Peanut Butter Granola

This easy peanut butter granola features rolled oats and is baked until golden. It's an indulgent breakfast option for home or for camping!

Breakfast cereal is one of my favorite things.

It can be a sweet, crunchy start to the day, or a pick-me-up afternoon snack.

Either way, though, I've learned that making my own blend of cereal at home has some definite advantages over buying it.

When I started making my own muesli, I loved the fact that I could control the sugar content. It was also more affordable and more filling than many cereals at the grocery store!

Then I adapted that recipe into a toasted oats cereal, which is made in a pan instead of in the oven — making it a great option for a camping breakfast, before a long day of hiking!

This peanut butter granola is a richer, more indulgent type of breakfast cereal than those. Made with oats, coconut oil, honey, and peanuts and peanut butter, it is baked until golden and then cooled until crunchy.

What Kind of Oats Should I Use?

Use rolled oats, also sometimes known as old-fashioned oats.

Rolled oats will take a bit longer to cook than instant oats, but they won't turn mushy when exposed to liquid.

Can I Use Steel-Cut Oats?

No: steel-cut oats can be fairly chewy. Rolled oats have a better consistency for granola, so stick to them.

What Kind of Peanut Butter Should I Use?

I used natural peanut butter. But when it comes to texture, either smooth or crunchy should work well!

What Kind of Peanuts Should I Use?

Raw (unroasted) peanuts are ideal, because you’ll be roasting the granola in the oven.

That said, I’ve made this with roasted peanuts also and they worked just fine.

Can I Take This Peanut Butter Granola Camping?

Yes! This is an ideal camping breakfast that you can make ahead of time and pack along with you.

Just keep in mind that if you're traveling in summer, you'll want to skip adding the optional chocolate. A melty, gooey mess is probably not what you're looking for!

Looking for dinner-time camping recipes? Try campfire enchiladas, refried bean burritos, pesto penne, or campfire fish lentil stew. If you do also want a cooked breakfast, try this campfire hash with chorizo!

How to Make Granola Clusters

This recipe will produce a looser granola that doesn't tend to stick together.

If you do want granola clusters, try using a half baking sheet instead of a full sheet, and don’t stir halfway through baking.

How to Make Peanut Butter Granola

Start by pre-heating your oven and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Next, add rolled oats and peanuts to a mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl, combine peanut butter, coconut oil, and honey.

Microwave this mixture until melted. It should only take about 30 seconds.

Give the peanut butter mixture a good stir, and then pour it into the oats and nuts. Stir everything until well blended.

Transfer the oat and peanut butter mixture onto the baking sheet in a thin layer.

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes. Check on the granola about halfway through baking, and stir it around on the baking sheet.

It will be golden and toasty when done!

The granola won't be crunchy in texture right out of the oven. Just let it cool and harden for about 10 minutes.

Then add any optional ingredients you want to use, like raisins, banana chips, or chocolate chips.

You can either dig in right away, or store the granola in an airtight container and use it within two weeks or so.

To keep it for longer (up to a couple of months), freeze it.

Serve the granola with milk, yogurt, or even just by itself for a crunchy snack!

Want to make this recipe part of a bigger breakfast menu? Try making this grapefruit breakfast brûlée or perfectly poached eggs to go along with your granola.