Crunchy, sweet, and full of Fall flavors, this Pumpkin Granola is the ultimate seasonal treat! Loaded with hearty oats, crunchy walnuts, and pumpkin seeds, it's both delicious and highly nutritious. Made with only a few simple ingredients, and without REFINED SUGARS, it's a HEALTHY breakfast you'll want to enjoy year-round!
I usually start cooking and baking with pumpkin around the end of the October. Somewhere before Halloween. But this year I'm jumping on the pumpkin train rather late. Reason. Cinnamon. It's a star spice in my house for the last, well, a couple of weeks if not a month. But now I realized, cinnamon mania has to stop, and I really need to start making pumpkin treats for my family, or they will give me up.
I was in some super creative working mode last week. I decided to update my Homemade Pumpkin Puree recipe with new photos. I also made a bunch of Pumpkin Pie Spice for upcoming pumpkin madness. The first thing I did that includes both sweet and nutritious Pumpkin Puree and Fall-scented Pumpkin Spice was Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies, of course, followed with family favorite Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins.
The only reasonable thing to do afterward was to fill out my granola jar with, well, homemade, pumpkin-infused, beautifully flavored granola.
This Pumpkin Granola is crunchy, fragrant, and sweet. Loaded with seasonal flavors, hearty oats, nuts, seeds, and dried fruits. Most desirable breakfast (or late-night snack) option on my diet list. I'm making this recipe few years back, and it never disappoints me. Plus, this Pumpkin Granola recipe is one of the easiest granola breakfast recipes ever! It's a perfect nutritious breakfast for your family for a healthy start of the day.
Pumpkin Granola ingredients
To make this utterly delicious healthy Pumpkin Granola, I used all-natural, wholesome ingredients:
- OATS: Oats are incredibly healthy grain. They are an excellent source of fiber, especially beta-glucan, that is known for its power to lower cholesterol and, therefore, keep your heart healthy (1). Also, oats are high in vitamins, essential minerals, and powerful antioxidants. Not to mention, they are a good source of protein. Nutritious and cheep, so super healthy. It's a staple in my kitchen and my daily diet. I used quick oats here, but you can use rolled oats if you prefere more chewier texture.
- WALNUTS: I like to use walnuts when making granola. Walnuts are a good source of the plant-based omega-3, an essential fatty acid, and an excellent source of antioxidants that fights inflammation. (2) Walnuts are very nutritious, great for gut health, and since they are calorie-dense, they are great for weight loss too. Walnuts enriched granola with nutrients and gave nutty flavor and crunchiness.
- PUMPKIN SEEDS: Pumpkin seeds are an excellent source of dietary fiber and healthy plant-based omega-3s. The fiber in pumpkin seeds helps lower the total amount of cholesterol in the blood and decrease the risk of heart disease, while omega-3s reduce the possibility of heart attack and stroke. (3) Pumpkin seeds are also an excellent source of proteins and minerals like magnesium, zinc, calcium, potassium, copper, and iron. (4) Yup, pumpkin seeds may be small, but they're packed full of valuable nutrients.
- COCONUT OIL: Oil helps make granola crisp and irresistible. I like to use unrefined extra virgin coconut oil because it's full of nutrients and adds a lovely light flavor to the granola. You can substitute coconut oil with avocado oil here if you like. Other oils won't work well.
- PUMPKIN PUREE: Pumpkins are really impressive. It may not look like that, but they are. They are packed with vitamins and minerals, and especially high in beta-carotene, a potent antioxidant that our body turns into vitamin A which is essential for a strong immune system and helps fight infections. (5) Potassium and fiber in pumpkin lower blood pressure and a reduced risk of strokes — two risk factors for heart disease. (6) I'm always making pumpkin puree at home. It's cheep and naturally more flavorful than the store-bought canned stuff. If you're about to use canned pumpkin puree here, look for no added sugars and artificial flavorings.
To add some more flavor and spice things up, I used pumpkin spice. Pumpkin spice is not only full of beautiful seasonal flavors but adds many health benefits too. It's a mixture of:
- Ceylon Cinnamon: Ceylon cinnamon is loaded with powerful antioxidants with anti-inflammatory properties. (7)
- Ginger powder: Ginger is among the healthiest (and most delicious) spices on the planet. It is loaded with nutrients and bioactive compounds that have powerful benefits for your body and brain. But what ginger is most know, it's its anti-inflammatory properties.
- Nutmeg
- Allspice
- Clove
To sweeten things up I used pure maple syrup. Sweetener is necessary for making granola since it binds the mixture together. But the beauty in homemade granola is that you control how much sugar you add. And of course which sweetener you use. Since pumpkin puree added natural sweetness, I only used little added sweetener. You can swap maple syrup for raw honey or date syrup here if you like.
I also tossed in some dried cranberries, which are totally optional here. You can swap cranberries with other dried fruits, like raisins or currants or sultanas. Apricot works well here too. If you like the pumpkin-chocolate combo, feel free to add some chocolate chips or cacao nibs. What your taste buds desire.
How to make Pumpkin Granola
- Preheat the oven to 325F. Line big baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Chop the walnuts. Melt and cool the coconut oil.
- Prepare and measure all other ingredients using measuring cups.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 3 cups oats, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds. Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1 1/2 teaspoon Pumpkin Spice mix. Mix everything with spatula.
- In a small bowl, add 1/4 cup maple syrup, 1/2 cup Pumpkin Puree, 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled. Mix together using the whisk.
- Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients. Mix with a spatula until all of the dry ingredients are coated in the wet mixture.
- Spread granola onto the prepared baking sheet and flatten into one layer.
- Sprinkle with 1/3 cup dried cranberries, other dried fruits or chocolate chips
- Bake for 20 minutes and then stir granola to make sure everything bakes evenly. When stirring, don't get too crazy because you don't want to break up all of the clumps.
- Continue baking for another 10 minutes until everything is a nice golden color. Watch out not to over-bake and burn the granola.
- The granola will still be slightly sticky when you take it out and will crisp up after it cools.
- Cool down completely before serving and storing.
- Store in an airtight glass container for up to two months.
Substitutions
- I like used quick oats here, but you can substitute quick oats with rolled oats. Rolled oats will give denser chewier granola clusters.
- You can substitute maple syrup with honey or date syrup. Make sure honey is not raw but in liquid, runny form.
- Substitute dried cranberries with raisins, sultanas or currants. Dried apricots will work well too.
- Substitute dried fruits with dark chocolate chips or cacao nibs.
How to eat granola
- Serve granola with the milk.
- Serve granola with yogurt.
- Enjoy granola over ice cream.
- Serve granola with fruits and drizzle of nut butter.
- Snack granola straight out of the container.
- Make a parfait.
- Add granola to a yummy fruit salad.
Serving size
- A typical serving size of granola is up to 1/3 cup. Which means indulging a huge bowl of granola for breakfast is way excessive. But again serving size depends on your energy needs. So the right portion of a granola would be the portion that leaves you satisfied, but not stuffed.
Pumpkin Granola is delightful, sweet and just beyond delicious. But it's more than just that. It's a nutrient-dense meal full of HEALTHY ingredients. Perfect breakfast option for the whole family. Since it's made WITHOUT REFINED SUGARS, it's a right meal for those who are looking for high quality, fiber and energy-packed meal without excess, unnecessary calories.
This healthy homemade granola is great for digestion and weight loss. It WILL satisfy your morning energy needs and keep you full for long time. + It's perfect for snacking and gift-giving too. A must make this Fall!
Enjoy!
Pumpkin Granola recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups quick oats
- 1/2 cup walnuts roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon Himalayan salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice mix
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil melted and cooled
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries or chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325F. Line big baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Chop the walnuts. Melt and cool the coconut oil.
- Prepare and measure all other ingredients using measuring cups.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, chopped walnuts, pumpkin seeds. Add salt and Pumpkin Spice mix. Mix everything with spatula.
- In a small bowl, mix maple syrup, Pumpkin Puree, melted and cooled coconut oil. Mix together using the whisk.
- Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients. Mix with a spatula until all of the dry ingredients are coated in the wet mixture.
- Spread granola onto the prepared baking sheet and flatten into one layer.
- Sprinkle with dried cranberries, other dried fruits or chocolate chips.
- Bake for 20 minutes and then stir granola to make sure everything bakes evenly. When stirring, don't get too crazy because you don't want to break up all of the clumps.
- Continue baking for another 10 minutes until everything is a nice golden color. Watch out not to over-bake and burn the granola.
- The granola will still be slightly sticky when you take it out and will crisp up after it cools.
- Cool down completely before serving and storing.
- Store in an airtight glass container for up to two months.
Notes
Substitute quick oats with rolled oats.
Substitute maple syrup with honey or date syrup. Make sure honey is not raw but in liquid, runny form.
Substitute dried cranberries with raisins, sultanas or currants. Dried apricots will work well too.
Substitute dried fruits with dark chocolate chips or cacao nibs. Make it GLUTEN-FREE: Use certified gluten-free oats. As a measure, I used US cup (240ml). Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but I have endeavored to be as accurate as possible.
Nutrition
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That looks so tasty and healthy too