This Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola is as much as a dessert as it is a nutritious snack with rich chocolate flavor, nutty peanut butter and super crunchy texture. It's a super clumpy granola so you get big clusters that are irresistible and super snackable. I make this almost every week and it's a sad day when the container is nearly empty. My granola is full of nuts, seeds, dates and sweetened with honey and brown sugar. Cocoa powder and dark chocolate chips make it ultra chocolaty and there's peanut butter coating all the oats. When you have it like a bowl of cereal, you'll make the most delicious chocolate-flavored milk! In case you want more granola goodness, check out my Big Cluster Tahini Date Granola too!
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Easy to make - this recipe comes together so quickly all by hand. If you use a scale to measure the ingredients, then you really only need to dirty one bowl and a saucepan. It's easy clean-up!
- Healthy granola - there are plenty of nutritious ingredients that make up this granola recipe that you will feel so good about eating it.
- Peanut butter granola - there's so much peanut flavor from pure peanut butter, whole roasted peanuts and chopped peanuts.
- Rich chocolate flavor - cocoa powder and crunchy cacao nibs add intense chocolate taste while dark chocolate chips mixed in after the granola bakes (and still the tiniest bit warm) will coat the whole lot. It's amazing!
- Crunchy granola clusters - peanut butter also helps bind the oats together to make crunchy clusters. This means we can also use minimal oil in the recipe too.
- Perfect for snacking - this granola is so satisfying! From the intense crunch, to the rich nutty flavor, complex sweetness and satiating ingredients. It makes a great snack and dessert for any time of day.
INGREDIENTS FOR CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER GRANOLA
- Rolled oats - regular large flake rolled oats are essential for this granola. Do not use quick oats because they are more finely ground and will absorb too much of the moisture.
- Peanuts - there's a blend of whole roasted peanuts and chopped peanuts which gives you a variety of textures. The whole roasted peanuts give a nice big crunch, while the chopped peanuts distribute more evenly through the granola so you get little bits of peanut in every bite.
- Almonds - I love to add almonds to granola, and you can use any other type of nut such as pecans, cashews or hazelnuts.
- Sunflower seeds - these add crunch and delicious nutty taste.
- Cocoa powder - this is where all the chocolate flavor will come from and I promise it tastes like dessert!
- Cacao nibs - I love the crunch and the intense bitter chocolate taste. You can also substitute with more seeds.
- Peanut butter - I use creamy, natural peanut butter peanut butter which is just 100% pure ground peanuts. It has no added sugars or oils and it has intense peanut butter flavor.
- Honey - peanut butter and honey is a really delicious combination. It adds a lovely floral sweetness while also acting as a binder to coat the granola and help make it clustery and crunchy.
- Coconut oil - a bit of oil helps coat the oats and make them nice and crunchy. Coconut oil has a higher melting point than liquid oil so it will also make it a bit more crisp.
- Salt - this is important to balance the sweetness and bring out all of the other flavors.
- Dates - this is optional, but I love how they become chewy after it bakes. You can also use any other dried fruit such as dried cranberries.
- Mini chocolate chips - I use mini dark chocolate chips so they distribute evenly over the granola.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Homemade granola is so easy to make! You'll never need to get the store-bought version again!
- STEP 1). Combine the dry ingredients. Combine oats, nuts, seeds, cacao nibs and cocoa in a large bowl. Mix to blend well.
- STEP 2). Combine the wet ingredients. Combine coconut oil, peanut butter, honey, brown sugar, cocoa powder, water and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly just until the coconut oil is completely melted and the mixture is smooth.
- STEP 3). Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Remove peanut butter mixture from heat and pour it into the bowl with the oats. Stir until all of the oats, nuts and seeds are evenly coated. Mix in dates.
- STEP 4). Bake. Place in a cold oven and turn it on to 325°F. Once it reaches temperature (i.e. once it is pre-heated), continue to bake undisturbed for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan and continue baking for 10 minutes until golden brown. It will still feel soft, but it should not feel tacky. Turn the oven off and leave it in for another 10 minutes to dry out and crisp up. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips on top.
- STEP 5). Cool. Let cool COMPLETELY to room temperature before lifting it off of pan. It will firm up as it cools and then you will be able to break it into large clusters. Use a firm spatula or flat wooden spoon spatula to get underneath the granola, lift it and break it up.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS FOR CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER GRANOLA
- For big clusters, do not toss the granola during baking. Pat it firmly into a sheet pan in an even layer. Rotate the pan halfway through baking to ensure it bakes evenly. Then let it cool completely in the baking sheet without stirring. Once cooled, break it up into big pieces.
- Let the granola cool completely before storing. If you store it while still warm it will steam and lose its crunchiness.
- Do not over bake or it can burn easily. If your oven runs hot, then bake at 300 degrees F so it cooks evenly.
RECIPE FAQ
You can replace coconut oil with olive oil or any neutral oil such as canola oil or sunflower oil.
This chocolate peanut butter granola recipe uses large flake old fashioned rolled oats and some quick oats. The difference is the size. Rolled oats are literally rolled over by stainless steel drums to flatten them and help them cook faster. Quick oats are processed one step further by then chopping them up a bit so they cook in just a minute or two. They will absorb moisture more quickly. Using all quick oats will create a very delicate and crumbly granola.
I really love natural peanut butter in this recipe because it has intense peanut butter flavor without any added sweeteners or oil. You can still use regular no-stir peanut butter like Jif or Skippy. The results will be similar.
You can replace peanut butter with an equal amount of natural almond butter, cashew butter or even sesame seed paste.
To store your granola, make sure it has cooled completely. Then store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month.
I do not recommend freezing granola since there is no need to when it lasts for weeks in an airtight container. However, if you are the bulking up type, you can freeze it in a resealable freezer bag for up to 3 months. It will not be quite as crispy once thawed.
If you love oats, check out these recipes!
Small Batch Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins Thick & Chewy Breakfast Cookie Recipe Gooey Almond Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars (gf, df option) Spiced Fig Crumble Bars with Salted Caramel Drizzle Chocolate Honey Nut Granola Clusters Ultimate Monster CookiesVideo
Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola
Ingredients
- 3 cups (325g) rolled oats
- ½ cup (65g) whole roasted peanuts
- ½ cup (70g) whole raw almonds, coarsely chopped
- ½ cup (70g) finely chopped roasted peanuts
- ¼ cup (40g) sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup (25g) cacao nibs (optional - can replace with more oats)
- 3 tablespoon (42g) coconut oil
- ⅓ cup (80ml) natural unsalted creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup (60ml) honey
- 3 tablespoon (45g) packed light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoon (18g) cocoa powder (I prefer this Dutch cocoa or this one)
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (80g) chopped dates (optional - can omit. Note, they will get more hard and chewy so if you prefer them to still be soft you can add them after the granola is baked and cooled)
- ½ cup (85g) mini dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Combine rolled oats, whole peanuts, chopped almonds, chopped peanuts, sunflower seeds and cacao nibs in a large bowl. Mix it all together so it is evenly blended.
- Combine coconut oil, peanut butter, honey, brown sugar, cocoa powder, water and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly just until the coconut oil is completely melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the oat mixture and mix thoroughly until everything is well coated. Add chopped dates and mix them in. Note - you may want to add the dates after the granola has baked if you prefer them to be very soft.
- Spread the granola onto a large 12x17-inch baking sheet in an even layer. You can line it with parchment paper if you are worried about sticking, but I often just press it into my non-stick or seasoned baking tray. Press it down firmly into the pan corner to corner.
- Place in a cold oven and turn it on to 325°F. Once it reaches temperature (i.e. once it is pre-heated), continue to bake undisturbed for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan and continue baking for 10 minutes until golden brown. It will still feel soft, but it should not feel tacky. Turn the oven off and leave it in for another 10 minutes to dry out and crisp up. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips on top.NOTE: if you prefer a looser granola, toss it halfway through baking when you go to rotate the pan.
- Let cool COMPLETELY to room temperature before lifting it off of pan. It will firm up as it cools and then you will be able to break it into large clusters. Use a firm spatula or flat wooden spoon spatula to get underneath the granola, lift it and break it up. The chocolate chips should still be slightly soft even when the granola is cooled and the chocolate will coat the granola as you stir it. Store it in airtight jars or containers in a cool dry place.
Shirls
I saw this on instagram and never been this quick to try a recipe. It just came out of the oven and boy does it smell good.
*I did substitute the coconut oil with butter, and I used the almond butter(from Costco) instead of peanut cause that’s what I had in my fridge.
I was sceptical about the cold oven start, but it worked.
Big fan of massive chunks of granola. Big win. My family has a sweet tooth, they did say it could be sweeter, so I’d adjust the amount of honey/sugar for next time, or add dried fruits. Will be making more, awesome recipe, would recommend!
Love from Malaysia!
christina.marsigliese
Thank you so much Shirls! Glad you enjoyed the recipe!