Mounds of Almond Joy Granola

I think it is pretty well known by now that I absolutely adore a good homemade granola.  I love that you can make it at home for a fraction of what you would pay for that little box of granola at the grocery store.  I love that I can control exactly what is in my granola.  I am not a fan of raisins in my granola.  And it seems like just about every store bought version has raisins.  So, now I make it at home... sans the raisins. ;)

It is also no secret that I am pretty much obsessed with the Budget Bytes blog. (Think tasty recipes... all budget friendly.)

So when I came across this recipe for Choco-Coconut Granola on the Budget Bytes blog, I knew I had to do my own little spin on it. :)  If you are like me and wish that you could get an Almond Joy in the dark chocolate that covers a Mounds, then you will love this granola recipe.   And this granola is definitely healthier (and just as good, if you ask me) as the candy bars it was named after.

What you will need:

2 cups of old fashioned oats

2/3 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup chopped almonds

3 tbsp coconut oil

2 tbsp honey

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp salt

3 tbsp cocoa powder

2 tbsp water

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp coconut extract (or you could skip the vanilla & add an entire tsp of coconut extract)

1/2 cup mini semi sweet or dark chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small saucepan, heat the coconut oil over medium heat.  Usually coconut oil is solid at room temperature, so you will need to melt it first.  

Once melted, add the honey, brown sugar, salt, cocoa powder, and water to the saucepan.  Continue to heat and stir over medium heat until the sugar is completely melted.

Remove from the heat and stir in your extract(s).

In large bowl, mix together the oats, coconut, and almonds.  Pour the warm chocolate mixture over the oat mixture and stir well.

Spoon the wet granola mixture onto the lined baking sheet and spread out in an even layer.  You will bake the granola for 40-45 minutes, stirring the granola about halfway through.  If you prefer big clusters of granola, press the mixture down firmly with the back of a spatula or wooden spoon after you have completed the halfway stir during baking.

Once the granola is done baking, allow it to cool on the baking sheet for about 20 minutes.  Then gently lift the parchment paper from the baking sheet and onto your counter and allow it to cool completely.

Once cooled, you can break up the granola into chunks of your liking and transfer to a large bowl.  Pour in your chocolate chips and then stir to evenly distribute them.  

You can store the granola in an airtight container for up to a month.  I like to use a couple of glass mason jars for this and leave them sitting pretty out on my counter. :)

What candy bar (or bars) would you like to see transformed into a healthier granola? 

Mounds of Almond Joy Granola

by Frugal Foodie Mama

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40-45 minutes

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Ingredients (Approx 6-8 servings)

• 2 cups of old fashioned oats
• 2/3 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup chopped almonds
• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp water
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp coconut extract (or you could skip the vanilla & add an entire tsp of coconut extract)
• 1/2 cup mini semi sweet or dark chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small saucepan, heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Usually coconut oil is solid at room temperature, so you will need to melt it first.

Once melted, add the honey, brown sugar, salt, cocoa powder, and water to the saucepan. Continue to heat and stir over medium heat until the sugar is completely melted.

Remove from the heat and stir in your extract(s).

In large bowl, mix together the oats, coconut, and almonds. Pour the warm chocolate mixture over the oat mixture and stir well.

Spoon the wet granola mixture onto the lined baking sheet and spread out in an even layer. You will bake the granola for 40-45 minutes, stirring the granola about halfway through. If you prefer big clusters of granola, press the mixture down firmly with the back of a spatula or wooden spoon after you have completed the halfway stir during baking.

Once the granola is done baking, allow it to cool on the baking sheet for about 20 minutes. Then gently lift the parchment paper from the baking sheet and onto your counter and allow it to cool completely.

Once cooled, you can break up the granola into chunks of your liking and transfer to a large bowl. Pour in your chocolate chips and then stir to evenly distribute them.

You can store the granola in an airtight container for up to a month.

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