Coconut Granola

Perfect for those who want to make breakfasts in advance or to batch-cook, this granola recipe is perfect to ensure your child is getting enough iron and allergen exposure and will delight even the pickiest of eaters. Struggling with picky eating? Get our Reverse Picky Eating package. It will help.

Recipe: Coconut Granola

Yield: 8 cups / 236 ML

Time: 60 minutes

Age: 6 months+

Ingredients

3 cups rolled oats
1 cup sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds
2 cups coconut chips
1 ½ cups unsalted nut of choice (e.g., almond, cashew, macadamia nuts and pecan)
1/3 cup refined coconut oil
Greek yogurt

Optional Add-Ins for Toddlers

1-2 cups white or brown chocolate chips

This recipe contains common allergens: dairy (yogurt, heavy cream), tree nuts (almond, cashew, macadamia nut, pecan). Only serve to a child after these allergens have been introduced safely. Note: sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds are not considered to be common allergens but you should introduce them separately before serving this dish.

Directions

Preheat the oven to 300 F. If the coconut oil is solidified, put the jar in a bowl of hot water so it liquefies.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, seeds, nuts and oil and stir well to coat.
Spread the granola mixture on two baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
Bake, stirring every 15 minutes, until the granola is lightly browned and toasted.
Portion out half of the toasted mixture for yourself or any older eaters in the house. Add half of the coconut chips and store in an air-tight container.
Pour the other half of the toasted mixture from one sheet into a large food processor and add 1 cup of the coconut chips and the chocolate chips, if adding in for a picky eater 2 years or older. Pulse until the nuts are completely pulverized. Repeat with the second tray of granola and the second cup of coconut and chocolate chips, if using.
Serve: For babies and toddlers, serve on top of Greek yogurt. If your child doesn't care for yogurt, serve with a pitcher of cream or milk and let your child pour the cream/milk into the bowl by themselves.

To Store: Keep in the fridge for up to one month or in the freezer up to a year.

Flavor Pairings

Coconut’s light, sweet flavor pairs well with almond, banana, mango, peach, raspberry, and strawberry. Try adding in some of these fruits and explore adding in spices like cardamom, cinnamon, and turmeric for added flavor.

Charlie, 5 years, pours sunflower seeds into the bowl of oats. Engaging selective eaters in the cooking process can inspire them to taste the individual ingredients as well as the finished product.

Pulverizing granola for babies so there are no sharp pieces of nuts or seeds. As your child grows older you can pulverize the granola less to accustom the child to a rougher texture and to work up to serving the granola with whole nuts (closer to age 6)

pulverized granola in the palm of a hand — Pulverized granola (finely ground) for babies 6 months and older.

Roughly ground granola for older children 6 years and up. — Granola with whole sunflower seeds in it. The age in which a child will be ready for whole seeds and nuts varies and depends on the consistency of the nut or seed, how the child started solids, and how advanced the child’s oral motor skills.

Adie, 15 months, eats pulverized granola on top of Greek yogurt.

Charlie, 5 years old, pours his own granola into his bowl. Engaging selective eaters like Charlie in the cooking and serving process can lead to greater interest and consumption.

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