Is Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookie Granola Kosher?

The Ingredient Breakdown

As a food scientist, I look at the source of every ingredient to determine kosher status. For this Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookie Granola, the verdict is clear. The base ingredients—whole grain rolled oats, oat flour, and peanuts—are inherently kosher plants. The sweeteners, including cane sugar and molasses, are also plant-derived and pose no kosher issues.

The critical checkpoints in granola are usually the fats, flavorings, and chocolate. Here, the fat source is butter (cream and salt). While dairy requires kosher supervision, butter is a kosher ingredient. The chocolate component, semi-sweet chocolate, contains sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, and soy lecithin. All of these are standard, kosher-friendly ingredients. The natural flavor and vanilla extract are also generally compliant in products with this profile.

Finally, the leavening agents (baking powder) and sea salt are mineral or synthetic chemical compounds that do not contain animal products. Since there are no red flags like wine (which requires specific certification) or non-kosher animal derivatives, this product meets the criteria for being kosher.

Nutritional Value

From a nutritional standpoint, this granola is a calorie-dense energy source, primarily driven by the oats and added sugars. The combination of cane sugar and molasses contributes to a higher total sugar content, which is typical for 'cookie' flavored products. While it provides a quick energy boost, individuals monitoring their sugar intake should be mindful of portion sizes.

The fat content comes from healthy sources like peanuts and peanut butter, but is supplemented by butter. This gives the product a rich flavor profile but also increases the saturated fat levels. It fits well into a diet where high-calorie density is needed, such as for athletes, but may not be ideal for a strict weight-loss plan without portion control.