Dark Chocolate Granola (copycat recipe)

Saw this recipe for dark chocolate granola here, it caught my eye because the author said it's a copycat of Love Crunch granola which Dave love loves, and I thought I'd make it for him for Valentine's Day. It turned out great, but not sure it's like Love Crunch's version...it tastes so good tho I don't think that matters! Maybe her recipe is a different flavor than Dave's favorite 'dark chocolate macaroon', I did a photo comparison so you can see that the store-bought one is much lighter than the one I made following the recipe exactly (other than I omitted the almonds - it would not be very nice of me to give Dave, who is allergic to nuts, granola he can't eat for Valentine's day..."here ya go honey, be my Valentine, eat this almond granola and then we can take a ride to the ER")...otherwise I pretty much followed the recipe. Here's what I did, click on the above link if you want to see the original recipe with the nuts and a couple other changes.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups old-fashioned oats (not quick cooking)
• 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes, plus additional for optional garnish 
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil (or other neutral oil)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-2 cups chocolate chips
• handful of chocolate baking chunks, chopped into smallish pieces, optional 

Preheat oven to 250'. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.

 In a big bowl combine oats, coconut, cocoa powder, and brown sugar.

In a small separate bowl combine maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla, and salt. 

Slowly pour the wet ingredients over the dry, stirring to fully incorporate. Spread onto the 2 prepared baking sheets and bake for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. 

Remove the granola from the oven and sprinkle on the chocolate chips, lightly stir to incorporate the chips and then let it stand for a couple hours until the chocolate is completely cool. I added additional coconut flakes and chocolate baking chunks to the cooled granola so it looks more like the store-bought kind. Break up and store in air-tight container for 1-2 weeks. 

To give as a gift I'm planning to cover an empty oatmeal container with valentine paper and a big red bow - I'm going to go do that now before he gets up!

my gift packaging - still need to cover the carton with Valentine paper and a bow 

side-by-side with the original, mine is so much darker!

before adding additional coconut and chocolate chunks for garnish...

...and after. 

2.14.18: dried cranberry and chocolate cookies
2.14.17: flower heart
2.14.16: tuna over nice (basically Nicoise salad)


Happy moment ~ finding kid's chalk art on the sidewalk outside of our condo