Peanut Butter and Maple Granola

Recipe source: cookingwithkrista.blogspot.com

I am not a big fan of oatmeal, but I do like things that have oats in them.  I've stumbled across granola, and I really love it.  I eat it my smoothie that I have every day, and now I love having it with yogurt and a banana for breakfast or a snack, too.  Russell and the kids like it with yogurt also, but they like eating it as cereal, as well.  I really like Special K's new granola they just put out.  However, typically granola can be pretty spendy.  I have been interested in making it so I wouldn't have to buy it, but the recipes I've seen either have a ton of ingredients or they have ingredients I don't want to use, like wheat germ or something.  This recipe came up in my google reader, and I immediately saved it to try.  I'm so glad I did. We all LOVE it. 

The recipe says to use regular ol' peanut butter, which would be GREAT, but my grocery store has cinnamon raisin peanut butter.  I thought it would be yummy, and it was!  The same brand also has a white chocolate peanut butter and a dark chocolate peanut butter that you can bet I will be trying soon in this recipe!  Also, the recipe makes quite a bit, so you don't have to make it very often.


6 cups rolled oats (not quick-cooking or instant)
2 cups chopped nuts (I used chopped pecans)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or to taste
Dash salt
1 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup peanut butter


Preheat the oven to 300F. (I ended up having to raise the temp to 350 towards the end, because it was taking too long to cook.)  Put a 9x13 inch roasting pan (you will need one with high sides) over medium-low heat (put the pan over 2 burners if it's convenient). Add the oats and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to change color and become fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the nuts and continue to cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Add the cinnamon, salt and maple syrup, 1/2 cup peanut butter and put in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice so the peanut butter doesn't burn.


Cool on a rack, continuing to stir once in a while until the granola reaches room temperature. Transfer to a sealed container and store in the refrigerator; it will keep indefinitely.