It is NO secret that I love matcha. Matcha on everything: matcha lattes, matcha pancakes, matcha cookies, matcha oats….I mean, I even have a recipe for matcha popcorn in the works!
So when it occurred to me that I hadn’t made a matcha granola, I knew it was the next thing on the list. Granola is such an easy breakfast, so affordable, filling and easy to prep, plus great if you are on-the-go or looking to ~treat yo self~
Plus, let’s be honest, it’s not just breakfast. It can be a great snack, addition to trail mix, topping for ice cream (highly recommend) or really anything!
This particular recipe uses coconut oil, coconut flakes, honey and ginger to create a very unique and signature matcha flavor. I didn’t want this to just be another “throw some matcha in it!” kind of recipe. I wanted the flavors to build on one an other, create a craveable granola crunch, and satisfy any sweet tooth without being tooo sugary.
Plus all of these ingredients are designed to make you feel great. So if you are using this granola to kick off your morning, I want you to feel full, satiated, energized and ready to go. That’s why these ingredients balance carbs, healthy fats, just enough sweetness and the caffeine (!!) from the matcha to help you feel amazing after eating it.
Now onto the tips and tricks sections! Arguably my favorite sections because I love sharing tips and tricks for easy recipes. Because even if something seems fool proof, the devil is always in the details.
For this recipe, the big detail is to toss your matcha and ginger with your oats first. This helps coat the oats evenly, and prevents the match from clumping into little matcha powder bombs. Plus it helps evenly distribute the ginger flavor, which I promise will make a hug difference later on!
After that, adding the wet ingredients is pretty simple. You want to use unrefined coconut oil if you can find it, which helps give off that coconut-y taste. But if you can’t find it, don’t sweat it, refined will work just as well!
And I chose honey for this recipe because I love the idea of a matcha-honey latte. But if you are vegan, feel free to sub this out for agave, maple syrup, or another liquid sweetener of choice!
And don’t skimp on the fat and sugar, this is what helps the granola toast and caramelize in the oven, giving you that oh-so-amazing crispy crunch right after baking. If you don’t use enough, you might be left with softer granola, more along the lines of muesli.
Next up: spread city. Now spreading the granola is important for this because you want it so thin that the mix is still slightly touching, but not clumped together in one sheet. You can see the picture below for reference.
Spreading it out thinly will ensure that each oat has the chance to toast, but leaving it just barely touching allows you the control when breaking it up into pieces. So if you like your granola in big chunks? You’ll be able to do that. You like it in tiny pieces? Great, you’ll be able to do that too! I’m all about giving ~options~ in the Justine Snacks universe.
And you might be like – but wait, when do the coconut flakes come in? And don’t worry I didn’t forget!
We add the coconut flakes on top for only the last 5-10 minutes of baking, this is so they don’t over-toast and burn.
I just scatter them evenly on top of my granola mix, turn the oven down by 25 degrees and let the coconut do it’s thing. It makes all of the difference without losing any of that beautiful coconut color!
Once out of the oven, you’ll see that the granola does turn from that signature electric green to a much darker and earthier green. And that’s totally normal.
I know it’s not ideal to lose that instagrammable bright green, but what you’re losing in color, you are more than gaining in flavor. The toasted oats and that deep green mean that the coconut oil, honey and heat have done their job. You’ll be left with a rich, sweet, matcha flavor and a caramelized crunch that will have you ADDICTED to this granola.
Sure, she’s a little bit forrest-colored, but she’s still a star none the less.
But what if you’re like “ok, I really want to make this, but I need some things” – don’t worry, I gotchu. Here are the most affordable options for what I used in the above recipe:
- I buy my matcha from either my local asian grocery or from here.
- I buy my coconut flakes from Trader Joe’s or from here.
Matcha Granola
Ingredients
- 1 & ½ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 2 tbsp matcha powder ceremonial grade
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup coconut oil melted
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the oats, matcha powder, salt and ginger.
- Pour in the honey and coconut oil and mix well, it should be a bright green color.
- Spread this mixture out on a parchment lined baking sheet. It should be very thin, about ½ cm thick.
- Bake at 350F for 25 minutes, then take the granola out, turn the oven to 325F and spread the coconut flakes on top.
- Toast the granola mixture for another 5-10 minutes or until the coconut flakes are golden brown. The granola should be a dark brown/green color.
- Let the granola cool completely on the baking sheet, then use your hands to break apart into chunks.
- You can store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
