Chunky Pistachio & Chocolate Granola (vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar-free)
Chunky, crunchy, nutty, chocolatey, date-sweetened granola, packed with pistachio, seeds, tahini, dates, and coconut — perfect for breakfast, snacking, or dessert.
This chocolate‑tahini granola is one of my favourite things to batch‑make for the week. It’s naturally sweetened with Medjool dates and just a touch of maple syrup to balance the richness of tahini and bring everything together.
It’s made with a nourishing mix of pistachios, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, flaxseed, rolled oats, desiccated coconut, cacao, and lightly spiced with cinnamon. That means it’s not only full of flavour and crunch, but also packed with essential minerals like zinc, magnesium, and healthy fats.
The texture is everything: big golden clusters that are good enough to eat straight from the jar! But they also work great with milk or Greek yoghurt, and some fresh berries.
Why You’ll Love This Granola Recipe
Naturally sweetened with blended Medjool dates and a dash of maple
Nutritious mix of pistachios, tahini, seeds, oats, and coconut
Rich in zinc, magnesium, and fibre
Big crunchy clusters with a chocolatey-cinnamon flavour
Perfect for breakfast meal-prep for the week ahead
Naturally vegan, refined sugar-free, and gluten-free
What You’ll Need to Make this Pistachio Granola
Medjool dates: Naturally sweet, they form the base syrup when blended, limiting added sugars.
Tahini: Gives richness and binds the clusters together, plus packs in essential minerals like zinc, calcium and magnesium. You’ll get a subtle nutty bitterness that’s nicely balanced with the dates and maple.
Pistachios & seeds: These provide texture, crunch, and healthy fats. Pistachios give a lovely green pop and flavour; pumpkin and sunflower seeds add variety and fibre; flaxseed adds omega-3s.
Rolled oats & desiccated coconut: Create the base body and chewiness of the granola, with coconut adding a subtle sweetness and texture.
Coconut oil: Helps create extra crispiness and a golden roast on the clusters.
Cacao, cinnamon, vanilla & salt: Give that indulgent chocolate-cinnamon flavour with added warmth, fragrance, and a balanced finish.
Substitutions & Swaps for Your Granola Recipe
Nut or seed butter: Almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter can replace tahini if preferred. Adjust maple syrup to taste if your butter is sweeter or less bitter.
Seeds: Swap any seeds you like! Chia, hemp, or sesame seeds work well too.
Nuts: Pistachios can be swapped for almonds, walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts depending on what you have or prefer.
Sweetener: You can skip maple syrup or use a little coconut nectar, agave, or date syrup if you want a different flavour or no added sweeteners.
Cacao: For a less intense chocolate flavour, reduce the cacao powder or omit entirely. Alternatively, add cacao nibs after baking for bursts of chocolate crunch.
Vanilla extract: Optional but recommended for depth of flavour; you can substitute with vanilla powder or omit.
Tips, Tricks & Storage for Making Your Granola
Press down firmly before baking: This helps form those large, satisfying clusters that hold together beautifully. Make sure not to mix it while it’s baking!
Adjust sweetness to taste: Tahini can be bitter sometimes — add a little more maple syrup if you want it sweeter.
Add mix-ins after baking: Stir in cacao nibs, dried fruit, or chopped dark chocolate once the granola is cooled for bursts of texture and flavour.
Store in an airtight container: Keeps fresh for up to 2 weeks at room temperature. You can also freeze granola for up to 3 months — just thaw and enjoy!
Perfect for topping: Use on yoghurt, smoothie bowls, porridge, or enjoy straight from the jar as a healthy snack. I recommend serving it with soy milk or yoghurt, and some hemp seeds to naturally boost it’s protein content!
Chunky Pistachio & Chocolate Granola
Chunky, crunchy, nutty, chocolatey, date-sweetened granola, packed with pistachio, seeds, tahini, dates, and coconut — perfect for breakfast, snacking, or dessert.
Ingredients
- 120g Medjool dates, pitted
- 2 tbsp water
- 150g rolled oats (gluten-free if needed)
- 120g pistachios, chopped
- 30g pumpkin seeds
- 30g sunflower seeds
- 20g desiccated coconut
- 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
- 2 tbsp cacao (or cocoa)
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- Pinch salt
- 60ml coconut oil, melted
- 60g tahini
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan) and line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
- If your Medjool dates are a little firm, soak them in hot water for 5 minutes to soften. Otherwise, you can skip this step.
- Add the dates to a small blender with 2 tablespoons of water and blend until you have a smooth, sticky paste.
- In a small saucepan over low–medium heat, combine the date paste, coconut oil, maple syrup, tahini, and vanilla extract. Stir for a couple of minutes until fully melted and combined, then remove from the heat.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, desiccated coconut, flaxseed, cacao, cinnamon, and salt.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly until everything is evenly coated.
- Transfer the granola to the lined tray and spread it out evenly. Use a silicone spatula (or the back of a spoon) to press it down firmly — this helps form those lovely big clusters.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the granola is golden and slightly darkened around the edges. Don’t stir it during baking — this helps it form clusters.
- Once baked, remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on the tray. The granola will crisp up as it cools.
- Once fully cooled, break into chunks or crumble to your preferred texture. Store in an airtight jar or container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
343Fiber
5.1 gProtein
8 gNutritional info is per 10th of the recipe without any milk, yoghurt, or toppings.
