Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola

This chocolate peanut butter granola recipe is so addictive and yummy! With no refined sugar and my secret ingredient for making granola clusters, you’ll pop some in your mouth every time you walk by the pan!

Ever since I learned how to make granola, I can’t stop experimenting with flavors.

I’ve made Cinnamon Granola with Coconut Oil – a great classic granola recipe. Before that, it was Cranberry Orange Granola, perfect for that warm and cozy feeling in cold weather.

I’ve gobbled down Strawberry Chocolate Granola Clusters just as fast as I can make them.

And now, it’s chocolate peanut butter granola – which (in my humble opinion) is the best flavor I’ve made yet!

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER GRANOLA RECIPE

Actually, I take that back. It’s tied in first place with a version that I like to call “almond butter trail mix granola” which is really this same recipe, using almond butter instead of peanut butter (because I ran out) and adding about ¼ cup of everything I have in the pantry because I ran out of oats.

Yep – true story.

Maybe I’ll refine and share that almond butter trail mix granola recipe with you one day, but until then, chocolate peanut butter granola is going to have to work… but friends, trust me when I say this… WE ARE NOT SETTLING!

And here’s why. This chocolate peanut butter granola recipe is:

• Full of clusters, perfect for popping in your mouth any time you walk past the pan
• Slightly sweet but not overly sugary
• Can be breakfast, a snack, or a mid-day treat!
• Made using frugal ingredients
• Kid-friendly
• Addictive and yummy!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola

Nearly all of the ingredients in this simple granola recipe are items I regularly have in my kitchen.

• Maple Syrup. Maple syrup is part sweetener and part glue for the homemade granola. You can also substitute honey.
• Coconut Oil. Melted, unrefined coconut oil is the second part of our granola “glue”, but we don’t need much. Use fractionated coconut oil if you don’t like the taste of coconut.
• Vanilla Extract. I tried one batch without the vanilla and had no idea the ½ teaspoon would make so much of a difference in flavor. Don’t skip it! (Here’s how to make it homemade.)
• Egg White. This is how you go from plain Jane granola to crunchy granola WITH CLUSTERS, making it easier to pop some yummy homemade granola in your mouth as you walk past the pan cooling on the counter…
• Peanut Butter. You can use whatever type of peanut butter you have – plain, smooth, crunchy, or salty. But make sure there are no added sugars or hydrogenated oils, two ingredients we try to avoid. Just peanuts, salt, and oil are all you need.
• Rolled Oats. Stick with old fashioned rolled oats here – they’re just the right size for toasty golden-brown granola. Save the quick cooking oats and steel cut oats for other oatmeal recipes, and be sure to use certified gluten free oats if you need gluten-free granola!
• Coconut Chips. These are big pieces of coconut, not the typical shredded coconut you might use in other baking recipes. Unsweetened coconut flakes will also work. You can find coconut chips at Vitacost.
• Almonds. We could go all out peanut flavor here and use chopped peanuts, but the subtle taste and massive crunch of almonds just work. Chop whole salted almonds yourself or use leftover sliced or slivered almonds from holiday baking.
• Chocolate Chips. I’ve tested this recipe with milk chocolate (yes), semi-sweet chocolate (yes), semi-dark chocolate (yes), and super dark chocolate (yes yes yes). Every variation was amazing and worthy of making again. You can also use mini chocolate chips (you’ll only need ¼ cup of those).

You know what would also be fun? White chocolate. Or peanut butter chips. Or cinnamon. Or sea salt caramel (which I MUST try!).

I usually buy my oats, eggs, almonds, peanut butter, and maple syrup at Costco. I’ve compared prices with ALDI and Walmart and they come out on top for these items.

HOW TO MAKE GRANOLA WITH CHOCOLATE AND PEANUT BUTTER

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 300F.

Step 2. Add all the wet ingredients – maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla extract, egg white, and peanut butter – to the bowl of a stand mixer (I’ve had this Kitchen Aid mixer for 10+ years!) or a very large bowl. Use the paddle attachment or a whisk to ensure all the wet ingredients are thoroughly mixed together.

Step 3. Add the dry ingredients, oats, coconut chips, and almonds, and mix until all the oats are thoroughly moistened and covered in the peanut butter mixture.

Step 4. Spread evenly onto a rimmed baking sheet (line with parchment paper for easy clean up!).

Step 5. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

Step 7. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top of the granola and bake in the oven for another 20 minutes.

Step 8. Remove the granola to a cooling rack to cool completely before storing in an airtight container with a lid.

You can store this homemade granola recipe at room temperature for several days, but I recommend storing it in the fridge FIRST to give the chocolate a chance to harden again AND to help create even more clusters.

HOMEMADE GRANOLA RECIPE TIPS

Chocolate peanut butter granola is addictive. You’ve been warned.

• When you decide to make this, go ahead and make a 2x or 3x or 4x batch. One batch fills up a small cookie sheet easily, and most ovens have two racks with room for two small cookie sheets on each rack. Rotate the sheets front to back, swap sides, and swap racks when you flip the granola. (You can always freeze extras, if you have them.)
• If you don’t have a Kitchen Aid mixer, you can use a really big bowl. Always use a bowl that’s a size too big when you make granola, because you need the space to move ingredients around.
• You’re going to very carefully flip the granola ONCE. Other than that, DO NOT TOUCH THE GRANOLA. It’s one of the three ways you get awesome clustered texture (the other two being using an egg white and letting the granola cool completely).
• Choose a lighter chocolate (like milk or semi-sweet) if your family is used to things being on the sweet side. Go for a darker chocolate if you’ve weaned your people from sugar, or if you’re looking to find that balance between sugar and homemade treats.
• Try some flavor variations: Add dried fruit and nuts for variety! Dried cranberries or cherries complement the chocolate. And pecans or pistachios complement the peanut butter. Flax seeds can be added for nutrients without altering the flavor.

SERVE WITH CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER HOMEMADE GRANOLA

Besides the obvious snag-a-cluster walk-by, chocolate peanut butter granola is great for breakfast, snacks on the go, or even dessert!

• Pop a few clusters on top of Homemade Yogurt or use the crumbs that didn’t cluster-ify as a topping
• Peanut butter chocolate granola is also a great crunchy layer in Fruit and Yogurt Parfaits
• Or use the chocolate peanut butter homemade granola as a topping for Vanilla Ice Cream – yum!
• You can even eat homemade granola like cereal – a great real food option if you’re trying to shift your family away from boxed processed foods and store-bought granola.
• This also makes a GREAT teacher gift! We gave some to a teacher in a mason jar for her birthday, and she loved it!

INDULGING IN CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER GRANOLA

Can a real foodie indulge in this yummy chocolate peanut butter granola recipe while tracking macros?

Yes!

I like to include this granola recipe as part of a healthy snack. For me, that means:

• Always include protein. I would pair my granola clusters with Greek yogurt.
• Pairing carbs with protein to keep my blood sugar stable.
• Making a snack a mini meal that hits the macros I need.
• Adding produce to round out my plate (or bowl). Fresh fruit is a perfect complement for granola and yogurt!

And since this homemade granola recipe is so easy to grab every time I walk by the pans, I make sure to track what I’m actually eating accurately to keep my goals on track.

HOMEMADE GRANOLA RECIPE FAQS

MORE EASY GRANOLA RECIPES

• Cinnamon Granola with Coconut Oil
• Cranberry Orange Granola
• Strawberry Chocolate Granola Clusters
• Kitchen Sink Granola Bar Recipe
• Peanut Butter Granola Bars
• Yogurt Parfait with Fruit and Granola