Breakfast Recipe: Peanut Butter and Honey Granola
My husband is an absolute fiend for peanut butter. (Remember this post on eating peanut butter straight from the jar? Inspired by him.) We both also love granola; it’s one of our favorite weekday breakfasts. So I have been pondering a peanut butter granola for some time now. This week, it became a reality!
This is a simple granola, based loosely on that splendid olive oil granola from Melissa Clark. But I substituted roasted peanuts for the pistachios, and I also worked in a hefty amount of natural peanut butter. I melted brown sugar with honey, whisked in the peanut butter until smooth, and then tossed it with the nuts, oats, and a cup of wheat germ. I added a little oil and some cinnamon and ginger, and then baked it up!
The result is a deeply nutty, peanut-buttery granola, rich and hefty with all that peanutty goodness. This is definitely a granola that needs milk or yogurt to balance out the richness. It isn’t terribly sweet, though. I didn’t think that the dried fruit of traditional granola belonged here; raisins and apricots didn’t seem to fit. But I did add a handful of chopped dates, which brought a nice chewiness and mellow sweetness.
This is a granola to please the most avid peanut butter lovers out there; it’s rich, nutty, and salty in that way that definitely made my husband happy! It’s also a satisfying breakfast, especially with a dollop of yogurt. And if you’re feeling especially indulgent, try it with one extra drizzle of honey!
Peanut Butter and Honey Granola
Makes about 8 cups granola
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 3 cups
old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2 cups
shelled roasted peanuts
- 1 cup
hulled raw pumpkin seeds
- 1 cup
wheat germ
- 1 1/4 teaspoons
kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon
ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon
ground ginger
- 1/2 cup
honey
- 1/2 cup
packed dark brown sugar
- 1 cup
natural peanut butter, smooth or chunky
- 1 1/2 teaspoons
vanilla
- 2/3 cup
vegetable or olive oil
- 3/4 cup
chopped dried dates
Instructions
Heat the oven to 325°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine oats, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, wheat germ, salt, cinnamon, and ginger.
In a small saucepan, mix the honey and brown sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly. Turn off the heat and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla until smooth. Pour over the oat mixture. Pour in the oil, and stir thoroughly. The mixture will be chunky and rough.
Spread the oat mixture evenly on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes, stirring twice while baking. Transfer the granola to a large bowl and add the dates, tossing to combine.
Recipe Notes
Additional Flavors & Add-Ins:
• Chocolate & PB: 1/2 cup chocolate chips, after the granola has completely cooled.
• Tropical PB: 1 cup unsweetened coconut, added before baking, plus 1/2 cup each dried pineapple and banana chips added after baking.
• PB & J: 1/2 cup dried cranberries and 1/2 cup raisins added after baking, instead of the dates.
More Granola Recipes & Tips:
• How To Make Chunky Granola Clusters
• Tip: Bake Granola on Parchment for Easy Transfer
• Watch Out! Dangerously Addictive Olive Oil Granola
• D.I.Y. Recipe: Basic Granola Formula
• A Sweet Crunch: Granola Recipes We Can’t Wait to Try!
• Recipe: Crunchy Granola Bars
(Images: Emma Christensen and Faith Durand)