This low carb granola is an easy and delicious sugar-free breakfast option. Packed with healthy fats, protein, and plenty of crunchy goodness, it’s sure to satisfy that craving for cereal.
This low carb peanut butter granola was one of the first recipes I created for All Day I Dream About Food, almost 10 years ago now. I daresay it’s one of the first keto cereal recipes ever. There were so few of us writing recipes back then!
It’s certainly a recipe that has withstood the test of time, as it remains one of my most popular.
Even in my own house! My whole family loves this grain-free and sugar-free cereal recipe, and I make it at least once a month. It never lasts longer than a few days.
Believe me, keto breakfast never looked, or tasted, so good!
Grain-Free Granola Love
I’ve been making homemade granola since I was a young teen. My mother did a number of Outward Bound courses after her divorce, including a mountaineering course in the Canadian Rockies and a dog-sledding course somewhere in the Yukon. All very important in her quest to become a confident, self-assured single woman in her forties.
But all her kids really cared about is that she brought home a spectacular granola recipe that we ate on an almost daily basis. It was hearty, filling, and absolutely delicious.
And completely jam-packed with sugar, carbs, and grains.
So when I embarked on a low carb diet, I thought I was saying goodbye to granola forever.
But the more I played around with my low carb ingredients, the more I realized that crunchy granola didn’t have to be made with oats. Chopped nuts, flaked coconut, and healthy seeds could mimic that same texture in a much more keto-friendly way.
How To Make Low Carb Granola
It’s astonishingly easy to make your own low carb granola. Here are my best tips for getting it right.
Mixed nuts and seeds
If you think granola can only be made with oats, think again! Chopped nuts and seeds are perfect for making that crunchy breakfast treat. The combination you use doesn’t matter much, although I do recommend using a mix for better texture. I like a combination of almonds, pecans, and sunflower or pumpkin seeds.
Shredded coconut or almond flour
Adding in something with a finer texture, such as shredded coconut or almond flour, helps bind the granola together a little more. You can also use flax seed meal or ground hemp seeds.
Stir in some nut butter
This is an egg-free recipe so stirring in a thick nut butter helps to hold the other ingredients together and create clusters. You don’t have to use peanut butter, as any nut butter will do.
Consider your sweetener
It’s important to understand that different keto sweeteners will give you different results. If you want a crunchy texture, you need to use Swerve or another erythritol based sweetener. Allulose, BochaSweet or xylitol will make your granola much softer. If that’s okay by you, then go for it!
For a better understanding of how all the various sugar alternatives work in baking and cooking, check out my Ultimate Guide to Keto Sweeteners.
Can you skip the protein powder?
You can skip it but I recommend it for both flavor and a boost of nutrition. You have plenty of options, since you can really use any protein powder here. I have noticed, however, that collagen protein makes the end result a little less crispy and more chewy.
How to make it crunchy
Aside from the ingredients I specified above, the other important trick to getting crunchy low carb granola is how firmly you press it down. You will notice in the instructions that I have you press it down firmly before and during baking. This helps it clump and stick together, and bake crisp against the hot pan.
You also need to let it cool completely after baking. Keto baked goods always continue to firm up and crisp up as they cool.
Can you make this dairy-free?
You bet! Switch out the butter for any non-dairy oil and away you go.
How do you serve low carb granola?
The same way you serve conventional granola! I like mine with heavy cream but it’s great with non dairy milk too.
And sometimes we just like grabbing a handful of dry granola to snack on.
How long does low carb granola last?
The best part about a recipe like this one is that it’s good for several weeks. It has no eggs or anything that spoils quickly and it’s baked until it’s very dry. So it’s fine on your counter in a covered container for up to two weeks or possibly longer.
That is assuming, of course, that your household doesn’t devour it in a few short days like mine does!
More delicious keto cereal recipes
- Keto Cinnamon Crunch Cereal
- Very Berry Keto Granola
- Nut Free Keto Chocolate Cereal
- Keto Granola Clusters
- Keto Oatmeal
- Keto Paleo Granola
Low Carb Peanut Butter Granola
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups almonds
- 1 ½ cups pecans
- 1 cup shredded coconut or almond flour
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds
- ⅓ cup granulated Swerve Sweetener
- ⅓ cup vanilla whey protein powder (or egg white protein powder)
- ⅓ cup peanut butter
- ¼ cup butter (use coconut oil for dairy-free)
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a food processor, process the almonds and pecans until they resemble coarse crumbs with some larger pieces. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in theshredded coconut, sunflower seeds, sweetener, and vanilla protein powder.
- In a microwave safe bowl, melt the peanut butter and butter together. Pour the melted peanut butter mixture over the nut mixture and stir well, tossing lightly. Stir in the water - at this point, the mixture should begin to clump toether.
- Spread the mixture out evenly on the prepared baking sheet and press it down firmly with your hands. Bake 30 minutes, stirring halfway through and re-pressing it down. Remove and let cool competely.
- Break up any large clumps with your hands.
Video
Jennifer Farley says
I love the ingredients in this granola! Yum!
Wendy says
How do you store this once done so that it lasts the longest Time? Thanks so much!
Carolyn says
Air tight container.
Tori says
We’ll took me a while to get to log a comment but I felt I must. This granola is now a staple in my house. Always ready as a quick breakfast cereal to pour a little cream/water over, add a little frozen blueberries and I’m in heaven. My son stopped by, ate it up and took a jar home with him. Our cereal fix is now satisfied. We are firmly ketoed. Thank you for all you do Carolyn. You have saved me and my family from diabetes and heart disease to name a few. Much appreciated!!!
Carolyn says
Thanks so much!
Janie says
Today is the second time I have made this and it is easy to make and sooooooo delicious!! Love your recipes.
Alison says
I see that this recipe makes 10 servings, but what is the actual serving size? Easier to measure out portions if I know the individual serving size. Thanks!
Carolyn says
About 1/3 cup.
Alison says
Thanks!
Jamie says
Hello! I am interested in trying this. I have a few questions though. Can I grind my own flax seed meal from flax seeds? Would I use the same amount? Is there a substitute for the whey protein powder? Will “sweet drops” work well for the stecia extract drops? Can the “Swerve” be powdered or does it have to be granulated? I look forward to your input. Thank you!
Carolyn says
Yes, you can use your own flax in the same amount. You can skip the whey protein if you like. The sweet drops will be fine, as will the powdered Swerve.
Rachel says
Can I make this with maple syrup or honey instead of the artificial sweeteners, if so what would be the measurements? I’m autoimmune and have a bad immune response to all artificial sweeteners.
Carolyn says
I really couldn’t tell you the measurements, i don’t use those. But I am sure it would work with them.
Bonnie Oler says
Can this be made into bars?
Also do u think that I can use mixed nuts for another version of this?
Thank you
Carolyn says
You’d probably need an egg white to hold these together. Use whatever nuts you like!
Angela says
Are all the nuts and seeds raw before adding?….I only have roasted everything, except the pecans…any way I can still make/use them for this recipe?
Carolyn says
You should be able to use them.
SST says
I put these ingredients into MyFitnessPal Recipe Builder and the nutritional data for carbs was much higher than yours. 404 calories, 12g carbs, 36g fat, 5 fiber.
Carolyn says
That is likely because My Fitness Pal is calculating the carbs from the erythritol. As these do not affect my blood sugar, I don’t count them and I state this clearly in my nutritional disclaimer.
SST says
Thanks for letting me know. It doesn’t count the stevia extract but does count 12g for the entire recipe for the granulated Swerve. I removed that and it calculated to 12g carbs…closer to your 9.9. Probably a matter of brands used. I will be trying this today.
Alizah says
This muesli is delicious and I love that it is low in carbs but when I entered it in to my food diary it came up as 499 calories per serve. I hope I have done it wrong. Has anyone got a different result?
Stephanie Otis says
I made this today and it’s fabulous!! I have been looking for a low carb granola that didn’t have coconut and this is perfect ?
Carolyn says
Wonderful!
Lee Ann says
My husband will be thrilled to see granola back on the menu. 🙂
Deanna says
Your mom sounds like a very inspiring person.
Thank you for all you do. I have been wheat-grain free for only a month but your recipes have been incredibly helpful. I LOVE to bake, so it’s been wonderful to be able to continue doing so while sticking to my new life choices. You are really making a difference for so many.
scarlett says
For the vanilla whey powder, can I sub it for unflavored whey powder and maybe a tsp of vanilla extract? So excited to try this out!!
stacy says
I’ll have to find a substitute for the pecans, but I’ve got to try this. I used to make huge batches of Alton Brown’s granola, before we went LC, and had it on my Greek yogurt for breakfast.
Paula says
I’m new at all of this, I do not have stevia. I only have swerve, do I just add a little more of that? Thank you
Carolyn says
Yup! I’d say another 1/4 cup should do it.
cindy says
I have not found a Bob’s Red Mill product I haven’t loved yet. Right now my fav is their steel cut oats, Irish Oatmeal.
Annie says
Can i substitute whey protein powder Caroline?
Thanks for everything!!
Carolyn says
In this recipe, you can leave it out altogether.
Anna says
What would you recommend as a substitute for the flax? Trying to limit my consumption a little bit. Would chia meal have the same effect?
Carolyn says
Chia absorbs a lot of liquid so might make it too moist but you could certainly try it.