Easy Pumpkin Spice Granola

Sweet, spicy and extra crunchy, this pumpkin spice granola is the epitome of an autumn breakfast! Whether you choose to enjoy it sprinkled on yogurt, in a bowl or by the handful, the flavors of pumpkin and warm spices will quickly become addictive!

Of all the breakfast foods out there, I will have to admit that granola may be one of my favorites. There’s just something about the crunchy texture combined with nuts and dried fruit that hits the spot for me. And, when pumpkin spice is added to the mix, I’m officially obsessed.

Many store bought granolas are laden with sugar, oil and artificial flavors, making granola less of a health food and more of a dessert item. When you make homemade granola, you get to control what goes into it, which means you can be sure that you’re consuming a wholesome and delicious breakfast. Trust me, once you make granola, you will never go back to those bags of grocery store granola again! Check out the ingredient list below:

Ingredients

Old-Fashioned Oats~ Oats contain a high amount of nutrients and fiber, which helps you to feel full long after eating. Oats are the key component of granola; you can’t make it without them! For this recipe, I only recommend using old-fashioned rolled oats, not quick cooking, or steel cut.

Pumpkin Pie Spice~ You can buy pumpkin pie spice from the grocery store, or you can make your own by mixing together ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and allspice. There are several great recipes online for homemade pumpkin pie spice.

Salt~ This ingredient is especially important because it balances the sweetness of the granola.

Brown Sugar~ I love the flavor of brown sugar paired with pumpkin spice because it adds a rich, almost caramel note. You can substitute white granulated sugar if needed. I believe that maple syrup or honey would work as well, but I have not tested those ingredients so I cannot vouch for those results.

Eggs~ Many granola recipes do not include eggs, but I have found that eggs give granola an extra crunch and golden brown color. I do not recommend making egg substitutions in this recipe because you may end up with chewy, soft granola.

Canned Pumpkin Puree~ You can’t have pumpkin spice without pumpkin! Be sure to use 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which contains a lot of added sugar.

Oil~ I used canola oil, but vegetable, olive or melted coconut oil would work well too.

Chopped Nuts~ I used walnuts, but pecans would be delicious as well. You could even try using slivered almonds or pumpkin seeds instead. Or, if you have a nut allergy, skip the nuts altogether and add extra dried fruit, shredded coconut or chocolate chips.

Sweetened Dried Cranberries~ Raisins would also work as a substitute.

The Dance

I love making granola because it is super simple to put together. In a large bowl stir together the dry ingredients before stirring in the wet ingredients along with the nuts and dried fruit. Your oat mixture should only be slightly wet. If you wish to add chocolate chips to your granola, wait until after the granola has been removed the oven, rather than adding them before baking.

Spread your oat mixture in an even layer on a large baking pan that is greased with cooking spray. Bake the granola for 15 minutes and then remove from the oven to stir. Place the pan back in the oven and bake for another 15 minutes before stirring again. Repeat this process one more time, or until your granola is golden brown and dry. Allow the granola to cool in the pan 15-20 minutes before consuming. As it cools, it will become crunchy.

Store cooled granola in glass jars until ready to serve. I will eat this granola dry with a spoon, but my favorite way to enjoy it is sprinkled on yogurt or a smoothie bowl. Absolutely perfect for a healthy autumn breakfast. 🙂

Got Leftover Pumpkin? Try out these recipes:

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Whole-Wheat Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

Easy Pumpkin Spice Granola

Sweet, spicy and extra crunchy, this pumpkin spice granola is the epitome of an autumn breakfast! Whether you choose to enjoy it sprinkled on yogurt, in a bowl or by the handful, the flavors of pumpkin and warm spices will quickly become addictive!

5 from 5 votes

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Servings 6 cups*

Calories 130 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 4 cups old-fashioned oats
• 2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• 1 cup dried cranberries

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees fahrenheit and grease a large 13 x 18 inch baking sheet pan with cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, stir together the oats, pumpkin pie spice, salt and brown sugar. Add the pumpkin puree, oil and eggs and stir until all ingredients are incorporated before mixing in the nuts and dried cranberries.
• Pour the granola onto your prepared pan and spread it out in an even layer. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and toss the granola before placing back in the oven. Continue to bake in 15 minute intervals, stirring in between each interval, or until the granola is golden brown. Mine took about 45 minutes or three 15-min intervals.
• The granola will become crunchy as it cools, so allow the granola to cool 15-20 minutes before enjoying.

Notes

*This recipe makes 6 cups of granola, which is about 18 one-third cup servings. Calorie calculation is based on 1/3 cup of granola.

**You can switch up the add-ins if you wish. Sliced almonds, pumpkin seeds, raisins, shredded coconut and chocolate chips are all great choices. If you add chocolate, don’t add it until after the granola has been removed from the oven. Sprinkle chocolate over the cooling granola so that it melts slightly.

***Store granola is airtight mason jars at room temperature for up to one week.

Keyword autumn, granola, healthy, pumpkin