Hello from San Diego! Michael and I decided to take a nice little vacation to California for the week to get out of the Chicago cold. I’m currently looking over the harbor and breathing in the fresh air that San Diego brings.
We’re about to head out to a vegan cafe for some gluten-free vegan pancakes. I honestly can’t believe I got Michael to agree to go to a vegan cafe with me since I think he truly believes that every meal needs to have meat in it. But I promised him if he was still hungry after we could get him more food. Then we’re off to the San Diego Zoo and dinner later with my cousin Danny who lives nearby.
I’ll have more updates on our trip and where we ate later, but for now I’m sharing these vegan granola cups filled with fresh fruit and a lemon coconut “faux-gurt” filling. These granola cups are super adaptable which is what I think makes them great.
You could fill them with store bought yogurt or even a chocolate mousse and any fruit you have on hand. I went ahead and made a lemon coconut filling which I then dubbed faux-gurt because that’s what it tasted like! A delicious, lemony yogurt.
I also ended up eating leftovers the rest of the week just like I would yogurt. But if you’re short on time or don’t need to eat dairy-free, by all means pick up some regular yogurt and maybe add some lemon juice and lemon zest to it.
I adore how these turned out and I think they are perfect for a brunch get together, especially for Easter. You can make the granola cups themselves and then assemble the rest right before serving. Or you could even do them as a brunch bar and have different types of yogurts out with an assortment of fruit for topping which would be really fun!
What’s on your menu for brunch this weekend ?
More Gluten-Free Granola Recipes You’ll Love for Breakfast!
- Peanut Butter and Jelly Granola
- Grain-Free Granola Bars
- 5-Minute Skillet Maple and Cayenne Granola
- Peanut Butter Granola
- Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
- Chia Pudding with Granola and Berries
- Dairy-Free Yogurt and Granola Breakfast Popsicles
Vegan Granola Cups with Fruit and Lemon Filling
Ingredients
For the Granola Cups:
- 2 cups gluten-free certified oats - or 1 cup rolled oats if not gluten-free
- 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries - I use low sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp vanilla - gluten-free
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
Filling
- 2 cups vanilla coconut yogurt
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp lemon zest
For Assembly
- fresh berries like strawberries - blueberries, raspberries
- fresh fruit like apricots - peaches, bananas
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- In a bowl, mix together oats, coconut, dried cranberries, cinnamon, vanilla, maple syrup, applesauce and chia seeds until the oats are moistened and everything sticks together. If it's not sticking together, you can add more sweetener or you can put it in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes until its cold and it should be easier to mold.
- Spoon oat mixture into 18 muffin cups (without liner). Make a well with the back of your spoon so that the filling has some place to go. Bake at 350F for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown. Set aside to cool.
- To make the filling, combine coconut yogurt, lemon juice and lemon zest. Stir until combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- To assemble, spoon the yogurt into each of the granola cups. Top with a few pieces of fresh fruit.
Notes
**Filling will need to be cooled completely in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.
***You can use store-bought yogurt instead of the filling. Just add lemon juice and lemon zest to the yogurt for a fresh flavor.
These look so healthy and so cute! I agree that they’d be perfect for brunch!
Lifestyle by Joules
These are just too adorable. i can’t wait to make them for my kids to fill with all sorts of healthy treats!
Such a fun breakfast idea!!! Love the fresh fruit topping!!!
These are adorable and healthy! I’m putting them on my “to make” list!
These make such an easy grab and go breakfast option!
Made these last night and they turned out more awesome then I imagined! First time trying one of your recipes and so excited to try more!
My my husband isn’t a lemon fan so asked if it could have vanilla “fauxgurt” instead but died for the granola cup! If I left the lemon out, do you think it would taste like vanilla yogurt or would you recommend adding anything else?
Also, if I made the granola cups and filling ahead and assembled them right before serving as you mentioned, do you think I should refrigerate the granola cups as well? Hoping to serve these at a brunch baby shower I’m hosting:)
Thank you!