This stuff reminds me of nutella.
Sort of. There’s chocolate and hazelnuts involved so it automatically leaves my taste buds toward nutella love. For Joey’s birthday I made a not-so-nutritious super moist, decadent, double chocolatey chunk cake with peanut butter cups stuffed inside and a homemade nutella frosting.
Basically what dreams are made of. And yes, the recipe for this dreamy nutella cake will be coming to the blog…eventually. But until then we have granola. Embedded with chocolate and hazelnuts that will satisfy your pesty chocolate craving in a synch.
Funny, after describing my life-changing cake, granola doesn’t sound too hot does it? I promise this recipe is so worth it, and you might even forget all about that nutella cake after making this sweet and salty granola. Maybe…
Granola. It’s what I do. It’s basically embedded into my DNA. For any holiday party, event or gathering, it’s a given that I will wrap up a cute jar filled homemade granola and shower you with it. Some words to the wise: NEVER have an empty granola jar in the house and NEVER go to a party empty handed. When in doubt, bring granola.
Preferably, this granola. The thick rolled oats are binded together with rich dark chocolate, maple syrup, cocoa powder and almond milk. So simple yet booming with chocolatey flavor!
The addition of sea salt and chopped hazelnuts is what really gives this granola it’s extra pazaz. The sea salt is not optional. Neither is the chocolate. The name of this recipe isn’t “Dark Chocolate Sea Salt” for nothin!
Along with being a sweet, salty chocolatey crunch granola, it is also healthier than your average without the addition of oil or butter. Nor is refined sugar used. It is simply sweetened with maple syrup. The melted chocolate + almond milk is enough to bind the oats and give them flavor without the addition of extra fat.
If you are not a fan of dark chocolate, you can also use milk chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate chips. The dark chocolate really gives it a bold flavor, which I happen to LOVE. Feel free to add in extra chocolate chips as well after the granola has finished cooling for the ultimate chocolate lovers dream…Oops almost forgot about the cake…don’t worry it’s coming soon! Munch on this healthy stuff in the mean time 
Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Granola {Butter and Oil Free}
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup vanilla almond milk (or regular milk)
- 1/2 cup hazelnuts, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the oats and sea salt in a large bowl and toss.
- Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and place in the microwave for 1 minute. Stir halfway through.
- Heat the almond milk in a pot over medium heat, just before it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and pour into chocolate chips. Whisk until combined and a chocolate sauce has formed. Whisk in cocoa powder and maple syrup then pour chocolate sauce over oats.
- Stir oats and sauce with a wooden spoon until completely combined. Place oats on a flat parchment lined baking dish and bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
- During the last 5 minutes stir in your chopped hazelnuts. These are baked during the last 5 minutes that way they do not burn. Once the granola is done baking, let it cool for at least 15 minutes before eating or storing in a glass jar. This is a crucial step because the cooling time allows the granola to become crunchy.
- Enjoy over yogurt, smoothies, oatmeal or just as a snack!