Tropical Granola

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Bring a taste of the tropics to your breakfast with sweet and crunchy Tropical Granola. Sweetened with banana, studded with pineapple and coconut, and filled with chunky clusters, it has everything you want from a homemade granola recipe. Plus, it’s easily gluten free and dairy free. Sprinkle it over yogurt, enjoy it with milk, or snack on it by the handful!

Three stacked bowls with tropical granola in the top one and a little spilled beside the bowls.
  • Cuisine Inspiration: American
  • Primary Cooking Method: Oven
  • Dietary Info: Gluten-free option, Dairy-free
  • Skill Level: Easy

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!
A closeup of granola with coconut flakes and pieces of dried pineapple.

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.
Granola with pieces of dried pineapple and coconut in an orange bowl with white polka dots.

Quick Tips

Here are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind when making this tropical granola recipe.

  • Don’t burn it. Make sure to line your pan with parchment or, even better, a silicone baking sheet so that it doesn’t stick to the pan and burn. You’ll also want to use a low oven and keep a close eye on it when you get close to the end of the baking time. Remember that you are cooling it on the pan, so it will dry and firm up a bit more as the pan cools.
  • Form those clusters. I love a nice, chunky granola. So the trick is not to skip any ingredients because the combination of sweeteners and seeds helps the other ingredients stick together. You’ll also want to press the mixture down on the pan firmly and not stir or break it up until after it is baked and cooled.
  • Let it cool. You want to wait for the granola to cool completely before you add the pineapple and coconut. The coconut isn’t a big deal, because it’s OK if it gets a little toasted. But the heat of the pan could make the dried pineapple get hard.
  • Store properly. Kept in an airtight container, granola can be stored for up to 2-3 weeks at room temperature. I do not recommend refrigerating or freezing it, as it could get soggy.
Tropical granola on top of a yogurt container.

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:

More Granola Recipes

Looking down at three stacked bowls with tropical granola in the top one.
5 from 4 votes

Tropical Granola

This crunchy Tropical Granola is packed with banana, pineapple, and coconut for a sweet island vibe! With chunky clusters and simple ingredients, it’s gluten-free, dairy-free, and totally delicious.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Total: 55 minutes
Servings: 24 servings

Ingredients

  • 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (certified gluten free, if needed)
  • 1 cup slivered almonds
  • 1/4 cup chia seeds
  • 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
  • 1 large overripe banana mashed
  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar or light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup ground flaxseeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon rum extract, optional
  • 1 cup dried pineapple, chopped
  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 300°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a slilicone baking mat.
  • In a large bowl, toss together 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, 1 cup slivered almonds, and 1/4 cup chia seeds.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup melted coconut oil, 1 large overripe banana, mashed, 1/4 cup coconut sugar or light brown sugar, 1/4 cup ground flaxseeds, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/2 teaspoon rum extract,if using, until smooth.
  • Pour the wet mixture over dry ingredients and stir until just moistened.
  • Spread the mixture evenly on the parchment-lined baking sheet and press flat.
  • Bake at 300°F for 35-45 minutes or until edges start to brown. Do not stir while baking or cooling. Remove from oven and let granola cool completely on the baking sheet.
  • Break the granola into clusters and toss in 1 cup dried pineapple, and 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes.
  • Store in an airtight container.
Nutrition Facts
Tropical Granola
Amount Per Serving (0.25 cup (approximately))
Calories 157 Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Fat 9g14%
Saturated Fat 4g20%
Trans Fat 0.003g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Sodium 55mg2%
Potassium 130mg4%
Carbohydrates 18g6%
Fiber 4g16%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 5IU0%
Vitamin C 2mg2%
Calcium 37mg4%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Disclaimers: Please discuss your individual dietary needs (i.e. gluten free) with a physician. Even when not specified, be sure to verify all ingredients are gluten free, if needed, by reading labels on all packaging and/or confirming with the manufacturer this varies by brand and can change at any time. Nutrition information shown is an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate.

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10 Comments
  1. minion

    5 stars
    Very helpful advice in this particular post! It’s the little changes that make the largest changes. Thanks for sharing!

  2. minion rush

    5 stars
    I think this is an informative post and it is very useful and knowledgeable. I really enjoyed reading this post. big fan, thank you!

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