Tropical Coconut Granola with Mango and Pineapple (Gluten Free & Vegan)
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy
Tropical Coconut Granola – This easy homemade granola recipe tastes so bright and fresh! It’s amazing on its own, but makes delicious smoothie bowls, acai bowls, chia puddings, and more! (Gluten free & vegan)
It’s no secret that I love granola–trail mix granola, maple pecan, pumpkin, even paleo…it’s all amazing.
It’s also one of my best “secrets” for making your house smell amazing. The gorgeous scent lasts for hours, and you get to enjoy homemade granola all week long! (If everyone doesn’t gobble it up in a few days–ha!)
This Tropical Coconut Granola is such a fun flavor twist on the classic. It’s got a base of coconut and hearty oats, then it’s studded with dried pineapple, dried mango, and even some macadamia nuts. The tropical flavor is such a refreshing change of pace, and brightens up any breakfast or snack!
It’s such a yummy way to start the day, whether I’m eating a little bowl like cereal, or sprinkling it over something else delicious. This coconut granola also makes an amazing snack and can be eaten trail mix style/on the go.
I love that while this contains lots of tropical fruit, it’s the perfect balance of sweetness. And that little bit of salt from the macadamia nuts? Terrific.
I like big clusters, and I cannot lie, and this recipe NAILS it. Nice, big granola clusters are perfect for snacking, but are also dynamite sprinkled over acai bowls, fruit and yogurt parfaits (like these vegan parfaits!), smoothies, and even chia pudding.
I’ve got a few tips and tricks below for the BEST granola (and big clusters!). I hope you enjoy this tasty Tropical Coconut Granola as much as I do!
Tips for Perfect Coconut Granola:
How to Get Big Granola Clusters. The BEST trick I have for nice, big granola clusters is to pack the granola together tightly when you pull it out of the oven, and then DON’T TOUCH IT until it’s completely cool. When it’s cool, it will break into nice, big clusters! (You can also whisk an egg white and add it to your mixture along with the wet ingredients (obviously not vegan), which will bind things together even more.)
Where to Find Unsweetened Dried Fruit. It can be tough to find unsweetened dry fruit. I’ve found a few brands that do this very well. Made in Nature has delicious unsweetened dried fruit (I find it at Costco, Sprouts, or Amazon), and Naturebox (which I can find at Target) carries a great line of unsweetened dried fruit.
Flaked Not Shredded. I love using the big, flaked coconut for this recipe, rather than finely grated coconut. It doesn’t burn as easily, and instead adds a really nice, tropical crunch. I like Bob’s Red Mill or Thrive Market brand.
Gluten Free? You’ll want to buy certified gluten free oats. Oats themselves don’t contain gluten, but the processing and growing processes often lead to cross-contamination with wheat/gluten-containing grains, so it’s important to buy certified gluten free oats. I like Bob’s Red Mill brand (a great price online at Thrive), or I buy in bulk at Amazon.
Pump Up the Coconut. Love the coconut flavor? You can pump it up in this recipe by adding 1/4-1/2 tsp of coconut extract along with the vanilla. It’ll definitely taste more coconut-y, but it can also be easy to over-do, so be sure to start small and add from there.
Love This? I Bet You’d Also Love…
- Fruit on the Bottom Chia Pudding (Paleo & Vegan)
- How to Make Acai Bowls (Paleo & Vegan)
- Paleo Granola & Fruit Parfaits (Paleo & Vegan)
- Maple Pecan Granola (Gluten Free & Vegan)
Â
Print
Tropical Coconut Granola with Mango and Pineapple (Gluten Free & Vegan)
-
Yield: 12 1x
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 1/2 cups rolled oats (gluten free, if needed)
- 1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut (large flakes)
- 2/3 cup almond flour
- 2/3 cup macadamia nuts, halved if large (roasted & salted is fine)
- 1/4 cup ground flax seed
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1/3 cup coconut oil
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup (plus more, if needed)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch salt (optional)
- 2/3 cup diced dried mango (preferably unsweetened)
- 2/3 cup diced dried pineapple (preferably unsweetened)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a nonstick silicone baking mat.
In a large bowl, combine oatmeal, coconut, almond flour, macadamia nuts, flax, coconut sugar, coconut oil, syrup, and vanilla. (Add pinch salt if using raw or unsalted macadamia nuts). Stir to combine well. If mixture is dry, add 1-2 Tbsp additional maple syrup or coconut oil and continue to mix until everything is well blended and coated.
Spread granola mixture out onto prepared baking sheet. Spread out well in an even layer.
Bake at 300 degrees 25-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so.
When granola is golden, remove from oven. Immediately add dried mango and pineapple and pat mixture together (this will help create clusters). Allow mixture to cool completely, and don’t disturb while cooling to allow clusters to form.
When granola is completely cool, transfer to an airtight container and store about 1 week at room temperature, or up to 2 weeks in the fridge (note that dried fruit will harden somewhat in the refrigerator).
Notes
HOW TO GET BIG GRANOLA CLUSTERS: The BEST trick I have for nice, big granola clusters is to pack the granola together tightly when you pull it out of the oven, and then DON’T TOUCH IT until it’s completely cool. When it’s cool, it will break into nice, big clusters! (You can also whisk an egg white and add it to your mixture along with the wet ingredients, which will bind things together even more. Note: it will no longer be vegan.)
WHERE TO FIND UNSWEETENED DRIED FRUIT. It can be tough to find unsweetened dry fruit. I’ve found a few brands that do this very well. Made in Nature has delicious mango (I get it at Costco, Sprouts, or Amazon) and Naturebox (which I can find at Target) carries a great line of unsweetened dried fruit.
GLUTEN FREE? You’ll want to buy certified gluten free oats. Oats themselves don’t contain gluten, but the processing and growing processes often lead to cross-contamination with wheat/gluten-containing grains, so it’s important to buy certified gluten free oats. I like Bob’s Red Mill brand.
PUMP UP THE COCONUT. Love the coconut flavor? You can pump it up in this recipe by adding 1/4-1/2 tsp of coconut extract along with the vanilla. It’ll definitely taste more coconut-y, but it can also be easy to over-do, so be sure to start small and add from there.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: about 1/2 cup
- Calories: 297kcal
- Sugar: 13g
- Sodium: 6mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 0
Find it online: https://www.onelovelylife.com/tropical-coconut-granola/
Tropical Coconut Granola with Mango and Pineapple (Gluten Free & Vegan)
- Yield: 12 1x
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups rolled oats (gluten free, if needed)
- 1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut (large flakes)
- 2/3 cup almond flour
- 2/3 cup macadamia nuts, halved if large (roasted & salted is fine)
- 1/4 cup ground flax seed
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1/3 cup coconut oil
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup (plus more, if needed)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch salt (optional)
- 2/3 cup diced dried mango (preferably unsweetened)
- 2/3 cup diced dried pineapple (preferably unsweetened)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a nonstick silicone baking mat.
In a large bowl, combine oatmeal, coconut, almond flour, macadamia nuts, flax, coconut sugar, coconut oil, syrup, and vanilla. (Add pinch salt if using raw or unsalted macadamia nuts). Stir to combine well. If mixture is dry, add 1-2 Tbsp additional maple syrup or coconut oil and continue to mix until everything is well blended and coated.
Spread granola mixture out onto prepared baking sheet. Spread out well in an even layer.
Bake at 300 degrees 25-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so.
When granola is golden, remove from oven. Immediately add dried mango and pineapple and pat mixture together (this will help create clusters). Allow mixture to cool completely, and don’t disturb while cooling to allow clusters to form.
When granola is completely cool, transfer to an airtight container and store about 1 week at room temperature, or up to 2 weeks in the fridge (note that dried fruit will harden somewhat in the refrigerator).
Notes
HOW TO GET BIG GRANOLA CLUSTERS: The BEST trick I have for nice, big granola clusters is to pack the granola together tightly when you pull it out of the oven, and then DON’T TOUCH IT until it’s completely cool. When it’s cool, it will break into nice, big clusters! (You can also whisk an egg white and add it to your mixture along with the wet ingredients, which will bind things together even more. Note: it will no longer be vegan.)
WHERE TO FIND UNSWEETENED DRIED FRUIT. It can be tough to find unsweetened dry fruit. I’ve found a few brands that do this very well. Made in Nature has delicious mango (I get it at Costco, Sprouts, or Amazon) and Naturebox (which I can find at Target) carries a great line of unsweetened dried fruit.
GLUTEN FREE? You’ll want to buy certified gluten free oats. Oats themselves don’t contain gluten, but the processing and growing processes often lead to cross-contamination with wheat/gluten-containing grains, so it’s important to buy certified gluten free oats. I like Bob’s Red Mill brand.
PUMP UP THE COCONUT. Love the coconut flavor? You can pump it up in this recipe by adding 1/4-1/2 tsp of coconut extract along with the vanilla. It’ll definitely taste more coconut-y, but it can also be easy to over-do, so be sure to start small and add from there.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: about 1/2 cup
- Calories: 297kcal
- Sugar: 13g
- Sodium: 6mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 0
Find it online: https://www.onelovelylife.com/tropical-coconut-granola/
