When the chilly air nips noses and cheeks, sweaters come out of hibernation, and the teakettle is always warming, it is time to make this comforting pumpkin-spiced granola! Crunchy clusters of oats, almonds, and golden raisins with sweet spices lend an autumnal touch to a familiar breakfast or lunch treat.
Perhaps granola isn’t the first thing you think of when it comes to fall food. But then, we can’t be indulging in apple dumplings or maple lattes every day. Some days when you want a touch of fall on the table without a lot of fuss (or sugar), this spiced pumpkin granola hits the spot! And if your family loves yogurt as much as mine does (I make half a gallon of yogurt per week), you are always glad for something a little different to go with it.
Notes on Ingredients
Honey
You can use any kind of honey you like for this recipe. I usually keep raw honey in my pantry, so that is what I use here. The only consideration for this recipe is the consistency of the honey. Raw honey tends to be very thick, so you will need to heat it and re-liquefy it so that it will mix in with the other ingredients. Pasteurized honey may or may not be thick; use your judgment about whether or not you need to heat it before mixing it into the granola.
Oil
I used avocado oil for this granola, as it does not have a strong flavor. You are welcome to substitute a different oil if you like, but be aware that this may impact the flavor of your granola. I like coconut oil in granola recipes, but it does leave a slight coconut flavor and aroma, which I did not care for in this particular recipe.
You can also omit the oil altogether, and use a bit more pumpkin puree instead. This does change the texture and flavor of the granola slightly.
Sugar
This recipe is lighter on sugar than other granolas you may have tried. If you like your granola on the sweeter side, increase the brown sugar to a packed 1/3 cup.
If you don’t happen to have any brown sugar around, not to worry! It’s easy to make your own. Just drizzle a little molasses into some white sugar or evaporated cane sugar, mix thoroughly, and you’re all set! Start with a tablespoon of molasses per cup of sugar, and adjust with more sugar or molasses to your liking. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. I like to mix up a cup or two at a time, since brown sugar can get hard if it sits too long.
Method
Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F.
In a small saucepan, combine the honey, pumpkin, and oil. Heat gently over a low flame, stirring until the honey liquefies and melds with the pumpkin and oil. (Heating the mixture might not be necessary if your honey is very runny; I use raw honey, which tends to be quite thick.) Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, flour, almonds, brown sugar, and spices. You can use pumpkin pie spice, or just make your own with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. Here’s a quick recipe:
This recipe makes one tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice, which is just what you need to make this granola! To make more pumpkin pie spice, simply multiply the recipe by 2 or 3. For example, use 3 tsp cinnamon, 1 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp cloves, and 1/2 tsp ginger to make a double batch. That way, you’ll have some handy for other autumn goodies like pumpkin spice snickerdoodles or iced pumpkin scones!
Pour the pumpkin mixture into the oat mixture and stir gently until just combined. You don’t want to stir this too much; leave some large clumps. Those are the best part!
Divide the granola between two 9×13″ baking pans, or use one large rimmed baking sheet.
Bake the granola for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
How to tell when your granola is done
You will know your granola is finished baking when:
- It smells fragrant
- The nuts are toasted
- The color darkens a bit, especially around the edges of the pan
- The clumps don’t break apart easily
You do not need to bake the granola until it is completely crispy; remember, granola will continue to crisp up as it cools!
Stir in the golden raisins once the granola is done baking. Cool the pumpkin granola completely in the pans, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month.
Happy fall baking!
~ Kimberly
Harvest Pumpkin Granola
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup pumpkin canned or cooked
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 cups rolled oats
- 2/3 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup golden raisins
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
- In a small saucepan, combine the pumpkin, honey, and oil. Heat gently over a low flame until the honey is liquefied, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and add vanilla extract.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, flour, almonds, brown sugar, and spices.
- Pour the pumpkin mixture over the oats and stir gently just until combined; leave some clumps intact.
- Divide the mixture between two 9×13" baking pans or use one large, rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 45-60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes until done.
- Stir in golden raisins. Cool completely in pans, then transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 1 month.
Notes
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