I’m bringing you the island vibe today with this Surfer Granola mix with coconut flakes, macadamia nuts, coconut sugar and banana chips. This macadamia coconut granola is great by itself as a snack, or sprinkle it over yogurt and chia pudding to add a delicious crunch.
This granola recipe is one of those recipes I was inspired to make after coming back from Hawaii. There was a little shop we went to that sold all kind of delicious granolas with all the island vibes. So of course I had to add this easy little recipe among my other island-inspired breakfast like these macadamia coconut rolls and this macadamia coconut croissant.
I love all the crunch this macadamia coconut granola has thanks to the macadamias, almonds and banana chips. It also contains not just one but three layers of coconut flavor via coconut flakes, coconut sugar, and coconut oil!
Originally, I wanted to use dried pineapple in the granola mix for the ultimate tropical vibe. However, I couldn‘t find any unsweetened dried pineapple at the time and the one I did find was soooo sweet, it tasted just like a cube of sugar! But the banana chips actually turned out quite nice, different, still tropical, and adds extra crunch. You can feel free to use unsweetened dried pineapple, or other tropical dried fruits like dried mango or jackfruit.
Table of Contents
Ingredients and substitutions
As always, you’ll find the complete list of ingredients and quantities in the recipe card at the end of this post. Below are some notes and substitution tips:
- Old fashioned rolled oats – this is pretty standard stuff you can get anywhere. I use rolled oats a lot so I have a large container, just the generic brand from Target. If you need other ideas to use up your rolled oats, try these oatmeal fig cookies.
- Macadamia nuts – I like using either raw macadamias or roasted unsalted macadamias so the granola doesn’t get too salty since I only use a pinch of salt in the recipe.
- Almond – You’ll want sliced almonds here so they are similar in size and thickness as the rolled oats but slivered almonds will work too. If you don’t like almonds, you can omit and just increase the amount of macadamia nuts instead. I do like that it adds variety of texture and flavor to this tropical granola.
- Coconut flakes – There are three types of unsweetened coconut you can get at the store: coconut chips, coconut flakes and shredded coconut. Chips are the largest pieces (great for snack as well!), flakes are the one you want here since they are about the same size as the rolled oats, and shredded coconut is too small. I have some coconut chips left so I just chop them up in a food processor into flake size.
- Coconut sugar – brown sugar is a good substitute.
- Salt – I only use a pinch, any type of salt will work.
- Maple syrup – adds more sweetness and helps everything stick together a bit.
- Coconut oil – helps the granola get crispy and also helps coat the granola with sugar and salt. You can substitute a different type of oil, something neutral like vegetable or canola oil, or your choice of oil.
- Banana chips – I got banana chips at Sprouts in the bulk section. It’s very crunchy and full of banana flavor. But like I mentioned, you can use other tropical fruits if you’d like. You can use unsweetened dried mango like the one I used in these mango oatmeal cookies, or unsweetened dried pineapple. If you’d like something crunchy like these banana chips, jack fruit chips are great here (you can find these at Asian grocery store). But don’t use freeze dried fruits because those won’t stay crunchy once you open the bag.
How to make macadamia coconut granola
The following instructions, step-by-step photos, and tips are here to help you visualize how to make the recipe. You can always skip straight to the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
Mix all your dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl – this includes oats, macadamias, almonds, coconut, sugar and salt. But leave the banana chips until the very end. Now, mix your wet ingredients together – this includes the maple syrup and oil. Drizzle the wet ingredient mixture over the dry mixture, mix well. Spread the mixture onto a large baking sheet.
Bake the granola until golden brown. You’ll want to stir often to brown evenly and to prevent the granola from burning. Once the granola is finished baking, you will mix in the banana chips. And that’s it! You’ve just made yourself the easiest tropical granola.
Storage
I usually store my macadamia coconut granola in a clean jar in my pantry for up to 2 weeks. Any airtight container or even a ziploc bag will work too.
Ways to use your granola
- One of my favorite things to do with this homemade granola is to make yogurt parfait. I like to add layers of yogurt and fruit compote, like this strawberry compote or blueberry compote, into a jar, then top with granola for a super easy breakfast.
- While it’s also great as a snack on its own, you can toss it with some chocolate chips, yogurt chips, or a handful of M&M’s to make a sweet trail mix. You can also add pretzels or gold fish for a sweet and salty mix.
- You can use it to top a tray of baked fruits to make a fruit crisp.
- And don’t forget, you can add it to your smoothie bowls for a bit of crunch. Try it with this pina colada smoothie bowl and this tropical mango smoothie bowl.
Hungry for more?
Surfer Granola with Macadamias and Coconut
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup rolled oats
- ¾ cup macadamia nuts, chopped
- ¼ cup sliced almond
- ½ cup unsweetened coconut flake
- 3 tablespoon coconut sugar
- A pinch of kosher salt
- 3 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
- ½ cup banana chips, break into smaller pieces
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F.
- Combine oats, macadamia nut, almond, coconut flake, sugar and salt in a large bowl and mix with a spatula until evenly distributed.
- In a small bowl, whisk together maple syrup and melted coconut oil until combined.
- Drizzle the coconut oil mixture over the dry mixture and stir with a spatula until well mixed.
- Spread granola mixture on a baking sheet and bake for 25 – 30 minutes, stirring within the first 10 minutes and then every 5 minutes after that to achieve even browning.
- Remove from the oven when finished, and transfer to a large bowl. Add the banana chips and mix until evenly distributed.
- Store in an air tight container or jar for up to 2 weeks at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Hi! Should I use golden coconut sugar or brown coconut sugar in this recipe?
Hi Bailey, either should work, it’s up to your preference.
I first found this recipe and made it the Summer of 2021. I loved it and it is delicious! Just made it again today and am so excited to have it with fresh fruit and yogurt.
I’m so happy another person loved this recipe!! Thank you so much for coming back and leaving a review 🙂
If I saw this in a store, I’d definitely buy it – love macadamias and banana chips!
Love your idea of making a parfait with it, too. Yum yum yum!
What a fun tropical granola! Love how you used three different kinds of coconut, and all those tropical flavors! Definitely need to make some of this before summer is over!