Homemade Pumpkin Granola
The spices of fall baked goods are my favorite, so today I added pumpkin pie spice to a traditional granola along with a fair amount of nuts (for good crunch), both pecans and pumpkin seeds, then this sort of concentrated pumpkin puree and I finished it with some tart dried cranberries. The way all of those ingredients pair together is simply dreamy. This granola is amazing, to say the least. It will definitely be my go-to fall granola, forget about your store-bought granola. I would serve this over yogurt, oatmeal, pudding, in a smoothie bowl, or ice cream, sprinkled on my pumpkin pie or other pumpkin baked goods, and even eat it as a trail mix type of snack! Most rolled oats and steel-cut oats are gluten-free, so it’s possible to enjoy this recipe for a gluten-free or keto diet as long as you check your ingredients. This recipe is also naturally vegan!
Pumpkin Granola Recipe Tips
Pumpkin granola can be a little tricky because of all that excess moisture in the pumpkin. The balance of your wet ingredients and your dry ingredients is really important. With homemade granola, we are working to dry it not make it wetter. After my first attempt of adding pumpkin puree as is I ended up with a pumpkin granola that was slightly soggy, so I determined to simply squeeze a fair amount of the pumpkin’s moisture out using paper towels. It worked like a charm because the second time around I got just what I was looking for. A deliciously crunchy pumpkin spice granola with just the right amount of flavor. I also changed the recipe to add the pumpkin seeds near the end because I felt like mine were too toasted (the pecans were fine but the pumpkin seeds were too toasty after baking that long). Also, it’s likely you’ll need the extra 10 minutes at 250 to fully dry the granola out so just plan accordingly. You can also try adding raisins, walnuts, chocolate chips, toffee bits, chopped candy, or a drizzle of maple syrup. Enjoy!
Other Pumpkin Spice Recipes to Try
Pumpkin Waffles Pumpkin Pie Pop Tarts Praline Pumpkin Mousse Turtle Pumpkin Pie Pumpkin Bars
