Peanut Butter Granola
Posted Feb 17, 2019, Updated May 13, 2024
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This peanut butter granola recipe is easy to make with 6 ingredients in 30 minutes! It’s a nutritious alternative to store-bought granola!
This Healthy Peanut Butter Granola Recipe is a tried and true family favorite in our house! We love enjoying it over yogurt, overnight oats, smoothie bowls, or in milk!
This peanut butter granola recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, oil-free, and refined-sugar free – a nutritious alternative to sugar-laden, store-bought varieties. But it’s still irresistibly delicious – with a rich peanut butter flavor and big chunks!
It’s a delicious, make-ahed granola perfect for breakfast on the go.
Healthy Peanut Butter Granola: Ingredients & Substitutions
- Oats: I have had great success with both quick-cooking and old-fashioned oats in this recipe. Using the quick-cooking variety produces a chunkier granola which we prefer.
- Honey: Maple syrup is a great substitute.
- Peanut Butter: Any nut or seed butter can be used in place of peanut butter. If you use a firmer variety of peanut butter, just be sure to melt it completely with the honey before adding the rest of the wet ingredients.
How to Make Peanut Butter Granola
Let’s discuss how to make peanut butter granola, and don’t forget to watch the video.
Begin by melting together the honey and peanut butter over very low heat, stirring constantly until smooth.
Next, add the vanilla and stir then add the dry ingredients & stir to combine.
Bake
Transfer the peanut butter granola mixture to a greased baking sheet and press it onto the pan and bake.
See! It’s such an easy granola recipe! The only note I have is that if you get to the final stage (before transferring the granola from the saucepan to the baking sheet), and the granola looks crumbly and not wet, add more peanut butter or honey until you reach the consistency pictured below. This is key in achieving clumps!
When the peanut butter granola is finished baking, it will look slightly golden-brown.
Tip: In order to be extra sure the granola is done, remove a piece or two from the pan and let it cool on the countertop. If it hardens relatively quickly (in 1-2 minutes) then it’s done. If not, continue baking until it is crunchy at room temperature.
Remove the granola from the oven and let it cool completely, then break it into chunks and serve or store.
Store/Freeze
Store this peanut butter granola in an airtight container or glass jar with a lid at room temperature for up to 2 to 4 weeks or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Serving Suggestions
Here are some of our favorite ways to enjoy this peanut butter granola.
- On top of yogurt. I recommend eating this served on top of your favorite yogurt with fresh berries! It adds the perfect crunch (or yogurt overnight oats).
- In a bowl with your choice of milk. You can also serve this homemade granola as a cold cereal! Simply use your favorite dairy-free or regular milk and enjoy!
- As a snack. Sometimes we like to pack individual containers of this healthy peanut butter granola when we go hiking or to the park as a delicious snack!
Peanu Butter Granola Recipe FAQs
Here are a few tips and tricks for ensuring that your peanut butter granola is crunchy (and stays crunchy)…
Bake at a low temperature. This peanut butter granola bakes at 325 degrees F, which a lower temperature than I usually bake most recipes. The low, slow baking process ensures that the granola will dry out sufficiently to stay nice and crunchy.
Use enough wet ingredients. The clumps are what make this peanut butter granola so amazing. Making sure the mixture is sufficiently wet before baking is very important.
How you bake the homemade granola is key. This peanut butter granola needs to be baked in one sheet pressed to the bottom of the pan to achieve maximum crunchiness. The reason for this is that it creates clumps, which are very important to crunchy granola!
This homemade peanut butter granola lasts 3-4 weeks when stored at room temperature in an airtight, glass container.
Granola is best when stored in an airtight container at room temperature – it retains it’s crispness this way best.
Reheat in the oven set to 300 for 2-5 minutes. Be very careful not to let it burn.
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Healthy Peanut Butter Granola Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups quick-cooking oats
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 6 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup honey (or maple syrup)
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a large cookie sheet and set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix together oats, salt and cinnamon. Set aside
- In a microwave safe dish or on the stovetop, melt the peanut butter and honey (or maple syrup) together until smooth.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
- Stir in dry ingredients and mix until well combined.
- Spread mixture on prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until granola is lightly browned, stirring the granola once gently half way through. (A great way to test for doneness is to remove a small portion of the granola from the pan and set it on the counter. If it hardens as it cools the rest of the granola is done)!
- Remove from oven and let sit until cooled.
- Once cooled, break apart and eat!
Video
Notes
- Oats: I have had great success with both quick-cooking and old-fashioned oats in this recipe. Using the quick-cooking variety produces a chunkier granola which we prefer.
- Honey: Maple syrup is a great substitute.
- Peanut Butter: Any nut or seed butter can be used in place of peanut butter. If you use a firmer variety of peanut butter, just be sure to melt it completely with the honey before adding the rest of the wet ingredients.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love this recipe. NO NUTS!
Thank you Marge!
So much healthier, easier, and tastier than store bought!
Thank you, Jane!
I’m so fascinated by how this recipe uses no “oil” — and I put the word oil in scare quotes, because obviously the peanut butter imparts peanut oil. Most other peanut butter granola recipes out there require at least a quarter cup. But the reviews are good here, so I trust that it doesn’t burn or char in the oven (as lack of oil might make happen).
Let me know if you make it, Maxine!
Finally realized quick cooked oats makes chunky granola . This recipe is wonderful!
I’m so glad you love this recipe, Janice!
Absolutely perfect. I added some pecans and coconut because I already had them in my pantry. The ratio of honey/vanilla/peanut butter is sublime. Not overpowering, but subtly sweet and slightly gooey in the bites where peanut butter clung to itself. Awesome.
Love your additions Cameron, yum!
Made this for the first time last week and have since made it 4 more times! I usually substitute 50% of the maple syrup for a mashed banana because I love a hint of banana flavor, and I sometimes sprinkle some brown sugar over the top before baking if I’m seeking more sweetness. Otherwise, I keep the recipe exactly as is. Great recipe, easy to follow. Thank you!
I’m so glad you love this recipe, Amy! It’s so good to know that banana works as a substitution for some of the maple syrup!
This was phenomenal! SO easy to make and so quick! The family can’t stop munching on it! Will need to make a double batch each time! I’ll be adding raisins this time. Thank you!!
Love the idea of adding raisins! Yum!
If I only have slow oats can you share what the adjustment would be? Presumably longer cooking time? Thanks!
I would pulse the oats in a blender for 1-2 seconds to give them the texture of quick-cooking.
My granola isn’t sticking together. Am I doing something wrong?
What kind of peanut butter did you use?