Treat yourself to these chunky, chocolaty Healthier Granola Blondies bursting with buttery caramel flavor. They are made with 100% whole wheat flour and coconut sugar (so they are refined sugar-free), but trust me–you will never know the difference!

These Healthier Granola Blondies with Chocolate Chunks are insanely delicious paired with a hot cup of coffee. I speak from experience. I baked them at 7am on Saturday morning, with June in her exersaucer and Owen rolling around in nothing but a pair of Batman socks. Coffee was very, very necessary.

One of my earliest memories is of playing on the kitchen floor by my mom’s ankles. She is standing at the stove in her nightgown, making French toast. It’s still cool and grey outside so it must be dawn, or even a little bit before.

I’ve been thinking about that memory a lot lately, and feeling really connected to my mother 🙂

Early morning baking is one of my favorite “mom” activities. It makes the house smell amazing. It keeps Owen occupied and prevents him from begging to watch cartoons (at least for a few precious minutes). And of course, the end result is a delicious homemade dessert.

Frequently, that dessert is cakey, crumbly, buttery blondies. My go-to version is a no-fail, one-bowl recipe that is universally loved by everyone in my family. Only this time, I transformed them into Healthier Granola Blondies with Chocolate Chunks.

Healthy blondies? Yes! These are made with 100% whole wheat flour and coconut sugar. Coconut sugar is an alternative sweetener made from the nectar of the coconut palm tree. It’s unrefined, and has fiber and some nutrients that regular granulated sugar lacks. It’s also lower on the glycemic index, and to me, it just looks like Real Food compared to processed white sugar.

Importantly, the flavor is delicious! Coconut sugar tastes like brown sugar with extra caramel = perfect for blondies.

I’ve made my fair share of blondies before. See:

Vegan Blondies with Pistachios and Dark Chocolate
Whole Wheat Blondies with Carrots and Blueberries
Butterscotch Blondies with Chardonnay 

And these are by far my favorite version: they have a bold, rich caramel flavor and that absolutely perfect brownie-bar texture (not too cakey, not too moist). Crunchy, salty-sweet granola and semi-sweet chocolate chunks elevate them from ordinary to something extra special.  

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Healthier Granola Blondies with Chocolate Chunks

These healthier blondies are made with whole wheat flour and coconut sugar (so they are refined sugar-free). Granola adds texture and crunch, and chocolate chunks send them over the top. If you don't have coconut sugar, you can substitute regular dark or light brown sugar.

Course Dessert

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 9

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick
• 1 cup coconut sugar or substitute regular brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks divided
• 1/2 cup granola preferably without dried fruit

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8-x-8-inch baking pan with foil or parchment so that it extends up the sides. Grease the foil or parchment with butter or nonstick spray.

2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Let cool slightly (about 5 minutes), then stir in the coconut sugar, egg, and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Lastly, stir in 1/2 cup of the chocolate chunks. 

3. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. (It will be quite thin but don't worry! These blondies rise a lot when baked.) Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chunks and the granola evenly over the surface. Bake until the blondies are set in the center, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool completely, then cut into 9 squares.

4. The blondies will keep at room temperature for about a week.