My good friend Gayle, who blogs over at Pumpkin ‘N Spice beat me to the pumpkin granola, but is there really such a thing as too much pumpkin granola?? I didn’t think so!
While there is no actual pumpkin in this granola, I added all the delicious spices that you would put in your pumpkin pie, along with some pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries and it is pretty tasty!
I’m embarrassed to admit that this is the first time I’ve ever made granola. I know, I’m so behind it’s sad, but for some reason I always thought that it would be complicated to make. And guess what? I was completely wrong and from this day forward I will only ever eat homemade granola for breakfast!
As healthy as I try to be, breakfast is always the one meal that I drop the ball on. My husband is one of those people who wakes up at least an hour and a half before he has to leave the house and he has an entire morning ritual that he takes part in. It involves drinking coffee, making a nutritious breakfast, and reading sports articles online while listening to the radio.
I, on the other hand, hit the snooze button about seven times until I realize that if I absolutely don’t get up at that very second I will be late. I then cuddle with Cheeto for about five minutes while I tell myself that Cheeto cuddle time is much more important than being on time for work. I then jump into the shower for about three minutes and thank god that my work uniform is long pants and I don’t have to show my un-shaved and neglected legs.
After I get out of the shower I curse having to put on my uniform because it consists of long pants and a long sleeved shirt and it is 100 degrees out, not to mention I can never look stylish at work, but at the same time I’m kind of thankful because I don’t have to spend extra time deciding on what to wear. And, let me tell you I could probably spend hours picking out my outfit!
I then spend about ten minutes walking around the house making sure that every door is closed and locked and that every burner on the stove is off. There is a slight chance I get a little obsessive over this, but who can blame me when I have a cute little cat sitting at home all day?! There is also a change that sometimes I drive a few minutes away and then drive all the way back home to make absolute sure that I closed the door. Did I mention I was a little obsessive?! At this point, breakfast is the last thing on my mind. I just want to make sure that I pack enough to eat for lunch because I know I will be starving by the time noon rolls around after my breakfast of champions that consists of 1 plain rice cake or a handful of almonds. I told you my breakfast menu was pretty pathetic!
My lazy morning routine is one of the reasons I fell in love with this granola, besides the fact that it has all these delicious pumpkin flavors in it! How I’m currently enjoying this granola is by putting some of it in a tupperware or bowl with some almond milk the night before and placing in into the refrigerator so that I can easily grab it in the morning to eat quickly or bring with me to work. Soaking it in milk for a while, or even overnight, softens it up and really intensifies the flavor! You can, of course, enjoy this granola however you want!
PrintPumpkin Spiced Granola with Pepitas & Dried Cranberries
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 5-6 cups 1x
Ingredients
- 4 cups old fashioned oats, certified gluten free if necessary
- 2 tablespoons flax meal (optional)
- 3 tablespoons hemp hearts (optional)
- 3/4 cup unsalted roasted pumpkin seeds
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven the 350 degrees F. Add all of the ingredients into a large bowl and mix until combined. Pour oat mixture onto a large backing sheet and spread out with your hands. Place into the oven and bake for about ten minutes. Remove pan and stir granola, place pan back into the oven and bake for another 15 minutes, until granola is just beginning to brown.
- Serve with almond milk or yogurt, if desired.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Category: Breakfast, Gluten Free, Vegan
My little pumpkin, when he was a lot littler!
I love the flavor combination but I decided to add dried cherries (I cut them in half or thirds) and I wish the recipe suggested adding the dried fruit at the end and not in the oven as it burned quite a bit so I took out all the burned pieces and re-added new dried cherries. I also read on another site to allow the granola to cool for 45 minutes before touching it so it gets some nice clumps, and that worked well.
this looks yummy! Gotta try!
Thanks! I hope you enjoy š
Haha I’ve totally driven away from the house and had to come back and check if I turned off the stove since I can be a bit obsessive and scatterbrained too š
I am a granola and oats lover so love seeing me more granola recipes š It looks delicious – love the pumpkin spice and pepitas in here, perfect for fall!
Haha, I’m so glad I’m not the only crazy one! It is so hard to remember sometimes and especially scary when you have pets at home! I’m a big granola lover too and I think I will be making this granola all winter long š
I love this simple breakfast idea, very healthy and loaded with wonderful ingredients! Never even thought of making pumpkin granola, but I’ll definitely try it! Just in time for fall!
Thanks Mira! I still can’t believe it took me so long to make my own granola! I will definitely be making it more often now! I’m glad you like this fall pumpkin granola š
haha you are not alone! I am so obsessive about checking and re-checking to make sure everything is off! I get terrified with Emma home by herself!
And this granola looks wonderful – homemade granola is the best!
I’m glad I’m not the only crazy person out there! Sometimes I wish I could just bring Cheeto to work with me so I wouldn’t have to worry so much! I think we need to get pet cams so we can watch them all day to make sure everything is ok š
I have made and eaten granola more times than I care to admit but I have to say I have never tried a pumpkin flavoured granola before. Thanks for the great recipe & inspiration… you can definitely consider that I will be recreating it!
It is so easy to make, I have no idea why it has taken me until now to make my own! I hope you love this pumpkin flavored granola, Thalia š
This granola sounds amazing! Looks like the perfect breakfast, so good!
Thanks Jess š
Oooh, I remember those kinds of mornings when I was living in Greece and rushing to the office every morning. I would rarely leave time for breakfast at home, which incidentally was a great excuse to get breakfast from the bakery across the road from the office. š
As for the granola, it looks and sounds absolutely fabulous! I just love that you’ve put all those lovely spices in there – especially the ginger!
That is a great excuse to get a bakery breakfast! Maybe I should top making granola and start doing that instead, haha! I’ve been using a lot of ground ginger lately and I just love it so much! Glad you do too, Helen š
I’m just a little obsessive too, so I know what you mean! I check and recheck to make sure my hair straightener is turned off, the doors are locked, and the garage door is shut. And that’s hard work! š Your pumpkin granola looks amazing, Izzy! I love that you added pepitas and dried cranberries in here. Gives it the perfect flavor and touch. I’m definitely pinning to try out your recipe!
I do that too with the hair straightener! I’ve actually started taking it with me when I leave just so I know for sure I’ve unplugged it, haha! Glad I’m not the only obsessive one out there!
No such thing as too much granola! Especially when it’s pumpkin spiced. yum!
Yah! I’m glad you agree, Natalie! Pumpkin spice all the way š
Yep, granola is the perfect breakfast for grab and go mornings. Love the pumpkin spices in here. If that smell in the house doesn’t make us feel like it’s fall I don’t know what will!
Thanks Katie! I think I will be eating this granola for breakfast for years to come! It really does make the house smell fantastic š