried Coconut-adds sweetness and more tropical vibes
- Sunflower Seeds-crunch and protein
- Almonds-crunch and protein
How do you know when granola is done?
The key with making granola is low and slow. You don’t want your oven temperature to be above 350 degrees and you should check and stir it often. I personally recommend baking your granola at 300 degrees and baking it a little longer.
Granola is done when it’s a nice golden color (remember the Maillard reaction) and almost completely dry. Your house will smell like baking cookies and the granola won’t be visibly damp.
Is homemade granola healthy for you?
The components of this homemade granola are generally good for you. That being said, granola is calorically dense-nuts, seeds, and oats all good sources of protein and calories. Dried fruit is high in natural sugars. Overall, I prefer to make my granola rather than buy it so I know exactly what’s in it. Plus it’s a lot cheaper to make your own.
How long does granola last?
When stored properly, tropical homemade granola can last a long time. You can easily store it in an airtight container in your pantry for about a month.
You can also place your granola in a freezer safe container and freeze it for up to 6 months. When your granola comes out of the freezer it might be a little bit soft. Simply spread it out on a sheet pan and bake for 10-15 minutes at 300 degrees to crisp it up.
How do you eat granola?
I personally like to eat my granola sprinkled over some whole milk Greek yogurt. You can also eat it plain or with milk like any other cereal. Another option is to use it as a crumble top for your muffins or pies.
Tips for success
- Add dried fruit after baking-otherwise it gets real leathery
- Stir often while in the oven to avoid burning
- Wait until granola is completely cooled before storing-moisture is not your friend when making granola
- When making substitutions, sub out equal parts (i.e.-don’t like almonds, sub out 1/2 cup walnuts instead)
Homemade Tropical Granola
Equipment
- Sheet pan
- Oven
Ingredients
- 3 cups old fashioned oats
- 1/2 cup chia seeds
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds
- 1 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup sweetened, dried coconut
- 1/2 cup dried mango chopped
- 1/2 cup dried pineapple
- 1 cup agave syrup
- 1/4 cup coconut oil melted
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees. Line 1 or 2 rimmed sheet pans with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together oats, chia, almonds, sunflower seeds, and coconut.
- Add in agave, coconut oil, and orange juice. Stir to coat all the ingredients.
- Add in ginger and vanilla extract, stir to combine.
- Pour granola mixture onto sheet pan. Spread out to one layer. If there is too much granola for 1 sheet pan, split it between two. There should be simply a single layer of granola, it shouldn't be mounded up too much.
- Place sheet pan(s) in the oven.
- Stir granola every 10-15 minutes. The edges of the granola tend to cook faster than the middle, so with your spoon, take the granola from the edges and pull it to the middle and pull the granola from the middle to the edges of the pan.
- Granola is done when it is golden brown and smells fragrant but not burnt. The granola will be have a mostly dry feel.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool on sheet pan.
- Pour granola into a large bowl and add dried mango and pineapple. Stir to combine.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Enjoy making homemade granola? You might want to try this recipe for Simple No-Refined Sugar Granola or this one for Plain Homemade Granola.
To make things a little easier in the kitchen, I’ve created a handy printable conversion chart (cause honestly, who can remember how many teaspoons are in a tablespoon?). Sign up below and I’ll send it to you!
Happy Baking!
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