I try not to go into Whole Foods but I live very close to one and find myself there far too often.
When I’m there I especially try to avoid the bulk bins or at least try to recreate bulk bin items at home.
A sample of this and that and I could make a dinner out of bulk bin and hot bar samples. No shame.
One thing that I don’t just sample and actually buy is the ‘PB & J Granola’. It’s very chewy, a little bit gooey, slightly crunchy, and highly addictive. I love it and decided to try a DIY version.
It’s a one-bowl, no mixer, easy recipe and after studying the label on the bulk bin, I learned the granola is made with peanut butter, honey, oats, oat bran, chopped peanuts, raisins, and dried strawberries.
I used conventional honey-roasted peanut butter and haven’t tried using natural or homemade peanut butter or other nut butter such as almond butter. They tend to be runnier, thinner, and adjustments to the dry ingredients will likely need to be made.
Rather than using dried strawberries because they’re ungodly expensive and would require a special online order for most people, I used dried cranberries. I love the chewiness and natural sweetness the dried fruit provides but I know some people loathe raisins. If you’re not a fan of raisins or dried cranberries, substitute with an alternate dried fruit.
I used a bit of oat bran which I buy from the bulk bins, but if you don’t keep it on hand or don’t want to buy it, grind old-fashioned whole-rolled oats in your food processor or blender for about 30 seconds.
The granola will keep for up to a month and I suggest giving lots of it away because it’s pretty dangerous to have around. A nibble, a handful, and seven handfuls later. So good.
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Peanut Butter and Jelly Granola (Whole Foods Copycat)
Ingredients
- heaping 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter, I used conventional honey-roasted peanut butter
- ¾ cup honey
- 2 cups old-fashioned whole-rolled oats, not quick-cook or instant because they behave like flour and will make mixture too dry
- 1 cup finely chopped lightly salted or salted peanuts (love my Mini-Prep Plus 4-Cup Food Processor
- ¾ cup raisins
- ¾ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup oat bran, often found in bulk bins or substitute with 1/2 cup oat flour by grinding 1/2 cup whole-rolled oats in food processor or blender for 30 seconds
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste (the saltiness level in peanut butter and peanuts varies greatly)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F, line a baking sheet with a Silpat Non-Stick Baking Mat, parchment paper, or spray with cooking spray; set aside.
- To a large microwave-safe bowl, add the peanut butter (haven’t tried using natural or homemade peanut butter or other nut butter such as almond butter; they tend to be runnier, thinner, and adjustments to the dry ingredients will likely need to be made), honey (haven’t tried with agave or maple syrup), heat on high power for 30 seconds to soften, and stir to combine.
- Add all remaining ingredients and stir to combine. If you don’t like raisins or dried cranberries, substitute with an alternate dried fruit or you may possibly be able to omit dried fruit entirely if you add more dry ingredients, although I haven’t tried so cannot comment on exact measurements.
- Turn mixture out on prepared baking sheet. It’ll take up the entire baking sheet and while you don’t want to hard-pack it, make sure it’s a fairly flat layer and all pieces are of uniform height because higher pieces will have a tendency to burn. Bake for about 13 to 15 minutes.
- Remove tray from oven and using a spatula (like you’d use to flip eggs or burgers), flip sections of the granola over until it’s all been flipped. I prefer flipping to stirring because I think it cooks more evenly.
- Return tray to oven and bake for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until granola is lightly browned, keeping in mind that granola will cook a slight bit more as it rests and cools on baking tray. Keep a watchful eye on it after you’ve flipped it because it can be prone to burning. Granola firms up as it cools. Allow granola to cool for at least 1 hour on baking tray (or overnight and exposed to air if you prefer it to be drier) before serving. Granola will keep airtight for 3 to 4 weeks.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Hi! Could you use natural peanut butter for this or even homemade peanut butter? Thank you!
I haven’t tested the recipe that way and don’t recommend it because it could be too runny, separate, etc. and the granola wouldn’t turn out properly then.
I have made this several times now and we LOVE it! I have shared it with friends and get requests all the time for more! I use dried blueberries and also add chia seeds and hemp seeds. Seriously addicting! Thank you so much for this recipe!!
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad it came out great for you and that it’s on rotation! Dried blueberries are amazing and I bet with the chia and hemp seeds, your granola is awesome! I want some :)
We used to live really close to a WF too, and when we moved in October, I didn’t know whether to celebrate or cry. My wallet leaned toward the former, but… Life without WF (and TJ’s — I had to give them up too) just isn’t the same! It’s probably a good thing I didn’t find this granola there though. Granola is one of my out-of-control foods (along with ice cream) and it doesn’t matter how much I portion out… At least half of the bag always disappears in one go!
I made this recipe as is with exception I used all dried cranberries as I don’t like raisins. It is great!
Thanks for trying the recipe the day after I posted it and I’m glad it came out great for you (minus the raisins)!
This looks amazing! All those clusters and I love the pbj combo, I could live on it even though I’m a grown adult! It’s a good thing I don’t live by a whole foods or I too would be in there far too often.
I live way too close…I’m in there more than I’d like to admit…whoops!
Averie, I feel the same about whole foods, as much as I try to avoid going to that place somehow I end up there for some reason!
I find it too dangerous on my wallet as it gets hard to resist and I find myself like lost puppy in there hehe!! Any how I am so glad you created this copycat version! So making it this weekend!
If you try it, LMK how it goes!
I could never ever in a million years avoid WF! I would just make this at home so I could there and buy other things… so serious!! =)
Yum! I try to avoid the bulk bin too, but I’m not always successful :)
WOW! I love the idea of PB & J granola. I will need to try some the next time I’m at WF. Or actually, I should just make this recipe and save some money in the process! Thanks for a great recipe. Pinning this so I can make it sometime soon!
Thanks for pinning!
Oh my sweet baby jesus.
I never buy granola because I’m so picky abotu it – I want it sweet, but not too sweet, soft but not too soft and DEFINITELY not crunchy. Raisins are fine, but not if they are tiny and hard. And I find that most times the nuts in granola taste burnt.
But this? I would eat it all in one go.
I never buy granola either EXCEPT that WF’s PB& J one. Omg Katie. So unreal. I did give it my total all in trying to recreate it because like you, the texture thing is huge for me. Some granola is so HARD, like it’s beyond crunchy, it’s just straight up like biting into cement.
And yes, the whole burnt thing with the dried fruit or the nuts. I will say that I have made my share of burnt fruit/nuts granola because I’ve cooked it longer than I thought I needed to for the oats to firm up and the add-ins get a little burnt/hard but have learned the oats firm upon cooling so much, so underbaking is better for me at least!
I don’t think we have Whole Foods in Canada, so I’ve never had the joy of tasting their PB&J granola. Your version looks delicious! I can’t resist anything PB!
This looks so yummy! I’m a big peanut butter jelly fan and Whole Foods is too far for me to try their granola. So this is perfect!
OMG I had no idea Whole Foods has PB&J granola. Going tomorrow so I can buy a ton before we move to the land of no Whole Foods. I’ll be glad I have your recipe when we get there! It looks awesome!
I had no idea either until just a few months ago and I’ve been living down the block from this WF’s for like…10 years. Whoops! Well actually that’s good b/c I love granola way too much!
Good luck with your move – it’s such an evil chore!!!! Hang in there!
This would not last long here! Love it!
I don’t think I’ve ever even stepped inside a Whole Foods. We don’t have them in Australia and I don’t think there’s one on Vancouver Island in Canada either (where I’m originally from). But this sounds so delightful I wish I’d been able to try it! Peanut butter and jelly granola – I would’ve been all over that! Thankfully, I’m almost out of granola, so I’ll be sure to make this next. Thanks!
I haven’t tried something with peanut butter for a long time but I absolutely love it and will certainly try this. Last time my dog got to the jar :D and I had to use professional house cleaning services but now I know better