Tropical Granola

 This Tropical Granola is lightly sweetened with toasted coconut, almonds, and pineapple. A healthier homemade alternative to store-bought granola.

I love granola recipes. Homemade granola is one of my very favorite breakfasts. I make a big batch almost every week, because when we run out of granola it’s a very sad morning. I was stuck in a granola rut, making my same favorite granola recipe week after week. It’s delicious, but I needed some variety.

For this tropical granola which is full of all sorts of yummy things, I mixed in coconut, slivered almonds, and dried pineapple. I added some puffed brown rice cereal to keep the granola light, and coconut oil to help the oats become crisp.

This granola will bring a little taste of the tropics to your morning! My favorite way to enjoy it is with a splash of milk and topped with some fresh mango.

While you might hesitate at the coconut (I’m not a fan of the texture of shredded coconut, but I do enjoy toasted coconut flakes in this recipe. ) it is a nice addition to this tropical granola. The key for the coconut is to use flakes and toast the coconut so it has the proper texture and a more subtle flavor.

Tropical Granola Recipe

This Tropical Granola is lightly sweetened with toasted coconut, almonds, and pineapple. A healthier homemade alternative to store bought granola.

 Prep Time10 mins

 Cook Time30 mins

 Total Time40 mins

 Calories368kcal

Ingredients

• 4 cups old-fashioned oats (340g)
• 1 cup puffed brown rice cereal (30g)
• 1 cup dried coconut flakes (40g)
• ½ cup slivered almonds (65g)
• ¼ cup wheat germ (20g)
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. Kosher salt
• ¼ cup coconut oil melted*
• ½ cup honey
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract
• ¾ cup chopped dried pineapple (100g)
• chopped fresh mango for serving (optional)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, stir together oats, brown rice cereal, coconut, almonds, wheat germ, cinnamon, and salt.
• In a liquid measuring cup or bowl, whisk together coconut oil, honey, and vanilla. Pour over oat mixture and stir until well combined.
• Spread granola in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, stirring every 10 minutes, until granola is lightly golden, about 30 minutes total.
• Let granola cool completely before stirring in dried pineapple. Serve with chopped fresh mango, if desired. Granola will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 weeks, but I'm betting it won't last that long!

Notes

*Note: I used virgin coconut oil in this granola, because it adds even more coconut flavor. You could also use refined coconut oil, but your granola won't have as much coconut flavor throughout.

Nutrition

Serving: 3/4 cup | Calories: 368kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 54mg | Potassium: 236mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is an estimate.