Homemade granola is one of my favourite things to make! It is super easy, you can throw together whatever ingredients you have on hand and its much cheaper than buying the store bought varieties that are often loaded with unnecessary sugar.
If you love granola that is crunchy with tons of flavour, this recipe is for you! In fact, my husband said this might be his favourite granola recipe yet!
If you have been hanging around this website for a while you have probably noticed I like to squeeze as many veggies into the foods I make as possible. Not because I try and “hide’ them from my family but because we really need to use every opportunity that we can to get in our recommended daily dose of veggies and fruit.
The pumpkin in this recipe helps give it the best texture and adds a subtle pop of flavour. Combined with the cinnamon and pecans it is the perfect easy recipe to keep in the pantry for a quick snack!
Granola is so versatile and can be used for overnight oats, yogurt, cereal, trail mix snack, lunch kit snack, the possibilities are endless!
Tips for Maple Pecan Pumpkin Granola
Gluten free tips – I used gluten-free oats in this recipe but be sure to choose certified gluten-free oats if you have an intolerance for gluten. Most oats are free of wheat gluten but because of cross-contamination from processing, it is important to check that it is certified gluten free.
Tips for Pecans – Pecans are a soft nut and I find they can burn quite easily. It is important to keep an eye on the granola while its baking and stir it so you can see how the pecans are doing since heat can vary drastically from oven to oven. Feel free to turn down the temp and cook lower and slower if you feel your pecans are getting to dark too quick.
Stop the stick – I prefer to cook granola on parchment or silicon baking sheets. It will save you a ton of clean up and also prevents the granola from sticking to the pan and helps it to cook evenly.
Storing your granola – The biggest tip I can give you is to make sure the granola is completely cooled before storing it in an airtight container. If you try to store warm granola the moisture causes it to get soggy, not to mention the bacteria that will form because of the moisture. Let the granola cool completely then store in airtight glass containers (we like to use mason jars).
Maple Pecan Pumpkin Granola
Ingredients
- 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (certified glute-free oats, if needed)
- 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
- 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 3 tbsp coconut oil, melted
- 3 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp himalayan sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl toss oats, pecans and pumpkin seeds.
- In a smaller bowl, combine pumpkin puree, maple syrup, coconut oil, cinnamon, vanilla and salt. Stir to combine.
- Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir mixture well.
- Spread granola out onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or no slip mat) and spread evenly.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden. Stir every 8-10 minutes for even browning and to check on pecans.
- Cool completely before storing in mason jars or airtight glass container.
Leave a Reply