- 2 tablespoons margarine
- 1/3 cup natural peanut butter
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
Begin by melting the margarine and peanut butter together in a 3-quart saucepan. Add the honey, vanilla and salt. Stir the mixture until it is smooth and hot throughout. It doesn’t need to boil. Add the oats. Stir until the oats are completely coated with the sticky gooey peanut butter mixture. It will be chunky. Turn the mixture into an ungreased cookie sheet, or a large 9 by 13-inch pan. Spread the granola out evenly and bake it at 375° for 10 minutes. It will be brown and crispy. Now remove it from the oven and allow it to cool right there in the pan. Break it up into pieces after it is cooled. Transfer the granola to a clean coffee can or sealed canister. Add the raisins, if you are using them, when the granola is cool.
How long does this stay fresh? Will it mold without being in the fridge? I’m wanting to make a large quantity ahead of time, that’s why I ask.
It shouldn’t mold, as none of the ingredients(except butter) require refrigeration.
I make a double batch of this fairly often and keep it in the pantry. It stays fresh for a week to 10 days. Much beyond that and the butter develops an off taste (not rancid but headed that way).
i would think that if you substituted peanut oil or sesame oil for the margarine the granola would stay fresh-tasting (i.e.: no rancid butter taste). i will try this and report back…
checking back in after substituting oil for the margarine/butter in this recipe…so far, so good! six days and counting, and the granola is still fresh. i used sesame oil, but you could just as well use a less expensive oil, say canola, in this application.
omg! this stuff is like having peanut butter cookies for breakfast! divine!
I will have to try this recipe…I don’t have honey right now but when I do, I think my family will love this. A nice treat for my girls to take in their lunches when school starts.
Is the instructions correct on using an ungreased baking sheet? I don’t want the mixture sticking to the pan.
I made this recipe today and it is DIVINE!!! I had no troubles with it sticking to the pan what so ever and I used a well seasoned pan. I did double the batch as I have 7 hungry kids to feed. I also cooked it for 5 extra minutes. After the recommended 10 minute bake I took it out and stirred it so that the edges came into the center and the center out to the edges. Then baked 5 minutes more. I like my granola cruchy and this did the trick. My children loved it and even suggested it making a nice cereal in the morning. Maybe some dried fruit thrown in (something that goes with peanut butter) would make this even more yummy. I personally would throw in some mini chocolate chips, but I guess that isn’t very healthy either.
I forgot to mention I don’t know how long this will keep as it is almost gone and I imagine over the next day or two it will be completely gone.
This is SOOO good!!!! I left out the margarine and did not add any extra oil. I also used chunky peanut butter, and added 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips. Heaven!!!
OOOh, that sounds good, Dawn. I’ll substitute carob chips for the chocolate.
I made a double batch and baked it the extra 5 min as suggested… added bananna chips to mine kids loved it!!
I’ve been making this for six months – first Saturday of every month I make a double batch. I’m the only one that will eat granola in the house! I mix dried banana’s, mini chocolate chips, slivered almonds (or pecan pieces) in a large airtight container. Handful of granola and handful of mix is my breakfast….lost 30# on the granola for breakfast diet! I’m not hungry during the morning and eating junky foods at work anymore. I use actual butter and not margarine, stays just fine in an airtight lid for four weeks!
I love granola. I tried this recipe today, and used a bit of cocoa powder for more heaven. It’s SO good. I make a double batch of this, and add apricots, OMG it’s so good. I’m telling you cocoa powder! It’s heaven!
I made this today for my husband for Christmas. My girls wanted to try it. They loved it and kept asking for more. This is so good!!!! I finally found another food for my daughter to eat in the morning. Thank you!!!!
I just added hot chocolate mix to it…sooo delicious!