Close your eyes, take a bite of this tropical granola, and it’s like you’re halfway to a beach somewhere. Made with toasted oats, golden cashews and/or macadamia nuts, coconut flakes, and sweet chunks of dried papaya and pineapple, this tropical granola recipe makes sunshine in a jar.
Sprinkle it over some plain yogurt with honey, and serve with fresh fruits like banana, mango, pineapple, papaya, and dragon fruit for a delicious breakfast that looks and tastes like vacation!
Homemade Granola For the Win
Granola is one of the best things you can make yourself at home instead of buying from the store. The commercial versions are often loaded with sugar and come in disappointingly small bags for the price.
This is especially true for specialty flavors like this tropical granola—they can be even more expensive than regular granola flavors, or just plain unavailable at most grocery stores.
Making granola at home means you can control the sweetness, choose your own fruit combination, and end up with big, generous batches that will last far longer. Once you see how easy and affordable it is, you’ll never go back to the store-bought stuff.
Choosing Tropical Fruits
For the coconut element, I like to use unsweetened coconut flakes, which have a bit more texture and bite, and are more visible in the granola. That said, if you like, you can use shredded or desiccated coconut, which are grated finer.
As for the dried fruit, I like dried papaya and pineapple, which have a beautiful crystalline appearance and texture.
That said, I couldn’t find any this time around, so I used dried mango, which also works great! Dried mango usually comes in slices, so you will have to dice them first. For more crunch, you could also add crushed banana chips!
Tropical Granola Recipe Instructions
Preheat the oven to 275°F/135°C. On a large baking sheet, toss together the oats, nuts, and coconut. In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, oil, and salt. Pour the wet ingredients over the oat mixture, and toss until well-coated. Bake for 50 minutes, stirring every 15-20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool. Add dried fruit and mix until evenly distributed.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, in the fridge for up to 1 month, or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
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Recipe
Tropical Granola Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews and/or macadamia nuts
- 3/4 cup shredded, desiccated or flaked coconut
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil (or avocado or vegetable oil)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup dried tropical fruit (such as dried mango, papaya, and/or pineapple, in small pieces)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 275°F/135°C. On a large baking sheet, toss together the oats, nuts, and coconut. In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, oil, and salt. Pour the wet ingredients over the oat mixture, and toss until well-coated. Bake for 50 minutes, stirring every 15-20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and cool. Add dried fruit and mix until evenly distributed. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, in the fridge for up to 1 month, or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
