This Chocolate Cherry Granola is the perfect morning treat ... pair it with yogurt for an easy, yet delicious breakfast or snack!
Are you looking for a delicious breakfast idea?
This Cherry Chocolate Granola is it! Chocolate and cherries are a natural pairing, and they're even better together at breakfast. I love serving this yummy granola with yogurt for a quick morning meal, and it's just as delicious as a snack.
Best of all, it's so easy to make! If you've never made homemade granola before, you might be surprised by just how simple it actually is.
Ready to dig in? Keep reading for all the details!
Inspiration
The inspiration for this recipe actually came from a movie! A group of bloggers I'm friends with and joining with me to share recipes inspired by Oscar-nominated movies.
My movie is Wild, which stars Reese Witherspoon and is based on the real life story of Cheryl Strayed, who goes into a tailspin following her mother's death. Strayed makes a rash decision to hike the epic Pacific Crest Trail, and the movie follows her hike.
In one of the first scenes, Strayed realizes that she purchased the wrong gas for her stove and can't cook any of the dehydrated meals she packed. So her first meals consist of cold gruel and handfuls of granola.
I was going to create a recipe for gruel (yum!), but granola I can do! Especially when it pairs my fave cherry chocolate combo.
Find more movie-inspired recipes from my fave bloggers at the end of this post!
How to Make Chocolate Cherry Granola
This Chocolate-Covered Cherry Granola is the perfect snack to take on any hike or use it to top yogurt and fruit for a healthy breakfast. And it couldn't be easier to make!
You'll start by mixing together the oats and quinoa. You're going to love the quinoa in this recipe! It lends a delicious crunch and packs in a ton of protein, too.
Next, whisk together the oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt. Then, stir it into the oat-quinoa mixture.
Spread this mixture on a large baking sheet, then bake it for about 25 minutes or until golden. I like to stir it a few times as it bakes. That way, the ingredient cook evenly.
Let cool completely, then stir in the chopped chocolate and dried cherries.
And that's all there is to it! Your yummy homemade granola is ready to eat. Keep it stored in a mason jar, zip top back, or other airtight container, and you'll have a tasty breakfast for many meals to come!
Related Recipes
By the way ... if you love this delicious granola, make sure to check out my basic Homemade Granola recipe, too. It's so delish, and you can customize it however you'd like.
You can also use this granola in other recipes, like this easy Yogurt Parfait. And you may also like my Tropical Trail Mix.
Chocolate Cherry Granola
Ingredients
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup quinoa, rinsed and patted dry
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup dried cherries
- 3 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Stir together oats and quinoa in a large bowl.
- Whisk together olive oil, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt in a small bowl. Pour oil mixture over oats/quinoa and stir until well coated.
- Spread oats on a baking sheet. Bake until golden, about 25 - 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let mixture cool completely.
- Stir in cherries and chocolate.
- Serve granola immediately or store in an airtight container. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
The Oscar Noms Party
Menu & Movies
Now that you know how to make this Chocolate and Cherry Granola, check out these movie-inspired recipes from my food blogger friends!
Appetizers
Pork Tenderloin Sliders - The Judge
Aged Cheddar & Apple Grilled Cheese - Boyhood
Pull-Apart Pepperoni Pizza Bread - Whiplash
Asparagus Rolls - Into the Woods
Magic Garbanzo Beans - Into the Woods
Desserts
Rocket Raccoon Cake - Guardians of the Galaxy
Texas Peach Crisp Skillet - American Sniper
Camouflage Mini Cheesecakes - American Sniper
Courtesan au Chocolat - Grand Budapest Hotel
Butterscotch Pudding - Gone Girl
Chocolate-Covered Cherry Granola - Wild
Cocktails
Pink Lady Cocktail - Grand Budapest Hotel
Black(berry) Hole - The Theory of Everything
Oscar Chambord Royale - The Theory of Everything
The Blueberry Wish - Into the Woods
What is your favorite movie - food pairing?
What a fantastic recipe idea for that movie! And this looks look an easy grab and go breakfast--definitely making this.
Thank you so much! Let me know if you try it:)
I haven't seen Wild, but this granola is so calling to me! I would definitely be surviving on this stuff I was doing all that hiking. 🙂
Ha ha ... you'd definitely need to bribe me with some chocolate to get me out there, Beth;)
I haven't had a chance to check out Wild just yet, but I must as soon as I can! This granola sounds like such a treat.
I think you'll love the movie, Molly! Let me know if you try the granola. 🙂
I didn't see Wild but I love Reese!! And I love this granola! This would make me want to get out of bed for breakfast any day!!
I think you'd love it, Cate! It was fun to see Reese outside of her normal rom com roles:)
I love making homemade granola. Adding a little chocolate and cherries sounds like a good idea to me!
Chocolate and cherries are always a good idea, aren't they, Jenna? 😉