Tropical Granola

Sweet and Chunky Tropical Granola

I’ve long been a fan of making my own granola. Not only can I use gluten free oats to make sure it’s a safe gluten free granola for me to enjoy, but I also have control over, well, everything. It’s so easy to change up the ingredients to make any flavor combination you love. And I can use the technique for my Maple Brown Sugar Granola Clusters to make those nice, big, crunchy chunks that my kids love. And this Tropical Granola is a snackable favorite for so many reasons like these…

• Perfect for anytime. We all know granola makes a great breakfast or snack, but it’s yummy with more than just yogurt. I’ve got lots of ideas for you down near the recipe card. You can even spoon it on ice cream for dessert!
• Great to keep on hand. Granola recipes often make big batches and they can be stored for weeks at a time – if it lasts that long. So it’s great to have a jar or container on the counter or in the pantry for any time!
• Chunky goodness. Just like my Coconut Chia Granola Clusters, I work with the basic formula of wet to dry ingredients and keep the same technique of forming a single layer on the pan, and not stirring or disturbing it so that it makes the nice, big clusters my kids request.
• Meets your needs. As I mentioned, using gluten free oats means you can easily make this recipe gluten free, but it’s also naturally dairy free and doesn’t use any eggs. It’s easy to leave out the nuts too!

Recipe Ingredients

Here’s an overview of what you’ll need for this tropical granola recipe, along with some options for substitutions. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full amounts and detailed instructions.

• Old-fashioned oats. You’ll want rolled oats, not quick or instant oats. Be sure your are certified gluten free, if needed.
• Slivered almonds. You can also use chopped almonds or replace them with another type of nut, if you like. Macadamia nuts are a great option for more tropical flavor. They can also be omitted for nut allergies.
• Chia seeds.
• Coconut oil. Melted. Another neutral oil, such as avocado oil, can be substituted, but the coconut oil gives that hint of coconut flavor.
• Banana. You’ll want an overripe one so that it is nice and sweet, and can be mashed easily.
• Coconut sugar or light brown sugar. Either one works fine, coconut sugar just provides an option for an unrefined sweetener.
• Ground flaxseed.
• Salt.
• Vanilla extract.
• Rum extract. This is optional, but it does add a nice hint of island vibes.
• Dried pineapple. Since it usually comes in big chunks, you’ll want to chop it not pieces that are a bit smaller.
• Unsweetened coconut flakes. If you can only find sweetened coconut or shreds that’s fine too.

How to Use Tropical Granola

While you can go with the most popular ways of enjoying granola by spooning it on top of yogurt, pouring it into a bowl with milk, or just snacking on it by the handful, it’s also fun to get a little more creative! Here are some serving suggestions:

• Make a smoothie bowl. The flavors are the perfect complement to a Tropical Smoothie Bowl, or you can use a little less milk in a basic Banana Smoothie to make it thicker and then add granola and more of your favorite toppings.
• Add some crunch. Slice some bananas and mango to top your Gluten Free Banana Waffles or a stack of Gluten Free Pikelets (Australian mini pancakes) along with a sprinkle of granola.
• Top your oats. Another morning favorite that could use a little texture is oatmeal, so try it on Hummingbird Cake Overnight Oats or Mixed Berry Baked Oatmeal.
• Make a snack. Sprinkle it on a slice of Gluten Free Banana Snack Cake or in some Orange Yogurt Parfaits.

More Granola Recipes

• Almond Granola
• Chocolate Granola
• Apple Cinnamon Granola