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    Home » Recipes » Snacks

    Chocolate Sea Salt Granola

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This homemade sweet and salty dark chocolate granola has become my new favorite snack that I can't get enough of! Made with oats, pecans, sesame and chia seeds, cinnamon, vanilla - and of course, chocolate chips and flaky sea salt.

    bowl of granola clusters

    I love how chunky the granola clusters are - they don't fall apart into crumbs. I find granola that holds as clusters makes a perfect snack to grab on the go for a hike, snack at work or something to just grab and take with me anywhere since it doesn't need refrigeration.

    This recipe was inspired by Aldi's Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt Granola. It's so gooood. So, instead of buying it every week, I thought it was about time to make my own version to save money and to always be able to satisfy the craving if it hits!

    Jump to:
    Steps to Make Granola at Home
    How to get your Granola to Form Clusters
    Ingredients
    Serving Suggestions
    Chocolate Sea Salt Granola

    Steps to Make Granola at Home

    Granola is actually super easy to make at home. It doesn't take much time or prep either. Since granola can be expensive to buy at grocery stores, I'd say going the homemade route is the best option if you're like me and always need a bag of it on hand!

    The recipe steps are essentially mixing your dry and wet ingredients together. If you're making a basic granola, you could keep it simple with just oats, honey, oil and whatever nuts and seeds you want.

    But in this recipe, we have a lot of dry ingredients to get that crunchy texture and nutrition!

    dry and wet ingredients to make chocolate granola

    Once you mix the two together, you'll get a glorious smelling mixture that I swear smells like brownie batter! Pack the mixture onto a greased baking sheet and bake until toasted on the edges a bit. The middle will still be soft and that's totally fine!

    Add your toppings after the granola bakes like chocolate chips or extra sea salt. The chocolate chips will melt into the granola - beauuutiful!

    before and after baking homemade granola

    How to get your Granola to Form Clusters

    The secret key is cooling it down before breaking it apart. You'll notice the granola is still soft when it comes out of the oven. If you like crumbly granola, this is the time to get a spatula out and mix it around to break it up.

    But if you're like me and LOVE those clusters, put the baking sheet in the freezer for 15 minutes to help the granola cool faster and form more of a granola "block."

    It'll also help the chocolate chips solidify into the granola, but the main thing is that this helps the granola stay chunky!

    After you're done freezing it, use a spatula or knife to break it apart.

    spoon scoping a chunk of granola with chocolate chips

    Ingredients

    Here's a list of the ingredients and possible alternatives if you need to make a swap:

    • Old fashioned oats: quick or instant oats would most likely work fine too.
    • Pecans: any other nut would do - almonds, walnuts, cashews, etc.
    • Cacao powder: I love cacao but it is more expensive than cocoa powder, so whatever one you have will work well! I've made it with both and love both versions.
    • Wheat germ: I love the texture and added healthy fats, protein and fiber:)
    • Chia seeds: If you've been reading the blog for awhile, then you know I'm a big chia seed fan! You could substitute the chia seeds for flax or hemp seeds.
    • Sesame seeds: Personally, I love the flavor. Again feel free to substitute another seed in its place.
    • Salt: I add a 1 ½ teaspoons to the granola mixture before it bakes and then love topping it with coarse kosher salt for the flakiness!
    • Cinnamon: adds warmth and spice
    • Honey: I always make it with honey, but if you need to make the recipe vegan, substitute maple syrup.
    • Avocado oil: I prefer a mild oil so the flavor isn't noticeable, which is why I don't use olive oil. Avocado, sunflower or vegetable oils are good options.
    • Vanilla extract: Necessary if you ask me!

    If you do make any substitutions the main thing is that the ratio of dry to wet ingredients remains the same. So if you omit the wheat germ to make the recipe gluten-free, then add an extra ½ cup oats to the recipe.

    granola on a plate with chocolate and sea salt on top

    Serving Suggestions

    Enjoy on top of yogurt, oatmeal, smoothie bowls or use it as cereal. I love eating it as cereal since the milk becomes a rich chocolaty drink. Add some fruit, a dollop of yogurt on the bowl and breakfast is done!

    chocolate sea salt granola on a baking sheet

    Chocolate Sea Salt Granola

    Chocolate Sea Salt Granola smells like brownie batter, yet it's packed with fiber and protein making it one of my favorite all-time snacks!
    4.80 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 25 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes
    Servings: 12 people
    Author: Monica Nedeff
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    Ingredients
     
    US Customary - Metric
     

    • 3 cups old fashioned oats
    • 1 cup chopped pecans
    • ½ cup cocao powder or cocoa powder
    • ½ cup wheat germ
    • ¼ cup chia seeds
    • ¼ cup sesame seeds
    • 1 ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
    • ½ cup honey
    • ⅓ cup avocado oil
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • ⅓ cup chocolate chips (optional for garnish)
    • coarse sea salt (optional for garnish)

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
    • Mix dry ingredients (oats, pecans, wheat germ, chia seeds, sesame seeds, cacao powder, salt and cinnamon).
    • Mix wet ingredients (honey, avocado oil and vanilla extract) in a separate bowl.
    • Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well.
    • Spray a baking pan with oil and spread the granola mixture on the pan. Pack it into a thick layer.
    • Bake for 15-20 mins or until toasted to liking. The center will still be soft to the touch when it comes out of the oven - that's okay! It'll harden as it cools.
    • After baking, sprinkle the chocolate chips on top and allow granola to cool down for about 10 minutes or until the chocolate melts a bit into the granola.
    • Freeze the granola for 15 minutes to help the chocolate set and break apart with a knife or spatula. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt if desired and enjoy!

    Notes

    1.  If you want to make the recipe vegan, substitute the honey for maple syrup.
    2.  If you prefer a more crumbly granola, use a wooden spoon or spatula and break up the granola when it comes out of the oven before cooling.
    3. Enjoy on top of oatmeal, smoothies or as cereal.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 298kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 295mg | Potassium: 246mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 8IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 3mg

    (Nutrition values are calculated by third-party software and an estimate that can vary based on product brands and cooking methods.)

    Course: Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: baked granola
    Tried this recipe? I love seeing your creations!Mention @monicanedeff.rdn or tag #monicanedeff so I can share them with the community!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sam

      January 18, 2023 at 3:49 pm

      5 stars
      I was missing nuts and seeds (replaced with flax) and this still turned out so amazing. Perfect directions for cooling, but it was hard to be patient since it smelled so good!

      Reply
      • Monica Nedeff

        January 23, 2023 at 3:42 pm

        So happy to hear you enjoyed it, Sam! Flax sounds like the perfect substitution!

        Reply
    2. Barb M

      June 10, 2022 at 3:04 pm

      5 stars
      Made several times now, including once in a slow cooker when too hot for the oven. Although I do prefer the way it turns out in the oven. We’ve been hooked on the Aldi version & so happy I found this. I’ve been using ground flax seeds vs the wheat germ since that’s what I had on hand. I’ve never made my own granola prior to this…love it!

      Reply
      • Monica Nedeff

        June 11, 2022 at 12:49 pm

        Hi Barb! Your comment made my day – thank you so much for sharing! I love the alternative of using your crock-pot – genius! Hope the recipe continues to serve you well!

        Reply
    3. Carolyn C

      February 18, 2022 at 4:04 pm

      4 stars
      Don’t know why I thought making chocolate granola was so hard. Super tasty,easy and flexible to fit everyone’s granola biases & preferences. Won’t be buying granola anymore

      Reply
      • Monica Nedeff

        February 20, 2022 at 9:27 am

        So happy to hear it went well! Thanks for the comment, Carolyn!

        Reply
    4. Siddhi Raina

      October 25, 2021 at 10:11 am

      5 stars
      Very interesting blog. I would definitely recommend this to my family and friends. I have been using Chocolate Granola from True Elements - a clean label food brand as a breakfast option and they are really tasty and healthy. Thank you.

      Reply
    5. joy

      April 07, 2021 at 5:50 pm

      i haven’t actually tasted mine yet— but wanted to share a quick warning not to make this with your windows open. i now have three honeybees in my kitchen! certainly smells yum to me and them. 😋

      Reply
      • Monica Nedeff

        April 07, 2021 at 6:16 pm

        Hi Joy! That’s too funny! The smell is pretty irresistible haha! Hope you all enjoy 😊

        Reply
    6. Tracy

      January 19, 2021 at 8:39 am

      This looks like a great recipe! I've been making homemade granola for many years, but I really enjoy the Aldi's chocolate and sea salt version. The reason I first bought it was because it is gluten-free. Your recipe, however, with the addition of wheat germ, is not gluten free and therefore not a true copycat recipe. That said, I think I may still tinker with it and make it work for me.. Thanks for giving me a place to start!

      Reply
      • Monica Nedeff

        January 20, 2021 at 9:36 am

        Hi Tracy! Glad to hear the recipe sparked some granola inspo! The recipe is my version of their granola and yes, it does include gluten, which is why I didn’t label it gluten-free. You are more than welcome to make the recipe your own though and omit the wheat germ – happy cooking!

        Reply
      • Emily

        February 06, 2022 at 9:49 pm

        For a gluten free option, I often substituted ground flax seeds for wheat germ in a 1:1 ratio. Very similar consistency and I don't find any big taste difference.

        Reply
    7. Maya

      May 16, 2020 at 3:42 pm

      5 stars
      Loved this recipe! So chocolatey <3

      Reply
      • Monica Nedeff

        May 16, 2020 at 3:52 pm

        So glad you enjoyed it, Maya! Gotta love that chocolatey flavor!

        Reply
    8. Catherine | Peaches and Pennies

      April 10, 2020 at 4:21 pm

      Hi Monica! This looks delicious. Making your own granola at home can definitely save you a few bucks, and I didn't realize how easy it is!

      Reply
      • Monica Nedeff, RDN

        April 11, 2020 at 12:44 am

        Hi Catherine! Thanks for the comment! I was shocked too at how easy it is to make once I started! Definitely agree it can save money.....especially with how much granola I can go through haha!

        Reply

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    Hello! I'm Monica - a registered dietitian nutritionist, solo female traveler and recipe developer helping you eat healthy on the go while empowering you to nourish your body, mind and soul!

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