Major homemade granola kick happening at our house right now!
Here’s another homemade granola recipe for y’all…flavored with pumpkin and pumpkin-y spices! And packed with a little flaxseed punch too!
(If you can’t find canned pumpkin in your stores, you can still buy it in bulk from Amazon. It will be back in stores, probably for a limited time, during the holiday season in November and December.)
Anyhoo…add this to your list to try later this fall…or whenever you can get your hands on some canned pumpkin. I used my last can that I’d stockpiled last year to make this!
(If you’d like to know how to cook a pumpkin in your slow cooker, Toni has a great tutorial!)
Mix together the pumpkin, applesauce, maple and vanilla.
Dump that mixture in with the oats and spices.
Combine well and lay onto parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
While the granola is baking…chop the pecans.
After the granola has cooked for 20 minutes, mix in the pecans.
And mix in the raisins (or other dried fruit) after the granola has cooked.
Perfect in a bowl with milk, on top of plain or vanilla yogurt or just as it is!
Pumpkin Pecan Granola
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup applesauce
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 3 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp almond or vanilla extract (or you could use maple extract if you have some, or use homemade vanilla extract!)
- 2 cups quick cooking oats
- 2 cups traditional oats
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup flaxseed (optional)
- 1 tsp cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger - each
- 1 cup pecans, chopped
- 1 cup raisins
Instructions
- Preheat to 300.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the applesauce, pumpkin puree, maple syrup and extract.
- In larger mixing bowl, toss together the 2 kinds of oats (I use both kinds because I find it clumps better, as the littler oats can get into the "crevices" of the bigger oats...making nice clumps!), brown sugar, flaxseed, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.
- Spoon the pumpkin mixture into the oats mixture and combine until all the oats are covered in the pumpkin mixture.
- Spread onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, then gently toss and mix in the pecans and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes.
- Stir in the raisins or other dried fruit after it has cooled some on a cooling rack.
- Store in an airtight container for up to a week. Beyond a week, I recommend storing in a plastic container or freezer baggie in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Serve Pumpkin Pecan Granola as is, over yogurt or with milk.
P.S. You could certainly eliminate the brown sugar and up the maple syrup to 1/4 cup if you prefer!
P.P.S. I used whole flaxseeds. If you wanted to grind them before mixing them in, that’ll work too!
Amy says
Sounds so good. I’ll probably use dried cranberries instead of raisins. I love the taste of pumpkin and cranberry.
Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom says
Perfect Amy…If I’d had cranberries on hand, I’d have used them. Love that flavor combo too!
Erin
TERRI says
Yum, thank you, i am doing this for me!
Sarah @frontier kitchen says
Yum! I can’t wait to make this. I totally snagged four pie pumpkins at the farmers market last weekend because ever since the great pumpkin shortage of 2009, I’ve gotten hooked on making my own pumpkin puree – it’s so fresh and yummy!
Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom says
Good for you Sarah! Hope you enjoy it!
Alicia @AliciaRuns says
Can you sub corn syrup or breakfast syrup for the maple? I never have it on hand ($$$). Thanks!
Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom says
I would sub breakfast syrup…or add some brown sugar and some butter…perhaps melted together in the microwave!
Amy @ MomsTravelTales says
Yum!!!
And this would make a great travel snack, too. Bag it up and pop it in the carry-ons. 🙂
Or send it to school lunch with a small package of yogurt and a freezer pack.
Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom says
It sure would Amy! Great ideas!
Pam says
What you failed to explain that when you make this, Your house smells absolutely wonderful. Oh my, I can’t wait to make it again closer to the holidays. I made this b/c the first day of fall is upon us and wanted to celebrate. It won’t last long around here.
Thanks so much for sharing!!
Aimee says
Is there a way to make it a granola bar so it travels maybe a little easier?
Jessica says
Thanks for the recipe, made this tonight, the house smells really good 🙂
Demetria says
FINALLY got all the ingredients so I can give this a try this weekend. Been drooling since I first saw the recipe. Thanks! 😀
Emily says
Erin, this just came out of the oven and I literally could not stop myself from enjoying a bowl! I tweaked some things, like using coconut oil and honey instead of maple and applesauce, and I didn’t have pecans so it was smashed almonds, pepitas, and sunflower seeds. Oh, and dried cherries and raisins. I have to say, the pumpkin is PURE GENIUS! You really smell & taste it!
Heather says
This was great! Will be making another batch tomorrow.
Jillian says
I made this granola this morning and I ate about half of it right off the pan before it cooled enough to put in a storage container. Will definately be making this again, probably… tomorrow! Thanks for this great recipe!
Rachel says
Fantastic! Never knew I liked granola cereal until I tried your super easy, pumpkin granola. Now, I always make a double batch…some for the freezer and/ or some to share with Grandma (if I can part with it). 🙂