This pina colada granola is the perfect snack to celebrate National Pina Colada Day! A mixture of nuts, seeds, coconut, pineapple and coconut sugar make for a tasty grain free tropical treat.
Today is National Pina Colada Day! It’s Sunday and of course we can treat ourselves to a real pina colada if we want … it’s the weekend after all. However for those that just want the flavors of a pina colada, I’ve got a great treat for you. This pina colada granola is filled with seeds, nuts, coconut, pineapple and even coconut sugar and oil. That’s a lot of coconut! I especially like it because it’s grain free. Traditionally granola uses oatmeal but sometimes I find I get a headache from oatmeal so I made this Paleo-esque. That is I used mostly nuts, seeds and coconut. My hubby has been eating it with almond milk for breakfast and I eat it over coconut yogurt.
Speaking of coconut yogurt, have you ever tried it? I love it because it’s naturally sweet from the coconut milk and yet you get the probiotic benefits of yogurt. However if you buy it in the store, it’s often very expensive so I just make it myself. This time I made it in the Instant Pot and while it was very easy, it wasn’t quite the texture I wanted so I’ll have to play around with it. Until I’ve perfected it, I’ll be using my stand by coconut yogurt recipe. Check it out if you are interested in the plain yogurt or my blueberry sauce.
Back to the pina colada granola recipe. So what all is in this yummy granola you might ask? Lots and lots of things. I have sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, cashews, macadamia nuts, pecans, walnuts, coconut flakes, dried pineapple, fresh pineapple, coconut oil and coconut sugar. The beauty of granola recipes is that you don’t have to use the exact items. I would recommend you keep the coconut, pineapple and macadamia nuts to keep the pina colada flavor, but other than that you can use what ever nuts and seeds you want. Make sure to use raw nuts and seeds and not roasted. Also if you want to keep this Paleo, you would probably want to omit the dried pineapple.
Pina Colada Granola
Granola can be used in so many ways. You can eat as a snack, over yogurt, with milk, in popsicles, or make a snack bar out of it. Another thing I’ve been doing lately is grinding it up in a food processor and making little fruit and nut balls that I keep in the freezer. It makes a great snack on the go. This works best with raw nuts so just place the ingredients in the food processor and not the oven.
I hope you enjoy this grain free granola recipe. Please check out all the other pina colada themed recipes from my friends at Sunday Supper as you scroll down the post. And thank you to Constance of Cosmopolitan Cornbread for hosting this month!
Pina Colada Granola (grain free)
Ingredients
- 2 cups nut mix I used a blend of macadamia, cashews and walnuts*
- 3 cups coconut flakes unsweetened
- 1/2 pecans raw
- 1/2 cup almonds raw (sliced)
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds raw
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds raw
- 2 Tablespoons coconut sugar
- 2 cups pineapple chunks
- 1/4 cup coconut oil melted
- 1 cup dried pineapple cut into bite size pieces optional (not Paleo)
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
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In a saucepan, heat your pineapple chunks and coconut sugar on medium low. As the pineapple breaks down, mash and mix so the coconut sugar melts and doesn't burn.
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Simmer until the pineapple breaks dow and develops a syrup, about 15 minutes.
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Add your mixture to a blender along with the melted coconut oil and blend on high.
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In a large bowl add all your seeds and only 2 cups coconut flakes. Pour pineapple mixture over top and mix well.
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Prepare 2 cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
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Spread your granola mixture evenly on the cookie sheet and bake for about 2 hours. Make sure to mix the granola mixture about every 30 minutes.
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When ingredients are dry and not wet anymore your granola is done. Mix in the remaining coconut flakes and dried pineapple if using.
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Store in an air tight container.
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* Please note: You can use whatever nuts and seeds you like, I just recommend that you keep the macadamias as they add to the pina colada flavor. I found a nice bag of macadamias, cashes and walnuts at Aldi.
Liz @ Books n' Cooks
This recipe sounds amazing but those photos…. gorgeous! Love the pineapple flowers!
Denise
Thanks Liz! I wanted to try those flowers but my pineapple was not very ripe and therefor not very yellow but it was fun to try!
Sarah Reid, CNP (@jo_jo_ba)
Yum!! Always need new granolas
Denise
Thanks Sarah, I’m pretty new to granolas so I really liked this one. I’ll have to try some new ones soon!
Joy @ Joy Love Food
Ooooh, I love Pina coladas, I’m delighted to hear that there is a day devoted to them and this granola looks and sounds amazing, great idea!
Denise
Thanks Joy! You should check out the other great Pina Colada recipes on SundaySupper.com
Monica
What a lovely treat for breakfast or any time of the day! Love the flavors!!!!
Denise
Thanks Monica! It was a hit with my family.
thalia
this is such a cool recipe, love the pina colada flavour idea! so perfect for summer!
Denise
If it weren’t for this Sunday Supper theme, I would never have thought of it so thank you Sunday Supper crew!
Caroline
Funny, I thought about making granola this week but it would have been a little different – I love the sound of yours and the photos are great!
Denise
Thanks Caroline! You know I’m a big fan of your recipes so I would love to see what your granola was like.
Carlee
What a great mix of flavors. The coconut yogurt sounds good too. I’ll have to look into that!
Denise
I really like it with yogurt. Unfortunately I am out of both the coconut yogurt and granola so time for batch number 2! 😉
Kristen
Denise, I can’t wait to try this AND coconut yogurt. So much yum!
Denise
Thanks Kristen, I hope you like it!
Cindy
I could eat this anytime of day!
Denise
Yes Cindy, me too…and I have been eating it all day. It’s almost gone.
Constance
That looks so good!
Denise
Thanks Constance!
shelby
Love your recipe and your photos!
Denise
Thanks Shelby, can’t wait to see what you did!