Close your eyes, take a bite of this tropical granola, and it’s like you’re halfway to a beach somewhere.Made with toasted oats, golden cashews and/or macadamia nuts, coconut flakes, and sweet chunks of dried papaya and pineapple, this tropical granola recipe makes sunshine in a jar.  Sprinkle it over some plain yogurt with honey, and serve with fresh fruits like banana, mango, pineapple, papaya, and dragon fruit for a delicious breakfast that looks and tastes like vacation! Homemade Granola For the Win Granola is one of the best things you can make yourself at home instead of buying from the store.The commercial versions are often loaded with sugar and come in disappointingly small bags for the price.  This is especially true for specialty flavors like this tropical granola—they can be even more expensive than regular granola flavors, or just plain unavailable at most grocery stores.  Making granola at home means you can control the sweetness, choose your own fruit combination, and end up with big, generous batches that will last far longer.

Once you see how easy and affordable it is, you’ll never go back to the store-bought stuff.Choosing Tropical Fruits For the coconut element, I like to use unsweetened coconut flakes, which have a bit more texture and bite, and are more visible in the granola.That said, if you like, you can use shredded or desiccated coconut, which are grated finer.

As for the dried fruit, I like dried papaya an

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