Granola Butter (Nut-Free, Oat Spread)

Granola butter is an allergen-free nut butter alternative that’s versatile, so easy to make at home, and is much more economical too. This healthy snack is gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, and vegan.

Granola butter, also called oat butter, is an oat-based spread. But unlike peanut butter or homemade cashew butter, it’s completely nut-free making it a great option for people with nut allergies. Plus, it’s school safe.

It tastes like a combination of granola, teddy grahams, and a warm cinnamon oatmeal cookie. Plus, it’s incredibly easy to customize and make many variations.

Ingredients

• Rolled oats – for the best results, only use rolled oats, not steel cut, quick-cooking, or oat flour. Use certified gluten-free oats if necessary.
• Warming spices – ground cinnamon, ground ginger, allspice, ground cardamom.
• Pinch of salt – to balance out the sweetness.
• Maple syrup – naturally sweetens and adds moisture to the oat butter.
• Avocado oil – oats are very low in fat and they lack the natural oils that are naturally found in nuts and seeds, so they need the help of oil to turn them into butter.

How To Make Granola Butter

Step 1. Preheat your oven to 350ºF.

Step 2. Make granola by adding the rolled oats, ground cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cardamom, and salt to a large bowl. Pour in the maple syrup and 4 tablespoons of oil. Mix until well combined.

Step 3. Transfer the mixture to a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper and spread it into an even layer. Bake the granola for 12 minutes, stir, and bake it for another 10-12 minutes, checking after the 10-minute mark.

Step 4. Let the granola cool completely. Once cooled, transfer it to the bowl of a food processor. Turn the machine on and let it ‘process’ the granola butter, scraping down the sides with a silicone spatula as needed.

Step 5. Once it starts to clump together, add an additional 2-4 tablespoons of oil until it’s reached your desired consistency. Two will give it a thicker texture whereas more oil will make it more spreadable and drippy.

Step 6. Transfer the mixture to a tightly sealed glass jar. Store in a cool, dark place for up to 2 weeks or in the fridge for up to 1 month. It becomes very thick when cold. To soften either place in the microwave for a few seconds or put the jar in a bowl of warm water until it’s easier to stir.

Make It Your Way: Substitutions & Variations

Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.

How can you make this granola butter recipe using what you already have? Here are some ideas…

• No maple syrup? – use raw honey instead.
• No avocado oil? – you can also use refined coconut oil for no coconut flavor or olive oil if you like the richness.

Variations

• Vanilla – vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, or vanilla bean powder, and a pinch of salt.
• Chocolate – cocoa or cacao powder, a splash of vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.
• Pumpkin butter – pumpkin pie spice blend and a pinch of salt.
• Strawberry – freeze-dried strawberries, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.
• Cinnamon roll – brown sugar, maple syrup, ground cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.
• Use other granola – like my maple tahini nut-free granola.

How To Use Granola Butter

There are many ways to enjoy oat butter. You can eat it similarly to how you’d enjoy other nut and seed butter such as:

• with apple, pear, or banana slices
• on toast, bagels, waffles, pancakes, or crackers
• in place of peanut butter in puppy chow bars
• added to smoothies
• on top of spiced pear oatmeal or as a chia pudding topper
• drizzled over ice cream
• spread on a slice of carrot cake
• a spoonful straight from the jar!

Helpful Tips

Use a food processor. I find it to be much easier than a blender because of the amount of liquid used.

Achieving the texture you want. Oats are very low in fat, unlike nuts, so that’s the reason for the addition of oil. Granola butter is meant to have some texture though, so it won’t be super smooth. In order to make it more pourable and drippy, you’ll want to add the full amount of oil.

More Nut-Free Recipes Using Oats

• Maple Tahini Nut-Free Granola
• Lemon Blueberry Baked Oatmeal
• Oat Flour Waffles
• 3-Ingredient Banana Oat Pancakes
• Banana Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins