Gluten-Free Chocolate Granola Recipe (Dairy-Free, Nut-Free, Soy-Free)

Updated! A couple of years ago, I created a delicious (if I do say so myself) dairy-free chocolate granola recipe for Attune Foods. When they had to discontinue their granola line, they wanted something to offer customers who mourned the loss of the beloved chocolate variety. It was a double chocolate granola, with cocoa and dark chocolate chunks, that included a wholesome crispy wheat cereal. For the holidays, I decided to make it a triple chocolate recipe. And while I was at it, I turned it into a dairy-free gluten-free chocolate granola.

This Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Chocolate Granola is a Real Treat for All

Baking for food allergic friends and family can be tricky, due to cross-contamination concerns. But those of us with food restrictions can give others a taste of just how amazing “free-from” can be with this delicious dairy-free gluten-free chocolate granola. The ingredients are all relatively easy to locate – and already found in many of our pantries – and the recipe takes just minutes of hands-on time.

Ingredient Tips

Cocoa Crispy Cereal: Cocoa Krispies contain gluten, but Whole Foods 365, Love Grown, One Degree, Mom’s Best, and Envirokidz Koala Crisp are all gluten-free.
Sweetness Options: This dairy-free gluten-free chocolate granola is on the sweet side. It’s not super-sweet, but definitely tastes treat-worthy. You can increase the cocoa to 1/4 cup if you want even more depth in flavor, or reduce the sweetener a touch if you want it to be less sweet.
Dairy-Free Chocolate: To keep this recipe everyone-friendly, I like to use Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Morsels, Semi-Sweet Chunks or Mini Chips. I keep all three on hand, and choose whichever one suits my mood!

Special Diet Notes: Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Chocolate Granola

By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan and vegetarian. Note that not all cocoa crispy cereals are gluten-free and/or allergy-friendly. See above for suggestions.

Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Chocolate Granola

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

55 mins

This is a favorite treat recipe that also makes a great gift from the kitchen.

Author: Alisa Fleming

Recipe type: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Serves: 6 servings

Ingredients

2 cups certified gluten-free rolled oats
2 cups cocoa crispy cereal (see post above for suggestions)
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
⅛ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons maple syrup (can sub honey or agave nectar)
⅓ cup packed brown sugar (can sub coconut sugar)
2 tablespoons oil
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
⅔ cup chopped dairy-free dark chocolate, chocolate chunks, or chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 250ºF and lightly grease two 9×13-inch glass baking dishes or line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, stir together the oats, cereal, cocoa powder, and salt until the grains are evenly coated.
Whisk together the maple syrup, brown sugar, and oil in a small saucepan. Place it over medium-low heat and whisk until the sugars are mostly dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients, and stir to evenly coat.
Spread the granola out in a single layer in your prepared pan(s).
Bake the granola for 45 to 90 minutes, checking in to stir every 15 to 20 minutes. The length of time is very climate dependent. The granola will still seem a little soft, but it crisps as it cools.
For clusters, immediately remove the granola to a large bowl and gently stir in the chocolate chips (just a few turns) while the granola is still warm.
For a looser granola, let the granola cool completely before stirring in the chocolate chips.
Store the granola in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: ½ cup Calories: 210 Fat: 6.4g Saturated fat: 2.3g Carbohydrates: 37.1g Sugar: 19.8g Sodium: 75mg Fiber: 2.1g Protein: 3.3g