Longest recipe name ever.
I couldn’t leave out one important detail.
I’m into quinoa right now — partly because it’s trendy, and partly because it lets me call a snack with brown butter and dark chocolate a little healthier. It feels like a loophole.
I’m obsessed with the honey roasted almonds from Trader Joe’s. I go through bag after bag. The other night my husband stopped at Trader Joe’s on his way home without telling me, and when he came back I may have mildly freaked out because I needed those almonds. Why didn’t he think to tell me? Why does he not understand my almond needs?
The brown butter is obvious — nutty, toasty, and crucial. And the dark chocolate? Full of antioxidants, so that makes it a health food, right?
This granola practically feels like it has magic powers.
I’ve been on a granola kick for weeks. It started one morning when I woke up craving granola and realized I had none. I obsessed about it for days but was too lazy to go get a bag — and that’s saying something, since I’m at the grocery store almost every day. I make lists, leave them at home, then shop without them. The store staff probably think I’m a little crazy by now.
Anyway, granola.
People ask me how I get big granola clumps. The method is simple: stir the granola a few times during baking as noted below, then remove it and let it cool a bit. While it’s still warm, quickly and gently scrunch portions together with your hands to form clusters. At that point I often fold in some chocolate because granola without chocolate is kind of pointless.
The hardest part is waiting for the granola to cool completely. I mean completely. If I’m impatient I’ll pop the baking sheet in the fridge to speed things up, because apparently I cannot wait. Once cooled, you’ll usually have a mix of large clumps and loose bits — perfect for milk, stirred into yogurt, or eaten by the handful straight from a bag at midnight.
Crunchy Quinoa, Toasted Almond and Dark Chocolate Brown Butter Granola
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Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1 cup toasted sliced almonds
- 1/2 cup ground flaxseed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment.
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Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly until brown bits form on the bottom, about 5–6 minutes, then remove from heat. Stir in the honey and vanilla.
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In a large bowl, combine oats, almonds, cooked quinoa, flaxseed, cinnamon, and salt. Pour the brown butter and honey mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until everything is evenly moistened. I like to mix with my hands for a few minutes to ensure it’s well combined. Spread in an even layer on the baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes, toss, bake 10 minutes more, toss again, then bake about 10 more minutes, stirring every few minutes until golden.
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Remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes. While still warm, gently squeeze portions together to form clusters. Pour the chocolate chips over the warm granola and fold them in gently. Let the granola cool completely, at least one hour, before serving or storing.
Notes
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Granola for everyone!