Vegan Peanut Butter Granola

This classic peanut butter granola calls for just a handful of ingredients and is a breeze to throw together.

Granola is one of those things that once I learned to make from scratch, I never bought at the store again. The technique is simple, straightforward, and requires mere minutes, and the granola just tastes better, too. It’s fresher (duh), and you get to control the quality of ingredients you use and how much sweetener goes in.

Here is a classic, vegan peanut butter granola with just 4 ingredients. It’s customizable and well-suited to optional add-ins, such as nuts, seeds, spices, and dried fruit. But it’s equally great as is, with the peanut flavor being the star.

Key Ingredients + Substitutions

• Oats: Old-fashioned rolled oats are best for granola.
• Peanut Butter: For the healthiest results, use natural peanut butter with no additives; the only ingredients should be peanuts and salt. Yes, it does need a good stir when you first open the jar, but then it’s good to go. (You can also sub with almond or cashew butter. Allergic to nuts? Sub with tahini or sunflower butter.)
• Oil: The nutty aroma of virgin coconut oil is perfect for granola, but if you don’t have it, substitute with avocado oil or even extra virgin olive oil.
• Maple Syrup: Honey works too.
• Chia Seeds (Optional): If you have some chia seeds, mix them into the oats before adding the wet ingredients.
• Nuts (Optional): If you have some chopped almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, or even peanuts, mix them into the oats before adding the wet ingredients.
• Spices (Optional): Warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and ginger work perfectly in granola.
• Dried Fruit (Optional): Things like raisins, cranberries, and chopped apricots can lend a nice textural balance to granola. Wait until the very end to add them, though. If you bake them with the granola, they’ll dry out. I like to sprinkle on the fruit right before I transfer the cooled granola from the baking sheet to a storage container.

Expert Tips for Perfect Granola Every Time

• Line your baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the granola from being a sticky mess.
• Bake the granola in a thin, single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet for optimal crispness. If the granola is too crowded in a too-small baking vessel, it will never crisp up properly and you’ll have limp granola.
• If you want your granola to have nice chunky clusters – and you definitely do! – do not stir it while it’s baking and let it cool completely before touching it at all. Granola crisps as it cools.
• Finally, be sure to store your granola in an airtight container and it’ll stay fresh for several weeks.

Serving Suggestions

Peanut butter granola makes an easy breakfast or snack when served with milk or yogurt. It also pairs perfectly with this chocolate peanut butter chia pudding.

More Plant-Based Breakfast Recipes…

• Strawberry Chia Seed Pudding
• Vegan Sweet Potato Waffles
• Chickpea Flour Veggie “Frittata”
• Easy Overnight Oats with Chia Seeds