Peanut Butter Cup Granola

By Jamie Vespa

A golden medley of oats and cashews coated with peanut butter, honey and coconut oil and baked to crunchy cluster perfection!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
• 1 1/2 cup raw whole cashews (sub for almonds or walnuts)
• 1/4 cup natural creamy peanut butter (I used Skippy)
• 1/3 cup honey or pure maple syrup
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
• Optional add-ins: 1 tbsp chia seeds (flaxseeds or hemp seeds)

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat liner.

2. 2

   In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook peanut butter, honey (or maple syrup) and coconut oil until melted, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.

3. 3

   In a large bowl, combine oats, cashews, and peanut butter sauce; stir to combine. Spread out in a single layer on baking sheet.

4. 4

   Bake for 20 minutes, stir, and bake for another 12-15 minutes, until toasty and golden. Watch closely to prevent burning.

5. 5

   Allow to cool completely (1 hour) before breaking granola into clusters and mixing in chocolate chips.

6. 6

   Store in an air-tight tupperware container at room temperature for 7-10 days.