Description
This Pumpkin Granola recipe combines toasted quinoa and rolled oats with warm pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice for a deliciously autumn-inspired breakfast or snack. With crunchy pecans, pepitas, and sweet dried cranberries, it offers a perfect balance of flavors and textures. Easily customizable with various nuts, seeds, and sweeteners, this granola is oven-baked to golden perfection for a wholesome, energizing treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Grains and Seeds
- 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)
Nuts and Dried Fruit
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
Wet Ingredients
- 1/4 cup real maple syrup (or honey)
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Spices and Seasonings
- 1 tsp pumpkin spice (or more to taste)
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- Pinch kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Toast Oats and Quinoa: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Spread the rolled oats and rinsed, dried quinoa evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Toast them in the oven for 10 minutes, stirring once halfway through to ensure even toasting.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Remove the toasted oats and quinoa from the oven and transfer them into a medium mixing bowl. Add the ground flaxseeds, pepitas, chopped pecans, and dried cranberries to the bowl, mixing well to combine all dry ingredients.
- Prepare Wet Mixture: Lower the oven temperature to 300°F (149°C). In another medium bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, pumpkin puree, coconut oil, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, kosher salt, and vanilla extract until fully combined.
- Combine and Bake Granola: Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients and stir thoroughly using a spatula until all the dry ingredients are evenly coated. Spread this mixture back onto the baking sheet in an even layer. Bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until the granola turns golden and fragrant.
- Cool and Store: Remove the granola from the oven and let it cool completely on the baking sheet. Once cooled, break it into clusters as desired and store in an airtight container to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Oats: Swap rolled oats with steel cut or instant oats. Use gluten-free oats if gluten intolerance is a concern.
- Seeds: Substitute ground flaxseeds with chia or hemp seeds; replace pepitas with sunflower seeds for variety.
- Nuts: Pecans can be replaced with walnuts, almonds, or cashews. For nut allergies, omit nuts and increase seed quantities.
- Dried Fruit: Alternatives like dried cherries, blueberries, dates, figs, or raisins can be used instead of dried cranberries.
- Sweetener: Agave syrup can be used as an alternative to maple syrup or honey.
- Pumpkin: If pumpkin puree is unavailable, applesauce, mashed banana, apple butter, or pumpkin butter can be used, adjusting sweetener as needed.
- Oil: Substitute coconut oil with avocado oil if preferred.
- Spices: Create homemade pumpkin pie spice by combining cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. Missing one or two spices can be compensated by increasing others.
- Cinnamon: If unavailable, ginger, cloves, or allspice can be used.
- Optional Addition: Add toasted shredded coconut for extra flavor and texture.
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
