I’ve taken to making granola in my crockpot / slow-cooker. It’s ridiculously easy. I think it’s the niftiest possible way to cook granola. In addition to being so tasty that I can’t stop eating it, I also love that I can make this in the middle of summer without heating up my kitchen.
I use a large crockpot /slow-cooker on the low setting. Don’t put this on and leave the building. It doesn’t take long – about two and half hours. Time will vary depending on your slow-cooker. A smaller crockpot will take quite a bit longer. Insert a wooden chopstick or equivalent (a wooden skewer, a wooden pate knife, etc.) between the lid and the crockpot – to allow the humidity to vent so you don’t end up with peanut butter chocolate porridge.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Crockpot Granola
- 3 cups large flake oats
- 1 cups shredded, sweetened coconut
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup ground flax seeds if you’ve got them
- 1/4 cup chopped peanuts
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup natural peanut butter (I used crunchy)
- 1 tbsp sunflower seed oil
- 1/4 cup liquid honey
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup dried sour cherries (or dried cranberries)
Mix the oats, coconut, sunflower seeds, flax, peanuts, walnuts, and salt in the crockpot. In a separate bowl, mix together the peanut butter, honey and sunflower seed oil. Toss through the oat mixture, stirring well. Set heat to low. Put a chopstick between the lid and the crockpot to vent the humidity. Stir the mixture briefly after an hour. Check again in another hour. Etc. I don’t like my granola super well done so mine took about two and a half hours. But there is huge variability in crockpot temperatures so just judge accordingly. If you prefer to use the oven – try spreading this in a large baking dish or two – and cook at about 275 for about an hour or just longer, stirring it well about every 15-20 minutes.
When the granola is browned and cooked to your satisfaction, turn the slow-cooker off and remove the lid. Toss in the dried cherries (or cranberries). Leave the lid cross-wise on your pot and set the timer for about 30 minutes. When the timer goes off – add the chocolate chips. If you add them too soon, they melt and disappear into the granola. If you add them too late – they don’t melt at all – and you won’t get the fabulous little clumps of chocolate-y granola goodness.
♥ Jam Tart ♥ 
Sounds delicious but does it get crunchy? I love the idea of using a crockpot, (I need to get one) I guess the venting keeps the granola from getting soft right? Love everything you added and I LOVE granola so this is a must make but I may need to do in the oven.
Ah Suzanne, I was skeptical too. Start with half a batch just to see. You’ll love it and it’s so fabulous to be able to stick it in the crockpot and then garden or write or watch a movie or go for a run. It actually does get crunchy. Just stick the wooden chopstick between the pot and lid and you’ll be fine. And you have a lot of control over how well done / crunchy / browned you get it because unlike the oven – if you leave it an extra fifteen minutes – it doesn’t make that much difference. That said, the first time I made this (several tries ago) I put the crockpot on and went out for four hours. When I came back the granola was way overcooked. It was beyond crunchy and into the realm of building materials or things that make your dentist happy because you’ll need new teeth. 😉
Lol you make me laugh. Can you grind the rock hard granola into like a flour and use it for cookies. I love granola!!! Making some almond milk (almonds soaking as I type) which will be smashing with this granola.
I love your excitement about this!! Sounds great!
Thanks – you’re right – I’m kind of disproportionately happy about this granola! Like a new love affair!! 😉
SOOO yummy!
Elly – just made more with double the chocolate. I’ll bring you some. ❤
Heavenly. Wow. What a great idea. I just discovered the joys of a crock pot. I was hesitant because it seems so old fashioned american, but i realize now how great it is and how it really kind of encourages and channels slow cooking methods. I also love granola, chocolate, peanut butter and just about every other ingredient in here…and David L. Thanks for sharing this!
Amanda – the crockpot is fabulous. I love how incredibly energy efficient they are and how you can cook a fresh tomato sauce down until it’s dark and rich without even being there. And as much as I live on salad all summer – I really love the whole slow cooking movement. By the way, I made your olive oil cake tonight. Haven’t tasted it yet but the kitchen smells incredible and the cake looks GORGEOUS. Bringing it to dinner tomorrow night – can’t wait to try it!
I totally agree re slow cooking. I’m now obsessed. You’ll need to share your recipes or direct me to them. So glad you made the cake. I hope you love it add much as I did!
Love the whole idea of this recipe ! Must make this! It will go well with reading and writing breaks!
The neighbors will be standing on my porch sniffing the wonderful smell of it and wanting some .( They tend to do that kind of thing.)
Love both the fact that you have a front porch and the sound of your neighbours! And always love hearing from you too.
Wow the photograph looks so tempting…shall try it soon…
Thank you! It’s just naturally photogenic. 😉
Just this week I was just telling a good friend I need to make my own granola because I can never find one I’m crazy about and it’s so expensive to buy a good quality brand. The good ones are usually local and way too spendy. I really like your ingredients and it sounds exactly how I like it, especially with the peanut butter. I got rid of my slow cooker a few years ago. Seriously, when we “gutted” our kitchen I cooked out of a slow cooker for a solid year. I couldn’t stand to even look at it after that! It wasn’t a very good one to begin with, so as soon as the bitterness wears off I’ll go out and buy another one. In the meantime, I do want to make my own granola! Might have to go ahead and bake it. Very unique to make it in the crockpot Lindy.
Oh it’s so true – decent granola is way too spendy. Also – never heard that term before and love it. You know – the ingredients are pretty inexpensive – oatmeal, peanut butter, coconut, flax seeds, sunflower seeds – none of that is really very crazy. Had to laugh about cooking out a crockpot for a year and the resulting bitterness. It would be a pretty huge challenge – I have to admit. If only you’d had a good crockpot granola recipe then. Sigh. 😉
Happy Happy Fiesta Friday my love!! This is so great…because I was just thinking that I need to try to like granola. Yes, I said it. I need to try to like it. I’ve never had homemade..always the store bought, and have never been overly impressed. I don’t like the aftertaste that it leaves. But yours looks so delicious with all of the nuts, and the peanut butter, and chocolate chips and cherries… I think I really need to give it another chance. Seriously.
This couldn’t be more perfect to bring to Fiesta Friday…like I said, just as I was contemplating buying yet another box! That’s it. I’m buying the ingredients today. ❤ Awesome awesome post… Thank you for sharing this with all of us! Love you.. xoxo
love you right back dear Prudy ❤
MMMM! I can smell the delicious aroma and I haven’t even purchased the ingredients yet.
PS: peanut butter chocolate porridge actually sounds good to me. I will let you know if I forget the chopstick.
Ruth
I’ll bring you some if I ever see you again Ruth.
Peanut butter and chocolate granola? Sign me up NOW! Thanks for bringing it to FF!
Jess – lovin’ your grandmother post. What a fabulous lady.
I love my slow cooker,I love granola and peanut butter is a serious favorite in our house so this granola is a must make! I am pinning it for later.
Loving a slow-cooker. Such an easy love! Unconditional really! 😉
Off topic but I know you used to title your post Wintergreen, so maybe check out the info about Native Wintergreen plants on the current wordpress blog of…..New Hampshire Garden Solutions.
Off topic is good too. Multi-dimensional. I’m heading over to New Hampshire Garden solutions to look at their Wintergreen. I kind of miss that name what do you think?
I like the Wintergreen name and when I copy out one of your recipes for my own use I call them “Wintergreen’s”….Did it originate with a writers retreat and good food served there?
I think I like it better too! Yes – it did come from Wintergreen Studios. I did a writing retreat there in 2009 and started volunteering in their kitchen – that’s how the cookbook came about. I love the place.
This sounds like a cross between comfort food and crunchy snack, it’s a great combination!