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This healthy and tasty pumpkin granola recipe is loaded with oats, quinoa, a variety of nuts and seeds and you guessed it - pumpkin pie spice, making it great for a fall snack.
This recipe is dedicated to all pumpkin lovers out there, which seems to be quite a few of you. It happens to be one of my go-to pumpkin inspired recipes as well as pumpkin oatmeal muffins, pumpkin chocolate chip pancakes and baked pumpkin donuts.
I've always been a fan of homemade granola. Not only is it cheaper than what you can buy at the store, but you control the ingredients that go in it, so you can actually make it healthy without costing an arm and a leg.
This pumpkin spice granola is loaded with nuts and has a hint of sweetness from the maple syrup and honey. And who can forget about the pumpkin pie spice, which gives it that pumpkin flavor you crave!
If you like to snack on granola all the time, this pumpkin spice granola might be gone in week's time. And if you're looking for another healthy fall snack, try these homemade apple chips.
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Ingredient Notes
- Oats - the base of any granola recipe.
- Quinoa - adds nutrients and helps the granola stick together.
- Nuts/Seeds - the combination of almonds, cashews, pecans, pistachios, pepitas and sesame seeds adds crunch and flavor.
- Sweeteners - by using coconut flakes and maple syrup, you sweeten the pumpkin granola in a healthier way.
- Pumpkin pie spice - where the pumpkin flavor comes from. Use store-bought or make your own.
Substitutes/Add-Ins
Like any recipe, you can mix up or add more to it. Some variations include:
- Use honey or agave instead of the maple syrup.
- Not a fan of dried cranberries? Add raisins, dried cherries or dried apples.
- Add chocolate chips, butterscotch chips or white chocolate chips to the pumpkin granola after it has cooled.
Step-by-Step Photos
Toss together the oats, quinoa, nuts, coconut and seeds to combine. Heat the wet ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat for about 2 minutes.
Mix the wet ingredients with the oats and toss to combine. Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet in an even layer and press down. Bake at at 325°F for 45-50 minutes, stirring in between 2-3 times.
Let cool for an hour before stirring in dried cranberries. Transfer the pumpkin granola to an airtight container.
FAQs
You can actually make your own. Just use 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon ground clove and a ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg.
The great thing about granola is you can use it in some many other dishes, whether it is the start or complementing it. Some options include:
• Baked goods like pumpkin oatmeal muffins
• Puddings like chocolate chia seed pudding
• Gratins
• Fruit crisps
• Cookies
• Bars
• Trail mix
Although I doubt you’ll be able to keep the pumpkin granola around this long as you’ll probably eat it all, you can keep granola in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to a month.
Benefits of Oats
Anything with oats is one of the best ways to start the day. There are a ton of benefits, including:
- High in fiber, which keeps you full long
- Contain more protein than most grains
- Rich in antioxidants, which can help lower blood pressure
- Lower cholesterol
- Help lose weight
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Fat is important for granola. If you don't use it, you will just have dry oats. This recipe uses coconut oil but feel free to use vegetable or canola oil.
- Do not substitute quick cooking oats for the old-fashioned oats which this recipe calls for. If you use quick cooking oats, the cook time will be different and the texture won't be the same. Old-fashioned oats are the best for granola.
- Press down the granola before you and after you bake it. This helps with the formation of clumps.
- Do not wait until the granola is really browned when pulling out of the oven. It should just be starting to brown when you pull it out. Always err on the underdone side as the granola will continue to cook and harden as it cools.
- Add dried fruit after the pumpkin granola is done cooking and cooled. If adding during cooking process it will harden to where it won't be edible.
Other Granola Recipes
If you’ve tried this pumpkin granola recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Pumpkin Granola
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup cooked quinoa (⅓ cup uncooked)
- 2 cups mixed raw nuts (almonds, cashews, pecans and pistachios)
- 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
- 1 cup raw pepitas
- ⅓ cup raw sesame seeds
- ¾ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup coconut oil
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, toss together the oats, cooked quinoa, nuts coconut, pepitas and sesame seeds to combine.
- In a small saucepan, heat the maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice and salt for 2-3 minutes until everything is melded together. Pour the mixture over the oats and toss for a couple of minutes to make sure everything is fully combined.
- Spread the granola out in an even layer on baking sheet and press down with a spatula. Bake for 45-50 minutes, stirring 2-3 times, until the oats are starting to brown and smell toasted. Remove the granola from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Once slightly cooled, press the granola down to make a flat slab of granola and let cool for an hour.
- Break the granola into clusters and stir in the dried cranberries. It can be stored for 1 month.
Notes
- Fat is important for granola. If you don't use it, you will just have dry oats. This recipe uses coconut oil but feel free to use vegetable or canola oil.
- Do not substitute quick cooking oats for the old-fashioned oats which this recipe calls for. If you use quick cooking oats, the cook time will be different and the texture won't be the same. Old-fashioned oats are the best for granola.
- Press down the granola before you and after you bake it. This helps with the formation of clumps.
- Do not wait until the granola is really browned when pulling out of the oven. It should just be starting to brown when you pull it out. Always err on the underdone side as the granola will continue to cook and harden as it cools.
- Add dried fruit after the granola is done cooking and cooled. If adding during cooking process it will harden to where it won't be edible.
Yolanda says
I LOVE homemade granola! The addition of the coconut sounds amazing too. This can actually be a great DIY gift for the holidays as well, so I'm definitely going to give it a try 🙂
CrazyFitnessGuy says
I like granola too, its even better in yogurt.
Fonda @Savvy Southern Chic says
This sounds amazing! I'm sure your friends will enjoy this.
Susan Bowman says
Easy and delicious!!