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Oats are no longer for a boring breakfast that closely resembles wallpaper paste. Nowadays, granola is such a versatile food. Breakfast, on the go snack, and even a crunchy topping for dessert. And the good news is, you don’t need buy the sugary, processed stuff in the grocery store any more. Whether you are looking for healthy snack or a filling way to start the day, this sweet and crunchy orange white chocolate granola is so so easy and will hit the spot.
Orange Cinnamon Granola
The base for this cruncy, sweet treat is a super simple orange cinnamon flavored granola. Before I made this recipe, I am not going to lie, I was intimidated to make granola. I don’t know why, but I guess in my head I thought it required all of these super healthy, hard to find ingredients that I just didn’t have. It turns out I was SOOO wrong!
This simple granola recipe can serve as the base for any flavor profile you’d like! First, begin by adding 4 cups of old fashioned oats to a mixing bowl. To the bowl, add:
- 1 cup chopped walnuts (or your favorite nut)
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp orange zest (the zest of about 1 medium orange)
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
Combine all of the ingredients and add in 1/2 cup each of melted coconut oil and honey. You can substitute maple syrup here, but I find honey has a more subtle flavor that works well with any other add ins you want. Next, mix to combine and make sure all of the oats are well coated. Now spread the oat mixture on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil (coated with cooking spray). Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, pat the oats into a flat even layer.
Bake the oats in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway and patting back down. The granola will be done when it begins to turn golden brown. Allow the granola to cool for at least one hour to let it solidify. This resting time is key to having crunchy, chunky granola. Next, use a wooden spoon or your hands to break up the granola bark into smaller, bite size pieces. And just like that you have the perfect base for any granola.
White Chocolate and other Add-Ins
There are a few things I chose to add to this delicious cinnamon orange base. For starters, I used 1/2 cup of white chocolate for a creamy, sweet touch. Next I added in 1/3 cup of dried cranberries to add a tangy bite. Stir it all together and serve over a creamy bowl of vanilla greek yogurt. Or, if you are in a hurry, instead, pour some in a ziplock bag and take it on-the-go. No matter how you eat it, this orange white chocolate granola will knock your socks off.
But orange white chocolate is not the only direction to take this granola recipe. Try these other additions:
- Strawberry Cheesecake: 1/2 cup cheesecake chips, 1/2 cup dried strawberries
- Blueberry Lemon: Lemon zest instead of orange, 1/2 cup dried blueberries
- Monster: 1/2 cup M&M’s, peanuts instead of walnuts, 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- Tropical: 1/2 cup toasted coconut, 1/2 cup dried mango, 1/2 cup dried pineapple
- Vanilla Almond: Almonds instead of walnuts, 1 tsp vanilla extract instead of zest, 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
Need More Healthy Breakfast Recipes
Orange White Chocolate Granola
Ingredients
- 4 cups old fashioned oats
- 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- 1 tbsp orange zest zest of about 1 medium orange
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup coconut oil melted
- ½ cup honey
- ½ cup white chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°
- In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, nuts, orange zest, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt/
- With a wooden/rubber spoon or spatula, pour in coconut oil and honey and mix to coat.
- Spread the oat mixture into an even layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment or foil (coated with cooking spray)
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Make sure to stir halfway through and pat back down into an even layer.
- Remove the oats from the oven and allow them to cool at least one hour. This is key to getting crisp granola with clumps.
- Once cooled, add white chocolate chips and cranberries. Serve immediately alone, over greek yogurt, or even with almond milk.
- Store extra in a dry air-tight container.
