Banana Granola-this easy granola recipe will remind you of banana bread! Enjoy it with yogurt, milk, or by the handful! And if you want to indulge a little, add in some chocolate chips!
When life gives you brown bananas, make banana bread, muffins, pancakes, cake, ice cream, and cookies. And if you still have bananas to use up, promise me you will make this Banana Granola. It is my new favorite banana recipe. I made a big pan over the weekend and it is already gone. I am starting to wonder if Caleb is a monkey because he goes bananas for all things banana…including this granola. He couldn’t keep his little hands out of it!
I love turning ugly, brown bananas into tasty eats and this granola is definitely tasty! Plus, it’s super easy to make. You probably have all of the ingredients to make the granola right now. Assuming you have brown bananas. If you don’t, bookmark this recipe and wait a few days until your bananas are ripe and ready! The granola is worth the wait, I promise!
I am usually not a walnut fan, but I decided to use them in this granola recipe since bananas bring out the best in walnuts. I am glad I did because they added a nice crunch to the granola. Pecans or almonds would be good too though! Use whatever nut you like…or if you are allergic to nuts you can leave them out. I made a nut free version for Josh and he loved it!
The granola tastes just like banana bread…which is a VERY good thing!
I love the granola plain, but I was feeling a little mischievous, so I added mini chocolate chips to the mix! SO good!
The Banana Granola is good with yogurt or milk. We made yogurt parfaits for breakfast and Caleb was on cloud nine! Our Banana Granola parfaits were the perfect start to the day! And this week is National School Breakfast Week so I think we will have to enjoy Banana Granola parfaits all week long. Why not? It is an easy breakfast that can be eaten at the table or on the go! Kiddos will go crazy for this fun breakfast treat! Yay for eating breakfast!
Get your granola on and make Banana Granola!
Banana Granola
Ingredients
- 3 cups old fashioned oats or gluten-free oats
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 large ripe banana mashed (½ cup)
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine oats, walnuts, salt, and cinnamon. Stir to combine.
- In a medium bowl, combined mashed banana, coconut oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Pour liquid mixture over oat mixture and stir until oats are coated. Spread evenly on prepared baking sheet.
- Bake granola for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and cool granola completely on baking sheet. The granola will crisp up as it cools. When granola is completely cooled, stir in the chocolate chips, if using. Store in an airtight container or glass jar with a lid for up to two weeks.
- Note-for vegan recipe, make sure you use vegan chocolate chips.
Have you tried this recipe?
Leave a comment below and share a photo on Instagram. Tag @twopeasandpod and hashtag it with #twopeasandtheirpod
Follow twopeasandpod on Instagram and show us what recipes you are making from our blog! Use the hashtag #twopeasandtheirpod! We want to see what you are making in your kitchen!
Disclosure: This post is in partnership with the Dairy Council of Utah, but all of our opinions are our own. ”For more dairy & nutrition information visit: www.dairyutnv.com and to get to know more about your local dairy farmers visit www.thecowlocale.com.”
I’m a huge banana bread fan, but don’t make it too often cause it’s loaded in calories. I love this as an option to substitute! The chocolate chips are a most excellent idea. And walnuts are something I cherish….plus when you eat a handful of them everyday, I read recently that they actually cut down on your belly fat! I need that, bathing suit season is coming. Excellent granola recipe.
Yum! I just bought a whole bag of brown bananas from the store! Love this idea!!
I have a few bananas browning on my counter as we speak. Granola time it is! I love adding a little hint of chocolate to this granola for flavor and sweetness. What a wonderful idea. I can’t wait to try this.
Mmmmm, this sounds amazing. I’ll take anything banana bread-ish for breakfast any day! 🙂
Oh man I just made something similar and it was so good. My new favorite granola. And I love the chocolate chips. Definitely a special treat! I will have to do that next time.
I make banana granola for my kids, but I never thought to add chocolate chips!! yummy!!!
Love the banana and chocolate chips in this granola!
I have a ton of ripe bananas now- I’m so making this!
This granola looks amazing!
Yumm!!! I have yet to find a granola recipe our family doesn’t like!! (Unless I burn it 😉 ) I love that this has maple syrup in it too! This would probably be yummy as a dessert too, on a bowl of frozen yogurt!
Need this granola now!!
I bet this is so delicious!
I’m not sure I can wait the few days for my bananas to brown! This looks SO GOOD. Pinned!
Well this just sounds delicious, and what a great alternative for banana bread. I’m ready for a cereal change, so this is definitely worth the wait for my bananas!
You had me a granola. Looks delicious.
Yum! What a great new recipe to use brown bananas!
Banana granola sounds delicious! And mini chocolate chips can’t hurt 😉
Maria,
I can’t wait to try this granola. Inevitably I always have brown bananas and this is a great way to use them up.
Annamaria
I just love bananas – in any form. Great granola!
Yummy!! love to have this for breakfast <3
https://aspoonfulofnature.wordpress.com/
you have me wondering why I’ve never made granola! We love anything and everything banana, so we’ll be making this soon!
This looks delicious!! I know my kids (and I) would love it!
I have never thought to use banana in granola before, but I really don’t know why not – what a genius idea! I love bananas and I’m an absolute granola monster, definitely making these!
Yum! This granola looks amazing!
This looks great, but I’m allergic to coconuts (and presumably the oil). What can I use as a substitute, do you think?
I love granola but have yet to try banana granola. Thanks for the recipe!
Time to set aside a banana! What a phenomenal granola!!!
I made this today – fantastic! Thanks for a great recipe 🙂
Looks and sounds delicious! Do you think the brown sugar is necessary to the recipe? It seems like it might be sweet enough just with the maple syrup (and chocolate chips), but maybe the sugar is necessary for the final texture?
I am sure it would still be good without it if you want less sugar.
Hubby loves granola & bananas, so this recipe definitely had his name on it. The recipe was real easy, & hubby loves the results…another winner…thank you…
Simply the best! The little bit of sea salt catches you off guard when you taste it….such a great complement to the sweet. And the cinnamon comes thru!
Had a medley of mini cinnamon, white, and semi-sweet chocolate chips I tossed in after it cooled.
This will be my NEW recipe….
Yay! So glad you liked the granola! I will have to try a mix of chips next time.
Banana bread is my absolute favorite! I can’t wait to make this granola. Pinning right now! Darn, I don’t have any brown bananas!
This is awesome! The unbelievably great smells wafting from the kitchen while this baked were pure torture to my high schoolers while they studied. I have a feeling this will become a frequent request!
Yum! This is really tasty! We made yogurt-granola parfaits with our granola, using vanilla yogurt, sliced bananas, and the banana granola.
May I suggest two excellent additions to this very tasty granola? Dried banana chips (crushed into smaller pieces) and cinnamon chips (found in the baking aisle with the chocolate chips) take this over the top!
Next time, I might also go in a tropical direction and add the dried banana chips, chopped dried pineapple, and some sweetened flaked coconut. mmm!
Thanks for sharing, Maria and Josh!
My family is obsessed with this granola right now. I’ve made it several times now. While we haven’t tried it with chocolate chips, we love it with strawberry yogurt. I love how this granola really makes the house smell like I’m baking banana bread!
Yay! I am so glad you like it!
Thanks for the delicious recipe! New family favourite! Added shredded coconut since my husband loves it in everything!
This really does taste like banana bread, and my hubby loves it. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Could I make this into granola BARS? If so, how? Thanks!
I haven’t tried bars. Let me know if you try it!
Hello! I love this granola recipe and use 4c. oats instead of using nuts. I also add 1/2t. coconut extract. It is soooo delicious and it makes your house smell awesome! I was wondering, can I sub pumpkin instead of the banana? If so, do you recommend I alter the recipe in any way? Wondering if I would need to increase the sweeteners since pumpkin is not as sweet as bananas…Thoughts?
You might like this recipe: https://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/pumpkin-granola/
I made this and it was really good. Â A definite keeper.
I made this without nuts nor chocolate chips and it still turned out great. I love the light sweetness of the granola and the hint of banana throughout. This is the first time I have ever made my own granola and I think that his recipe is a keeper!
*this
Glad you liked it!
Looks so good! I like how ti uses fresh bananas for the banana flavor. I hate banana flavored granola that gets the banana from banana chips that are super processed and mostly sugar.
Third time is a charm! I’ve tried to make granola 2 other times and it was good, but not even half as good as this! Delish! Everyone is eating off the cooling trays. I doubled the banana, substituted honey for maple syrup and canola oil for coconut oil. Added flax seed! I doubled the recipe and cooked it at 325 for 50 min., stirring and changing oven positions at 20 and 40 min. Let it cool and crisp on the pan overnight. Crisp, crunchy, delicious! I dont think this double batch will last 3rd days!! Thanks for the great recipe
Smells great while cooking and does get crisp while cooling (don’t wait to take it out of the oven until it is crisp)…I used cashews instead of walnuts since I can’t get walnuts easily in my country…delicious. Thank you for a great change to my regular granola recipe!
I make this all the time. Â Sometimes I do additions eg coconut, etc. Â This recipe is very forgiving.
This became my goto Granola recipe a couple of years ago. Thanks, gang.
My buddy who introduced me to it makes a batch every few weeks.
Excellent granola – I only made it for myself, but my wife and son who are not granola fans are chowing down!