This 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Granola Recipe May Help Improve Your Mood by Donna John

My husband eats oatmeal for breakfast every single day. No joke. He tops it with store-bought granola for a little crunch. I tend not to make homemade granola too often because it can get pricey, and that's why this peanut butter oatmeal granola recipe caught my eye. Not only did I have all the ingredients already in the pantry, but the recipe had minimal prep and baked up in no time.

This granola recipe may also help improve your mood. Oatmeal and peanut butter are loaded with protein and healthy fats, which can help stabilize blood sugar levels and may help promote calmness, relaxation and help reduce mood swings. Peanut butter also contains tryptophan, an amino acid that the body uses to make serotonin, or the happy hormone.

This homemade granola recipe has only three ingredients – and all are budget-friendly. Here is what you need to grab from your pantry to make a batch of this crunchy granola: rolled oats, creamy peanut butter and a warm baking spice (think cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, gingerbread spice, etc.). The peanut butter is quickly warmed in the microwave so it stirs easier into the rolled oats. Pour onto a baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes. Done!

This granola offers the health benefits of oats and the health benefits or peanut butter, plus a great peanut butter taste and crunch for so many different foods. Sprinkle it on your bowl of creamy oatmeal or yogurt for breakfast, use it in smoothies or as a topping for desserts like cookies, ice cream, cakes, pudding and pies. You can even just grab a handful and eat it as a quick, filling snack.

Fun Fact: Think granola is boring? It actually has ties to Woodstock. According to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, granola "was first developed and trademarked in the 1860s. No longer under trademark, the food is now offered in many forms, from straightforward cereal, to trail mix, bars and parfaits. After seeming to fade from popular culture during the 20th century, it was resurrected in the 1960s when promoter Layton Gentry claimed to have invented it himself and then sold the recipe. It caught on as an alternative to modern sugary cereals and gained fame in 1969, when Woodstock photographer Lisa Law asked the festival organizers for $3,000 to buy rolled oats, bulger, wheat germ, dried apricots, currants, almonds, soy sauce and honey to make granola, or 'muesli,' after vendors ran short of food."

Note: 30Seconds is a participant in the Amazon affiliate advertising program and this post contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission or fees if you make a purchase via those links.

Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 4 minutes
Cook Time: 21 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (see Recipe Notes) 

Recipe Notes

• I used gingerbread seasoning for this batch, but you could use any warm baking spices like allspice, nutmeg, ground cloves, apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice. If you're a peanut butter purist, leave the spices out. 

• An easy way to get the cooled granola into the storage container is by picking up both sides of the parchment paper and making a "tube" for the granola to slide down. So easy!
  

• Be sure to allow the granola to cool completely before putting it into the airtight container or mason jar.

• Store the granola in an airtight container or mason jar for up to two weeks.
  

• You can add anything you like to the cooled oatmeal. Add some nuts for a little crunch, flaked coconut or dried fruit. 

Here's how to make it: 

1. Put the peanut butter into a microwave-safe bowl.
   
2. Microwave for 30 to 60 seconds. Stir.
   
3. Stir in the cinnamon or desired seasoning.
   
4. Add the rolled oats. Stir to thoroughly combine.
   
5. Pour onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
   
6. Bake in a preheated 325-degree F oven for 20 minutes, stirring at the halfway point.
   
7. Remove and let it cool completely.
   
   

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. This recipe has been analyzed by HappyForks. However, any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

Need to convert cooking and baking measurements? Here are some kitchen conversion charts. Here's how to submit your recipes to 30Seconds.

Take 30 seconds and join the 30Seconds community, and follow us on Facebook to get recipes in your newsfeed daily.