GRANOLA BUTTER – WHAT IS IT?

I keep seeing granola butter as an add-in for recipes, I hadn’t heard of it before, so I had to investigate! What even is granola butter aka oat butter or oatmeal butter?

After making my first batch here’s what I think about granola butter, “granola butter is a rich, creamy spread that tastes like liquid oatmeal cookies. It’s packed with warming spices, so it still has a cinnamony, nutty taste, even though there’s no nuts in it. It’s super addicting.”

I did some recipe development/experimenting with granola, oat or oatmeal butter and I think it’s a fun alternative to nut butters that is versatile and delicious. Below are two recipes, first, a from scratch recipe and second a quick not from scratch recipe. Plus, lots of possible add-ins to boost the nutritional value. It is a very forgiving recipe, and you can add extra things you might like easily.

This granola butter is the perfect combination of nut butter, granola, and oatmeal in one: a delicious gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, Granola butter ready for dipping and spreading!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup gluten free whole grain old fashioned rolled oats

2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

2 tablespoon maple syrup

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon flax meal

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon sea salt

good pinch of cardamom

good pinch of nutmeg

INSTRUCTIONS

First, gather your ingredients.

Next, place your oats in the food processor. Blend until the are fine and flour-like, about 20 seconds. 

Pour the rest of your ingredients into the food processor and blend until well incorporated. Scrape the sides and blend again. Taste and adjust any seasoning if needed. The butter may begin to form a ball in your food processor, this is totally fine.

For an optional step you also can toast the oats first to bring out their flavor 8-10 minutes at 320 degrees, turning them halfway through.

Scrape the butter into a bowl. Serve with bananas, apples, dates, or scoop into your favorite smoothie or acai bowl for added heartiness and protein. Store in an airtight container in the pantry.

Notes

If you want the butter thinner in the first recipe, you will need to add extra oil.

Maple syrup: or agave syrup. For a sugar-free alternative, you can use a sugar-free liquid sweetener or something like monk fruit sweetener. I don’t recommend granulated sugar, though, as it won’t break down properly and can leave the oatmeal butter grainy, maybe use powdered sugar instead.

Rolled oats: I love Bob’s Redmill’s gluten free oats (not instant or steel-cut) for the best results.

Spices: I used a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and vanilla powder (not extract!) to provide the oatmeal/cookie/granola flavor. A pinch of salt helps to enhance all the flavors too.

Coconut oil:  coconut oil it is optional but can help thin the oat butter texture for a super smooth, pourable consistency. It won’t make the oatmeal butter taste like coconut, either. You could, alternatively, use avocado oil or olive oil.

Optional add-in

Shredded coconut/coconut flakes: adding even just up to ¼ cup of toasted shredded coconut further enhances the granola/cookie flavor. I’ve left this optional, though, as I know there are plenty of coconut haters, too. These will only need baking for 5 minutes maximum or toasted in a skillet for several minutes.

Cocoa powder: for a chocolate version, you can add some cocoa powder, though you may need a little additional coconut oil to make up for the extra dry ingredient.

Seeds: for a nutrient boost, you could add in a few tablespoons of chia or flaxseed.

Superfood powders: for additional nutrients and flavor, you can experiment with the addition of various superfood powders to the oat butter. Lucuma, for instance, has a butterscotch-like subtle flavor and is packed with antioxidants and vitamins. I added some liquid minerals to boost my mineral intake. This is also a great way to get more nutrition in your kids snacks.

Nuts: unsalted walnuts, pecans are also delicious as an add in. I toasted mine to bring out their flavor.

Quick Granola butter

12-ounce bag of granola

1 Tablespoon of melted coconut oil

Notes

I used Trader Joe’s gluten free coconut granola. I also added some Ancient Earth minerals to boost the nutritional value.

Pour the granola and the coconut oil into the food processor and blend until it’s creamy. This will take up to 10 minutes so just stay patient! Open the food processor to scrape down the sides as needed. When desired consistency is reached put in in an airtight container. I’m a fan of the mason, so that’s what I used.

You can keep it out for a week or refrigerate for up to two weeks. The cold with solidify the oil so you may need to warm it up to get it soft again.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Have fun experimenting with the recipes. If you enjoyed this, please feel free to follow the blog for automatic updates the button to join is at the bottom of the page. Or check me out in Instagram @grizzylu.

Thank you,

Colleen