Homemade Strawberry Chocolate Almond Granola

I have a confession to make. If you were in my kitchen today, you would have seen me sneaking spoonfuls of granola straight from the sheet pan. Boy, I love granola. What I love about this Homemade Strawberry Chocolate Almond Granola is that it’s a recipe where you can control the sugar, sodium, and fats so that you can enjoy granola that you feel good about. Oh, and the toasty, warm oats studded with chocolate, coconut, and sweet freeze-dried strawberries knock this recipe out of the park.

Let’s be honest. Homemade granola is by far superior to anything store-bought.

It’s one of those foods that somehow makes your home suddenly feel a bit home-er as the scent of toasting oats and nuts wafts through the air. I know that realtors often use freshly baked cookies for that trick, but I think they all should be making homemade granola before open houses. It’s a food I dream of as you can probably already tell.

Why Homemade Strawberry Chocolate Almond Granola Is Easier than You Think to Make

One bowl + a sheet pan lined with parchment paper = low-effort clean-up == a very happy Holly (me)! Seriously though, just mix the granola ingredients in a big bowl (see instructions below on when to add what) and then you can dump and spread the mixture all over a lined baking sheet. Before you know it, you will have the best Homemade Strawberry Chocolate Almond Granola in town. It’s a recipe that’s fit for Galentine’s Day, brunch, or any Tuesday night granola craving.

Be careful to read the timings of the mix-ins for this recipe, because many of the toppings can quickly burn without a watchful eye. If you know your oven tends to bake faster than average, make sure to check on your granola to keep it from burning. Burnt granola is sad granola. 🙁

Is This Recipe Cost Effective?

I categorize this type of Fancy Frugal Fixes recipe in the category of “cheaper to make at home” recipes. This recipe does have some splurges, like the freeze-dried strawberries. You can always substitute this ingredient for something cheaper like dried cranberries or raisins, but overall, making Homemade Strawberry Chocolate Almond Granola from scratch is cheaper than buying something similar at the grocery store– and a lot healthier too.

In terms of pantry staples, this recipe contains a lot of ingredients you probably already have on hand (probably not freeze-dried strawberries but most of the others you most likely already own). To keep costs low, simply substitute what you already have on hand and cut down on costs. Check out some of my suggestions for customizations below.

How Can I Customize Homemade Strawberry Chocolate Almond Granola

Feel free to use this recipe as a base and mix and match based on your preferences and what you already have on hand.

Switch up the nuts

Substitute the almonds for walnuts, chopped pecans, or even pepitas.

Create Clusters of Oats

Love granola filled with clusters? Mix 2 Tbsp of almond butter into the recipe before the first bake to form some clusters of oats.

Change out the Sweetener

Swap honey instead of maple syrup 1:1 for that traditional honey taste. I wouldn’t suggest using regular or brown sugar. Stick with something sticky instead.

Swap Up The Dried Fruit

Swap dried cranberries, banana chips, yogurt-covered cranberries, or even chocolate-covered raisins for freeze-dried strawberries in this granola.

Have Fun with the Chocolate

I love mini chips for this recipe since the size is perfect for granola, but you could go SO many different directions with the chocolate here. Try out white chocolate, dark chocolate, chunks of chocolate (I love adding chopped pieces of the ALDI dark chocolate bar ), or even peanut butter chips could all be a wonderful choice.

The Ingredients

Oats

Rolled oats or old-fashioned oats will work best in this recipe. I wouldn’t suggest quick-cook oats.

Pure Maple Syrup

Give Homemade Strawberry Chocolate Almond Granola a light boost of sweetness with pure maple syrup. If you are all out, swap in honey or agave nectar instead. I like my granola lightly sweetened so this recipe is on the conservative side of sweetener, however, the strawberries and chocolate chips help to add to the overall sweetness of this granola.

Chia Seeds

I am not a nutritionist, but the health claims on Chia Seeds are wild! Chia seeds are the ultimate superfood because they have the highest plant-based amount of Omega-3 fatty acid and contain all 9 amino acids that the human body can not produce (see the article I link later for more information). I like to add a few to this recipe, but it won’t affect the taste if you simply leave them out. Check out Harvard School of Public Health’s resource for more information on Chia seeds here.

Freeze Dried Strawberries

Yum! I don’t know about you but I could eat a whole bag of these in a sitting….Make sure to use freeze-dried strawberries in this recipe. Fresh or frozen berries will not work in this recipe, but you can swap out the strawberries for any other freeze-dried or dried fruit.

Mini Chocolate Chips

Any type of chocolate chip will work here, but the mini chips seem to have the best mouthfeel in this Homemade Strawberry Chocolate Almond Granola.

Shaved Almonds

Use whatever nut or seed you have on hand. The oven time has been tested to toast shaved almonds, but small chopped nuts or seeds should exchange well.

Unsweetened Coconut

Optional if you want to include the coconut in the party. I suggest unsweetened coconut only in this recipe if you are going to use it.

What to Eat with Homemade Strawberry Chocolate Almond Granola

If you are like me, you will be satisfied eating this granola with a spoonful all by itself. But I get it, granola is a FANTASTIC topping.

• Try this Granola:
  • Adorned atop of strawberry Chia Seed Greek Yogurt Parfait with Homemade Strawberry Chia Jam
  • Sprinkled on waffle smeared with Nutella
  • Added on top of a bagel with strawberry cream cheese, fresh strawberry slices, and a drizzle of honey
  • Spooned on top of a delicious strawberry smoothie bowl

Whatever way you choose to eat this granola will be a good decision.