Peanut Butter Granola

Once you make this peanut butter granola, you’ll never go back to store-bought! It’s easy to make, contains only a handful of ingredients, and will surely become your new favorite snack.

I don’t typically brag about things I make, but DANG this granola is seriously so good. It’s basically the same as the almond granola I shared about a year ago, with just a few substitutions.

I’ve struggled to find store-bought granola that isn’t packed full of sugar or other random ingredients, so I started making my own. It took a few tries before I got the hang of it, but now I can whip up a batch without even looking at the recipe.

Just seven ingredients make up this granola:

Oats

Peanuts

Cinnamon

Salt

Peanut Butter

Honey

Vanilla Extract

Most likely all items you already have in your cupboard!

The dry ingredients stick together and form clumps from the mixture of peanut butter and honey. I like to make it extra peanut-y and add crushed peanuts, too, and you can honestly add any other nuts and seeds. I’ve added flax seeds, pepitas (pumpkin seeds), coconut flakes, and more.

You can also easily substitute the honey with maple syrup instead. It gives it a bit of a different flavor, but does just as good of a job helping everything stick together.

I highly suggest using natural peanut butter for this recipe. The only ingredient in it should be peanuts, and there’s typically oil at the top. You just have to mix it all together, or I actually store my peanut butter in the fridge, which prevents it from separating.

I’ve recently gotten some AMAZING fresh ground peanut butter from Provisions, a store in Harrisburg where my sister lives. Seriously the best peanut butter I’ve ever had.

Granola is a simple snack you can enjoy in different ways. Lately I’ve been sprinkling it on top of a smoothie bowl for breakfast. There are also many times when I need a snack on the go and I’ll grab a jar filled with granola as I head out the door–it’s delicious all by itself.

So, have fun and experiment with different ingredients and uses. Hopefully this granola becomes your new favorite snack, too. If you make a batch, make sure to share it on social media and use the hashtag #thesmalltownfoodie so I see it. Happy granola-making!

From The Small Town Foodie at https://www.thesmalltownfoodie.com/peanut-butter-granola/

http://www.thesmalltownfoodie.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/PB-Granola3.png

Prep: 5m

Cook: 25m

Yield: Makes about 4 cups

Total: 0h 30m

Once you make this peanut butter granola, you’ll never go back to store bought! It’s easy to make, contains only a handful of ingredients, and will surely become your new favorite snack.

You'll Need...

2 cups old fashioned oats
½ cup crushed peanuts
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt
¼ cup natural peanut butter
¼ cup pure honey
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 300°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, mix all dry ingredients together (oats, peanuts, cinnamon, and salt).
In another medium, microwave-safe bowl, add wet ingredients (peanut butter, honey, and vanilla extract).
Microwave the wet ingredients for 15-20 seconds, or until they start to melt, and mix well.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well, until all oats are covered in the wet ingredients.
Pour granola mixture onto parchment paper lined baking sheet and spread out evenly.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until granola is golden brown but not burnt, stirring every 5 minutes.
Let granola cool, then enjoy!

Additional Notes

*The granola seems to cook faster on the edges, so when you stir, try to mix the granola on the outside with the inside granola.
*When cooling, I lift the parchment paper (with granola on top) off of the pan, and just set it on my counter. As it cools, it hardens and clumps together more. You can also pack it down before it cools, to help create more clumps.