Grain Free Chickpea Granola - crispy crunchy, sweet and a touch salty, packed with protein, fiber, and healthy fats! Both vegan and gluten free.
Granola is serious business.
It needs to be crunchy, but not break a tooth hard, sweet, but not cloying, and sturdy enough to sit atop yogurt and smoothies, and in milk without getting soggy.
This granola checks all the boxes. The surprise ingredient, chickpeas, soak in all the cinnamon maple goodness this granola has to offer and crisp up golden brown, ready and waiting to add tons of flavor and the perfect crispy texture to this grain free granola.
Coconut, almonds, and pumpkin seeds all add crunch, flavor, and healthy fats for a well rounded granola with perfect clumps and perfect texture. And zero sad soggy breakfast moments.
What ingredients do you need for grain free granola?
- Chickpeas - fiber rich, extra crunchy, and will 100% make sense upon your first bite
- Coconut flakes - ultra crisp, melt in your mouth, toasty tropical flavor flakes
- Slivered almonds & pumpkin seeds - a nice nutty crunch for flavor and texture
- Coconut oil - helps the granola crisp up and lends a sweet coconut flavor
- Maple syrup - our sweetener of choice that lends a delectable caramel note (paleo friends can also sub honey!)
- Cinnamon - warming, aerobatic, and makes the granola feel gourmet
- Sea salt - for that perfect sweet and salty balance
How to make crispy chickpeas?
Without crispy chickpeas, this recipe is just coconut, nuts, and beans. Not quite the breakfast of our dreams. But, if you follow these tips for crispy chickpeas, you will be in grain-free granola heaven in no time.
- Drain, rinse, and dry the chickpeas WELL. Rinse the chickpeas until there is no residue left. Spread them out onto a dish towel and then use a second towel to pat and rub the chickpeas until they are dry. You may need 2 more towels if the first ones get too wet. The drier the chickpeas, the crispier they will get.
- Pre-roast the chickpeas. They need to spend more time in the oven than the other ingredients. We want to roast them with some coconut oil for 25 minutes before adding the rest of the granola.
- Let the granola dry in the oven. After the granola is a gorgeous golden brown, turn off the oven, crack the door, and let the granola cool in the oven. I usually let it sit overnight. The slow warm drying process makes for perfectly crisp chickpeas.
Enjoy with yogurt, smoothie bowls, with milk and by the handful!
Grain Free Chickpea Granola
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 40
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
Grain Free Chickpea Granola - crispy crunchy, sweet and a touch salty, packed with protein, fiber, and healthy fats! Perfect for smoothie bowls, yogurt, or eating by the handful!
Ingredients
- 1 (15)oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed⠀
- ½ tablespoon coconut oil, melted⠀
- 1 ½ cups large coconut flakes
- ¾ cup slivered almonds⠀
- ½ cup raw hulled pumpkin seeds⠀
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon⠀
- 1 teaspoon salt⠀
- ¼ cup maple syrup⠀
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted⠀
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spread the chickpeas out on a paper towel or dish cloth. Pat dry with another towel until very dry.
- Place the chickpeas on a parchment lined baking sheet and toss with ½ tablespoon coconut oil. Bake for 25 minutes. ⠀
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together the coconut flakes, almonds, pumpkin seeds, cinnamon and salt. ⠀
- Add in the cooked chickpeas, maple, and coconut oil. Toss well and spread back out onto the baking sheet. ⠀
- Bake for another 15 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the granola inside, with the door cracked to cool. This helps the granola crisp up. Enjoy!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ⅙th recipe
- Calories: 282
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 266mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Carbohydrates: 21g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: j8g
I put the granola back into the oven for the 15 minutes. I assumed the oven was still at 400 degrees. The whole batch burned. Should the oven's heat be lower or maybe left in for fewer minutes? I think I am going to really like this when I get it figured out. :)
Hi Suzanne, So sorry to hear it burned! It sounds like your oven might run hot, which is actually pretty common! I would try the whole recipe at 350 degrees instead of 400 and watch it closely at the end. If you give it another try I'd love to hear how it turns out!
How long does this keep on the shelf?