Description
This Pumpkin Granola recipe combines the warm flavors of pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice with a crunchy mix of quinoa, oats, nuts, and seeds for a wholesome and delicious breakfast or snack. Toasted to golden perfection in the oven, this granola is naturally sweetened with real maple syrup and enhanced with dried cranberries. It’s perfect for autumn mornings or any time you crave a nutritious, flavorful 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: Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Spread the rolled oats and rinsed, dried quinoa evenly on a parchment-lined baking pan. Toast in the oven for 10 minutes, stirring once halfway to ensure even toasting.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Remove the toasted oats and quinoa from the oven. Transfer them to a medium bowl and add ground flaxseeds, pepitas, chopped pecans, and dried cranberries; mix thoroughly.
- Prepare Wet Mixture: Reduce oven temperature to 300°F (149°C). In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, pumpkin puree, coconut oil, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, pinch of kosher salt, and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Combine and Bake: Pour the wet mixture over the oat and seed mixture. Stir with a spatula to coat everything evenly. Spread the mixture back onto the baking sheet in an even layer. Bake for an additional 20 minutes or until the granola turns golden and fragrant, stirring once halfway through the baking time.
- Cool and Store: Remove the granola from the oven and let it cool completely on the baking sheet before storing in an airtight container. This will allow it to crisp up perfectly.
Notes
- Oats: Substitute rolled oats with steel-cut or instant oats. For gluten-sensitive diets, opt for certified gluten-free oats.
- Seeds: Flaxseeds can be replaced with chia or hemp seeds, and pepitas with sunflower seeds.
- Nuts: Swap pecans with walnuts, almonds, or cashews. If allergic to nuts, omit them and increase seeds accordingly.
- Dried Fruit: Alternatives include dried cherries, blueberries, dates, figs, or raisins.
- Sweetener: Use agave syrup or honey as liquid sweetener replacements.
- Pumpkin Puree: If unavailable, applesauce or mashed banana can be used. Apple butter or pumpkin butter are options too, but reduce maple syrup accordingly.
- Oil: Avocado oil is a good substitute for coconut oil.
- Spices: Make your own pumpkin pie spice using cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. Adjust amounts if missing some spices.
- Cinnamon: Can be replaced with ginger, cloves, or allspice if desired.
- Coconut: For extra flavor, add toasted shredded coconut.
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: 3.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 21.5 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
