Description
This Pumpkin Granola Recipe offers a deliciously crunchy and nutritious breakfast or snack option, perfectly balanced with warm pumpkin spice flavors, nuts, seeds, and natural sweetness from maple syrup and dried cranberries. It’s an easy-to-make baked granola that features toasted oats and quinoa for extra texture and protein, ideal for fall or any time you crave a cozy, wholesome treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1/4 cup uncooked quinoa (rinsed well and pat dry with paper towel)
- 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
- 1/4 cup ground flaxseeds
- 1/4 cup pepitas (or other seed)
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- pinch kosher salt
- 1 tsp pumpkin spice (or more to taste)
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
Wet Ingredients
- 1/4 cup real maple syrup (or honey)
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat and Toast Oats and Quinoa: Preheat your oven to 325°F. Spread the rolled oats and rinsed quinoa evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Toast them in the oven for 10 minutes, stirring once halfway through to ensure even toasting and fragrance development.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Remove the toasted oats and quinoa from the oven and transfer them to a medium mixing bowl. Add in the ground flaxseeds, pepitas, chopped pecans, and dried cranberries. Stir these together to combine.
- Prepare Wet Mixture: Lower the oven temperature to 300°F. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, pumpkin puree, coconut oil, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, a pinch of kosher salt, and vanilla extract until smooth and blended.
- Combine and Coat: Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients. Use a spatula to stir thoroughly, making sure all the oats and nuts are evenly coated with the pumpkin-spiced syrup mixture.
- Bake the Granola: Spread the coated granola mixture back onto the parchment-lined baking sheet in an even layer. Bake at 300°F for an additional 20 minutes, stirring once or twice during baking to promote even crispness and prevent burning. Bake until golden and fragrant.
- Cool and Store: Remove the granola from the oven and allow it to cool completely on the baking sheet. Once cooled, it will crisp up further. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks for the best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Oats: You can swap rolled oats for steel-cut or instant oats; choose gluten-free oats if you need a gluten-free option.
- Seeds: Replace flaxseeds with chia or hemp seeds and pepitas with sunflower seeds if desired.
- Nuts: Substitute pecans with walnuts, almonds, or cashews. For nut allergies, omit nuts and increase seeds for crunch.
- Dried Fruit: Try dried cherries, blueberries, dates, figs, or raisins instead of cranberries.
- Sweetener: Agave syrup works well as an alternative to maple syrup or honey.
- Pumpkin Puree: If unavailable, use applesauce, mashed banana, apple butter, or pumpkin butter (reduce sweetener if using the latter two).
- Oil: Avocado oil can be substituted for coconut oil.
- Spices: Create your own pumpkin pie spice blend with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. Adjust quantities based on availability.
- Coconut: Add toasted shredded coconut for extra texture and flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/3 cup
- Calories: 133 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 10 mg
- Fat: 4.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 21.5 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
