Chunky Monkey Granola (Banana Walnut Chocolate Chip)

Chunky Monkey Granola is a banana flavored granola with oats, walnuts, and chocolate chips (or chunks) throughout. It’s a healthy and super yummy flavor combo that you’ve gotta try!

I think I could bake with banana’s every day.

The only problem is, I usually run out of them too quickly! And I buy six at the store every single week. I think I need to start buying more…

We use them for SO many different recipes.

For breakfasts, I like to chop them up and freeze them for smoothies like my Pineapple Matcha or Orange Ginger Chia Smoothies.

Or, use them in my Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread, Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Scones, Healthy Peanut Butter Banana Muffins, and Banana Bread Breakfast Cookies.

And for dessert, we use banana’s in Banana Cinnamon Sugar Donuts, Banana Cupcakes, Banana Blondies and Soft Banana Oatmeal Cookies.

But what about snack time?! And THAT is what led me to this Chunky Monkey Granola.

Inspired by Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey Ice Cream (banana ice cream with fudge chunks and walnuts) this is a flavor combo that just about everyone loves. It’s a quick, easy snack recipe too.

Crunchy granola clusters with sweet banana flavor, nutty walnuts and hunks of chocolate throughout… does it get any better for snack time?!

Here’s a few granola tips, before you start baking.

I like to bake this granola on a large sheet pan (like a 13×18).

Or, you can use two smaller pans. The key is to have your granola spread into a thin layer, so it has heat evenly hitting it throughout. This will ensure your granola cooks evenly and you don’t have any wet pockets.

Second, be sure to use brown, spotty, overripe banana’s for the sweetest banana flavor. The brown sugar and vanilla really help to bring out the flavor as well.

Make sure you WAIT till your Chunky Monkey Granola is cool, to sprinkle the chocolate chips across the top. Doing this will give you chunks of chocolate throughout (like the ice cream itself). If you’d prefer more chocolate flavor, you could use mini-chocolate chips instead. They’ll give you more chocolate per each bite.

FLAVOR OPTIONS

If you’d like to add a little cinnamon to the mix, feel free to add a teaspoon or so (I LOVE cinnamon; it would give this granola a bit more of a Banana Bread Granola type flavor).

If you don’t want to use so many walnuts, you can substitute some of the walnuts out for another nut. I recommend sliced or chopped almonds.

Don’t have or don’t like coconut oil? You can use any other neutral flavored oil instead (like olive oil).

To make this Chunky Monkey Granola gluten-free, be sure to use certified gluten-free oats.

To make it dairy-free/vegan, simply use dairy-free chocolate chips.

This simple recipe for Chunky Monkey Granola is crunchy clusters of banana-flavored oats and walnuts, with pops of chocolate chips throughout. It’s irresistable.

After you make it, let me know what you think! Leave a rating and comment, below. I love to hear from ya’ll and see what you thought.

Before you go, you might want to check out my Banana Pancakes, Banana Coffee Cake, Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Muffins, Chocolate Banana Baked Oatmeal Cups, and Banana Zucchini Muffins.