You will love this easy almond butter granola recipe that’s been transformed into four unique flavors! Serve it up for breakfast or snacks, or package it in a mason jar for the perfect edible gift! {Gluten-free & Vegan}
Table of Contents
Almond Butter Granola Recipe
Homemade granola is such a treat! There are countless flavor variations, and who doesn’t love grabbing a jar of ready-to-serve breakfast straight from the pantry?
Almond butter is the perfect binder and base for this healthy granola recipe, pairing perfectly with so many other flavor options. This almond butter granola is our go-to recipe for a reason – try it once, and you’ll see why!
For more delicious granola recipes, try out this Pumpkin Flax Seed Granola!
Why We Love This Almond Maple Granola
- Uses basic ingredients you probably already have on hand
- Endlessly customizable with different flavor profiles
- Great source of healthy fats and fiber to energize you for the day
- Shelf-stable for weeks at a time
- Serve and go for a quick breakfast or healthy snack
- Free from refined sugar
- Looks great in little glass jars for gifting!
Optional Add-Ins
I always like granola that has some texture to it, which is why add-ins are ALWAYS a good idea.
Here are some delicious ideas to spruce up your granola!
- Pecan pieces
- Sliced almonds
- Pumpkin seeds
- Chopped cashews
- Dried banana chips
- Dried apple
- Dried cranberries
- Unsweetened flaked coconut
- Mini dark chocolate chips
Check out the recipes below to see how we paired up these ingredients!
How to Make Granola with Almond Butter – 4 Ways
Cranberry Pumpkin Seed Granola
This homemade granola recipe layers in fall flavors, like dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, pure maple syrup, and cinnamon. I love this one in yogurt bowls, but it also makes a nice snack on those busy days!
Cranberry Pumpkin Seed Granola
- 1 1/2 cup oats
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the oats, cinnamon, and salt. Stir to combine. Pour in the coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla and stir to combine. Add the almond butter last, and mix until incorporated. It’s okay if there are some clumps here and there!
- Spread the granola out onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes. Toss the granola on the pan, making sure to move the bits on the edges to the inside of the pan, so they don’t get burnt. Bake for 11-15 more minutes, or until golden brown and crunchy.
- Allow the granola to cool completely. Toss in the dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds and store in air-tight container.
Banana Nut Granola
Bananas are a perfect match for nutty almond butter, and this recipe is such a treat! It incorporates tropical flavors, like coconut, cashews, and bananas, with the heartiness of creamy almond butter. My kids adore this recipe and ask for it on our tropical smoothie bowls!
Banana Nut Granola
- 1 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/3 cup roughly chopped cashews
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- 1/2 cup dried bananas
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the oats, cinnamon, salt, and shredded coconut. Stir to combine. Pour in the coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla and stir to combine. Add the almond butter last, and mix until incorporated. It’s okay if there are some clumps here and there!
- Spread the granola out onto the lined baking sheet in a relatively even layer. Bake for 12 minutes. Toss the granola on the pan, ensuring that you move the bits on the edges to the inside of the pan, so they don’t get burnt. Bake for 11-15 more minutes, or until golden brown and crunchy.
- Allow the granola to cool completely. Toss in the dried banana and store in air-tight container.
Double Chocolate Granola
For the chocolate lovers out there, this recipe is for you! You still get the filling fiber from the oats, but we add cocoa powder and chocolate chips for lots of chocolate flavor. Pair this one with frozen cherries or mangos for a dessert-like breakfast experience.
Double Chocolate Granola
- 1 1/2 cup oats
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- 1/4 cup mini dark chocolate chips
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the oats, cinnamon, salt, and cocoa powder. Stir to combine. Pour in the coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla and stir to combine. Add the almond butter last, and mix until incorporated. It’s okay if there are some clumps here and there!
- Spread the granola out onto the lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes. Toss the granola on the pan, ensuring that you move the bits on the edges to the inside of the pan, so they don’t get burnt. Bake for 11-15 more minutes, or until golden brown and crunchy.
- Allow the granola to cool completely. Toss in the dark chocolate chips and store in air-tight container.
Apple Pecan Granola
Craving warm, cozy fall flavors? Warm cinnamon, pecans, maple syrup, and apple pieces are a timeless combination! I like this healthy homemade granola better than any store-bought granola I’ve tried and I think you will, too.
Apple Pecan Granola
- 1 1/2 cup oats
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- 1/4 cup diced dried apple
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the oats, cinnamon, salt, and pecans. Stir to combine. Pour in the coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla and stir to combine. Add the almond butter last, and mix until incorporated. It’s okay if there are some clumps here and there!
- Spread the granola out onto the lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes. Toss the granola on the pan, ensuring that you move the bits on the edges to the inside of the pan, so they don’t get burnt. Bake for 11-15 more minutes, or until golden brown and crunchy.
- Allow the granola to cool completely. Toss in the diced dried apple and store in air-tight container.
Tips to make the best granola
I love granola, but baking it does require a bit of a balancing act. We want to bake it long enough so that it’s crunchy, but not too long to the point where it becomes burnt. Check out my recommendations below:
- Once you’ve cooked the granola for the initial 12 minutes, toss it and cook it for the lowest number in the time range, so in this case it would be 11 minutes, and then check it. If it still feels like it could use a bit of time, put it in for one more minute and check it again. Continue until you reach the desired taste, texture and crunchiness.
- Make sure that the granola stays closer to the middle of the baking sheet. If the little bits of granola creep too close to the edges, it’s more likely to burn. I like toasted granola, but not burnt and blackened granola.That just takes all of the deliciousness right out of it.
- Additionally, while the granola is cooling, just LET IT BE. Don’t go tossing it around or breaking it up with a spatula (or eating it all by the handful) since that will prevent the clumps from forming. We WANT the clumps. After all, granola clusters are the best! Give that granola a chance to harden up and form those crunchy clusters!
How to Serve Granola
Beyond giving it away, there are a lot of creative ways that you can put that granola to good use.
Serve it up…
- On yogurt (try this Homemade Fruit-on-the-Bottom Yogurt)
- With milk
- In trail mix
- On a smoothie bowl
- Sprinkled on apple slices with peanut butter (or on these Apple Nachos)
- By the handful (but pace yourself, it’s addictive)!
How to Store Granola
Your best bet is to store the granola in an airtight container or mason jar at room temperature for up to two weeks for optimal freshness.
Can’t eat it up in time? Give some to family and friends. It makes the perfect shelf-stable gift!
What You Need to Make this Granola into an Edible Gift
Now I mentioned before that this granola makes for a great gift option (think teachers, neighbours friends, and family)!
There are a few items that you can get to tranform these granola flavors into the perfect edible gift!
- Mason Jars (I used these 16 oz. wide-mouth mason jars)
- Labels (Grab my chalkboard labels by here)
- Ribbon
Directions
- Measure out the different granola flavors into separate jars.
- Cut out the label. I cut it out around the inner line to fit perfectly on the inner circle of the mason jar lid.
- You can even secure the label to the lid using double-sided tape so that it doesn’t slip around when you open the lid.
- Screw on the lid of the mason jar to secure.
- Tie the ribbon into a bow just beneath the lid.
And there you have it. They’re all ready to go!
Download the granola chalkboard labels here!
Substitutions & Variations
- Use flavored almond butter: Have you noticed the different flavors of almond butter at stores these days? They’re a fun way to tweak the flavor profile of your granola and make it your own. Use honey almond butter, maple almond butter, etc.
- Use gluten-free certified oats: This is an easy swap for celiac-friendly granola.
- Try different sweeteners: Maple syrup can be replaced with honey, date syrup, or brown rice syrup.
- Try different nut butters: Of course, this post is all about almond butter, but you can also use cashew butter, peanut butter, or a nut-free sunflower seed butter!
- Add more fiber: Ground flaxseed can be added to any of these recipes for extra fiber and essential fatty acids. I also like to sneak in organic chia seeds, when possible, which will help keep you full for longer.
- Play with different types of dried fruit: Raid the pantry! Grab those raisins, dried apricots, and other dried fruits and make your own flavor combination.
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More Recipes You’ll Love
- Healthy Chocolate Granola Recipe
- Healthy Granola Bar Recipe
- Healthy Oatmeal Muffins
- Peanut Butter Protein Bars
- Heart Healthy Trail Mix
Did you try these recipes? Scroll down to leave a star rating and review!
Healthy Almond Butter Granola Recipe {4 Ways}
Servings 3 cups per recipe
You will love this easy almond butter granola recipe that's been transformed into four unique flavors! Serve it up for breakfast or snacks, or package it in a mason jar for the perfect edible gift! {Gluten-free & Vegan}
Ingredients
Cranberry Pumpkin Seed Granola
- 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
Banana Nut Granola
- 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/3 cup roughly chopped cashews
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- 1/2 cup dried bananas
Double Chocolate Granola
- 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- 1/4 cup mini dark chocolate chips
Apple Pecan Granola
- 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- 1/4 cup diced dried apple
Instructions
Cranberry Pumpkin Seed Granola
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the oats, cinnamon, and salt. Stir to combine. Pour in the coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla and stir to combine. Add the almond butter last, and mix until incorporated. It's okay if there are some clumps here and there!
- Spread the granola out onto the lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes. Toss the granola on the pan, making sure to move the bits on the edges to the inside of the pan, so they don't get burnt. Bake for 11-15 more minutes, or until golden brown and crunchy.
- Allow the granola to cool completely. Toss in the dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds and store in air-tight container.
Banana Nut Granola
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the oats, cinnamon, salt, and shredded coconut. Stir to combine. Pour in the coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla and stir to combine. Add the almond butter last, and mix until incorporated. It's okay if there are some clumps here and there!
- Spread the granola out onto the lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes. Toss the granola on the pan, ensuring that you move the bits on the edges to the inside of the pan, so they don't get burnt. Bake for 11-15 more minutes, or until golden brown and crunchy.
- Allow the granola to cool completely. Toss in the dried banana and store in air-tight container.
Double Chocolate Granola
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the oats, cinnamon, salt, and cocoa powder. Stir to combine. Pour in the coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla and stir to combine. Add the almond butter last, and mix until incorporated. It's okay if there are some clumps here and there!
- Spread the granola out onto the lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes. Toss the granola on the pan, ensuring that you move the bits on the edges to the inside of the pan, so they don't get burnt. Bake for 11-15 more minutes, or until golden brown and crunchy.
- Allow the granola to cool completely. Toss in the dark chocolate chips and store in air-tight container.
Apple Pecan Granola
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the oats, cinnamon, salt, and pecans. Stir to combine. Pour in the coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla and stir to combine. Add the almond butter last, and mix until incorporated. It's okay if there are some clumps here and there!
- Spread the granola out onto the lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes. Toss the granola on the pan, ensuring that you move the bits on the edges to the inside of the pan, so they don't get burnt. Bake for 11-15 more minutes, or until golden brown and crunchy.
- Allow the granola to cool completely. Toss in the diced dried apple and store in air-tight container.
Notes
- Each granola recipe makes about 2-3 cups of granola.
- Once you’ve cooked the granola for the initial 12 minutes, toss it and cook it for the lowest number in the time range, so in this case it would be 11 minutes, and then check it. If it still feels like it could use a bit of time, put it in for one more minute and check it again. Continue until you reach the desired taste, texture and crunchiness.
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These recipes were originally posted in November 2019 and were updated in September 2024 to include more helpful tips.
I made the double chocolate and it was yummmm. Thanks for the great recipe!
So happy you enjoyed it! Thanks for the feedback :)
they seem so delicious, I can’t wait to try these recipes, but I want to replace the almond butter, what do you recommend?
Thanks Roua! You could try another nut or seed butter like natural peanut butter, cashew butter, pumpkin seed or sunflower seed butter!
Do you have nutrition information on the granolas?
Unfortunately, I haven’t had a chance to calculate the nutritional information for the different granolas..sorry about that! You can try plugging the recipes into http://www.myfitnesspal.com to get a nutritional breakdown. Hope that helps!