Baking a batch of Pumpkin Granola will fill your home with aromas reminiscent of fall. This recipe combines pumpkin puree’ and spice with hearty old-fashioned rolled oats. It’s lightly sweetened with maple syrup and a touch of brown sugar.
A long, slow bake ensures irresistibly crunchy granola clusters, perfect for snacking or breakfast. This recipe is vegetarian, vegan and easily gluten free.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Recipe Review: “We love this recipe ! Have made several times.” ~ Barb
Highlights of Crunchy Pumpkin Granola
The essence of fall in a satisfying crunchy snack, like my popular Maple Pecan Granola thats made without pumpkin puree, this homemade pumpkin granola recipe is simple to pull together with 20 minutes hands on time.
We made a lot of granola at the bakery because it was a customer favorite and it had a long shelf life. It’s a convenient pantry staple for home bakers because it can hang out in the pantry for about a week, and is ready for snackin’, or quick, ready-made breakfasts.
This Recipe Is
- fresh and pumpkiny
- not *too* sweet
- perfect for snacking or breakfast
If you love homemade Pumpkin Recipes, you’ll enjoy this crunchy pumpkin granola.
Standout Ingredients
- Pumpkin Puree – you can use Homemade Pumpkin Puree (it’s easy to make!) or canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie puree).
- Coconut Oil – this helps create a crispy texture and also helps hold the granola together, forming irresistible clumps of crisp granola. I use unrefined coconut oil, but you can use refined if that’s what you have on hand.
- Dried Cranberries – opt for apple juice-sweetened cranberries or sugar-sweetened cranberries. You can use unsweetened cranberries for a more tart experience! Look for dried cranberries in the bulk bins for the best value.
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How to Make Pumpkin Granola
step by step
You’ll notice a long, slow bake at a low temperature for this recipe. A low temperature helps dry the granola out, ensuring crunchy clusters and a long storage life.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy as a snack or for breakfast; here are a few ideas:
- As Pumpkin Cereal: Crumble the granola into bite-size pieces and share it with cold milk poured over the top. It’s quite tasty with Homemade Cashew Milk.
- As a Snack: Pack crunchy clusters into individual snack containers for an easy grab-and-go snack.
- Yogurt Parfait: Layer granola, Greek yogurt, or dairy-free yogurt, and dried cranberries in a glass or bowl. Repeat the layers to create a beautiful and tasty parfait.
Traci’s Tips
- Before Baking: Stir the mixture thoroughly, ensuring all the dry ingredients are covered in the wet ingredients.
- During Baking: Do not stir the granola while it’s baking, as this will reduce clustering.
- After Baking: Allow the granola to cool completely before transferring it to a storage container. This also aids in big crunchy clusters!
- Kitchen Tools: I recommend an external oven thermometer and weighing ingredients using a digital kitchen scale for the best outcome (affiliate link).
Crunchy Pumpkin Granola with Cranberries
Servings:13 1/2 C Servings
Calories:384kcal
Baking a batch of Pumpkin Granola will fill your home with aromas reminiscent of fall. This recipe combines pumpkin puree' and spice with hearty old-fashioned rolled oats, pecans, pepitas, and dried cranberries. It's lightly sweetened with maple syrup, and a touch of brown sugar. Make it with fresh Homemade Pumpkin Puree or the convenience of canned pumpkin puree. A long, slow bake ensures crunchy granola clusters, perfect for snacking or breakfast. This recipe is vegetarian, vegan and easily gluten free. *You can sub the ground spices for 1 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice + 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon.
Ingredients
- 4 cups (385 grams) Old Fashioned Rolled Oats Regular or Gluten Free – not the quick cook variety
- 1/2 cup (75 grams) Pepitas raw, unsalted
- 1/2 cup (80 grams) Sunflower Seeds hulled, raw, unsalted
- 1 1/2 cups (160 grams) Pecans shelled, raw
- 1/3 cup (60 grams) Light Brown Sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon ground
- 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg ground
- 1/2 teaspoon Cloves ground
- 1/4 teaspoon Ginger ground
- 1/2 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
- 3/4 cup (190 grams) Pumpkin Puree' canned or homemade
- 1/2 cup (160 grams) Maple Syrup
- 1/4 cup (55 grams) Coconut Oil melted
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 cup (110 grams) Dried Cranberries sugar or apple juice sweetened*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 275 Fahrenheit (135 Celsius). Line large 13×18 inch (33cm x 45cm) sheet pan with parchment paper (do not use a silpat).
- Rough chop half the pecans. Then, transfer all the pecans to a large mixing bowl. To the pecans, add the other dry ingredients: oats, sunflower seeds, pepitas, pecans, brown sugar and spices. Mix. Set aside.
- In a small sauce pot, getnly warm the pumpkin, coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla extract just warm to the touch. Whisk well to incorporate the ingredients.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Using a wooden spoon, mix well, incorporating all the ingredients so that every little oat grain is coated with delicious pumpkin spice mix.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared sheet pan, pushing the granola into the corners. Spread evenly, then using the back of wooden spoon, firmly press the granola into the pan.
- Bake at 275 Fahrenheit (135 Celsius) for 60 minutes. Do not stir. Rotate the pan, and increase the temperature to 300 Fahrenheit (150 Celsius) for 10-20 minutes. The granola will be fragrant and toasty golden brown yet still somewhat soft to the touch. It will firm up as it cools. Don't be tempted to stir if clustering is desired.
- Remove from oven and allow the granola to cool completely in the pan (if you can), about one hour, before gently tossing with cranberries. Handle the granola gently to retain chunky clusters.
- Store in a covered container for about a week.
Notes
Dried Cranberries: opt for apple juice-sweetened cranberries or sugar-sweetened cranberries. You can use unsweetened cranberries for a more tart experience!
The long bake on this granola ensures a nice crunchy granola. Start checking to make sure the granola is not getting too dark about ten minutes after increasing the temp. to 300F. It will still be just slightly ‘soft,’ but will firm up as it cools creating a nice crunchy texture.
Granola may be frozen for up to two weeks in a lidded container to keep it fresh. Thaw at room temperature.
Adapted from my Maple Pecan Granola Recipe.
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
Serving: 1, 1/2 cup serving | Calories: 384kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.004g | Sodium: 96mg | Potassium: 314mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 2286IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 3mg
Made It? Leave a comment below! The most helpful comment may include recipe rating, feedback, any modifications and/or helping other commenters. On Instagram? Take a snap of your make and share, tagging @VanillaAndBean #VanillaAndBean!
We love this recipe ! Have made several times
Love hearing this Barb! Thank you for your note!
So easy and so good.
Thank you for your note and rating, Alison! SO excited!
This recipe looks very good. I am wondering on what size serving the nutrition information is based.
Hi Kat! It’s for one, 1/2 cup serving. I hope this helps!
I’ve now made this granola twice and we just love it. I always have a container of homemade granola on hand and this has quickly turned into our favourite. A delicious start to the day with some almond milk and stewed apples from my trees. I made some muffins with the pumpkin puree I had left over………which were also yummy
Hi Sue! You’ve totally made my day! No doubt one of my favorite Fall granolas. If you like this one, you’re sure to love my ultimate year round favorite: Maple Pecan Granola ! I love your addition of stewed apples from your trees. Your morning breakfast sounds divine! Thank you for sharing with us! :D
Stewed apples with breakfast cereal is something I loved from my childhood and still one of my favourite breakfasts! Unlike my Mum, I don’t sweeten my apples as they are sweet enough, don’t cook them to a pulp and add cinnamon and/or other spices. Will definitely try your Maple Pecan granola when the pumpkin season is over