It's so easy to make chunky granola at home! All you need is a handful of pantry staples and you'll have versatile, peanut granola clusters in under 30 minutes.
This is my go-to chunky granola recipe that I meal prep for breakfast all the time. It's a chunky granola, thanks to the addition of peanut butter, but it's also a pretty protein-packed granola.
If you're new to making granola, know that it is very easy! This recipe makes about a quart sized container of granola (4 cups) but can easily be doubled.
While I used pecans and peanut butter in the photos for this post, know that the flavor combos and options are endless!
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Why this recipe works
- Versatile: Works with maple syrup or honey, a variety of nut butters, and different kinds of nuts and seeds.
- Makes 4 cups: Makes a quart-sized container (4 cups) of granola.
- Freezes well, so you can make a giant batch of granola to have on hand for the entire month.
Ingredients and variations
- Rolled oats: Quick oats and steel cut oats will not work. Stick to oats labeled "old fashioned" or "rolled oats".
- Cinnamon and nutmeg: These classic spices add so much warmth. Bonus: they make the kitchen smell wonderful!
- Olive oil: I use a lightly flavored olive oil but any kind will work. You can also use canola oil or avocado oil.
- Maple syrup: Adjust syrup as needed to reach your desired sweetness level. You can also use honey.
- Peanut butter: This is key to making the granola chunky as it helps it to stick together. Almond butter or other nut butters, even tahini, work too. The peanut flavor does come through, but it's not overpowering.
- Nuts: I vary between pecans, almonds, and walnuts. I typically have the raw (unroasted) form on hand, so that's what I recommend using.
Step-by-step photos
- In a microwave safe bowl or on the stovetop, warm the peanut butter, oil, and maple syrup until easy to whisk together.
- Combine the liquid ingredients and the dry ingredients, stirring until combined.
- Transfer to a parchment-paper-lined 8x8-inch baking sheet. Pat into an even layer.
- Bake at 350F for 18-20 minutes, or until golden and firm in the center.
Variations
- Extra add-ins: Chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, shredded coconut or even additional nuts can be cooked with the other granola ingredients.
- Dried fruit: Any dried fruit goes well in granola (think cranberries, cherries, raisins, etc.). Add the dried fruit at the same time as the nuts and other ingredients.
- Different nut butters: Almond, cashew, tahini, etc. can be used as a direct swap.
Storage notes
- You can keep homemade granola in the fridge for up to two weeks. I usually store mine in a quart sized ball jar.
- Freezing: Granola freezes really well. For best quality, freeze granola for up to 3 months. You can make a double or even triple batch and freeze the extras so that you always have homemade granola on hand!
More ways to use rolled oats
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Recipe
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Chunky Peanut Butter Granola
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups rolled oats
- ½ cup raw pecans roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons hemp hearts optional
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds optional
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- ¼ cup peanut butter see note #1
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons olive oil any neutral oil works
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Add the oats, pecans, hemp seeds, ground flaxseed, cinnamon, and salt to a large bowl. Stir well.
- In a liquid measuring cup, stir together the peanut butter, maple syrup, and olive oil. Heat in the microwave until warmed and easy to stir together, about 1 minute. Or heat on the stove over medium heat, stirring to combine.
- Pour the liquids over the dry ingredients. Stir to combine.
- Transfer to an 8x8-inch parchment paper-lined baking dish. Foil also works. Flatten the granola into a single layer. Bake at 350F for 18-20 minutes, or until the granola feels firm to touch and is golden.
- Let cool completely in the pan. Once cooled, remove the granola from the pan and break up with your hands or by tapping it with a spoon. Enjoy!
Notes
- Peanut Butter: Almond butter, cashew butter, and tahini also work.
- Maple syrup: Honey can be used as a direct swap.
- Flax and hemp hearts: These are both optional and I've successfully made this granola without them. These are ingredients that I always have on hand and like to add for extra nutrition and omega-3s.
- Pecans: Feel free to replace with any type of raw nut, like almonds or peanuts.
- One recipe fits perfectly in a quart sized Ball jar.
- Leftovers keep well at room temp for several days. I like to keep it in the fridge to extend shelf life to up to 2 weeks.
- Freezing: You can freeze granola for up to 3 months.
- If doubling the recipe, bake in a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Nutrition
Mr. Wilson
As the weather warms up, this guy is getting more and more antsy and I know that he'll be much less of a lap cat in the coming months. Catch him staring yearningly out the window, which I am only able to open for him with supervision (he knows how to knock the screens out...)
Phil says
Wow this granola is 10x better than anything you buy in the store