You Need Pumpkin Spice Granola In Your Life This Fall

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Fall is a time when the weather cools down, and our schedules become packed with meetings, get-togethers, and holiday celebrations.

Vertical overhead image of a white bowl of pumpkin spice granola on a gray background, with more of the cereal in soft focus as the top of the frame, printed with orange and white text in the top third and at the bottom of the frame.

If you’re having a stressful day, pumpkin spice granola is the answer.

For me, baking is a relaxing ritual that’s an absolute must at this time of year, and the scent of this super-snackable recipe baking in the oven is downright calming and addictive.

It’s the perfect way to fill your home with the scent of warming spices, and all of those seasonal flavors that you are craving right now.

It’s better than any scented candle you can buy. I swear, if I could somehow get this scent into a candle, I’m pretty sure I’d be a millionaire.

The enticing aroma is just that good!

Vertical image of a glass jar overflowing with homemade granola, with more scattered on the surface, and a white cloth topped with a white ceramic bowl of cereal beside a glass bottle of milk in the background, against a gray backdrop, with selective focus.

It’s like walking into a bakery that specializes in making nothing but pumpkin pies. (Why doesn’t that kind of place exist in real life?)

This recipe has cinnamon, nutmeg, maple, and pumpkin to give you the full autumn experience.

And then, that taste is followed up by ALL the texture you could ask for. There’s hearty oats, and a killer combination of seeds – hemp, pumpkin, and sunflower.

Each of those seeds brings a different kind of flavor with it, and the crunchiness of these ingredients all baked together… oh wow, it’s just delicious.

Vertical overhead image of a jar and a white ceramic bowl of homemade granola, with more spilled onto the dark gray surface below, with a glass bottle of milk, a spoon, and a white cloth napkin.

I really cannot stop eating this. And there are so many ways to enjoy it.

You can gobble up a handful for a snack in the afternoon, or add it to a bowl with your favorite kind of milk.

It’s a perfect start to the day, especially if you’re ready to swap out your usual soft and creamy pumpkin oatmeal for something with a fun crunchy texture. I’ve also been loading up yogurt parfaits with a hearty helping of this masterpiece for a delicious breakfast. And you can sprinkle it on your favorite ice cream or frozen yogurt for dessert.

We’d recommend our recipe for pumpkin cinnamon ice cream. Will there ever be a limit to going over-the-top with fall flavors? Nope, nope, nope.

Vertical closely cropped image of a hand pouring milk from a glass fluted bottle into a white ceramic bowl of granola with pumpkin seeds.

I have no plans to curb my newfound habit of devouring this delicious creation in every way that I can, every single day until it’s gone. I keep thinking that the next batch I make, I’ll actually give it away to share the goodness with my friends and family… but somehow it just winds up in my bowl the next morning, with some yogurt and fresh berries.

So for all you pumpkin lovers out there, you need to make this recipe right away!

Vertical image of a white ceramic bowl of homemade pumpkin spice granola and milk with a spoon, on a gray cloth surface with more of the cereal in soft focus in the background.

If you’re anything like me, your plans for tonight will involve snuggling up in your favorite hoodie with a fuzzy blanket, a bowlful of this tasty snack, and a pumpkin beer.

Too much? Nope, you can never have too much pumpkin in the fall!

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Horizontal overhead image of a white ceramic bowl of homemade pumpkin spice granola and milk, on a white cloth to the right and a gray striped cloth to the left, on a gray surface.

Pumpkin Spice Granola

★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Meghan Yager
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
Print Recipe

Description

Homemade pumpkin spice granola will be your new favorite snack this fall, made with hearty oats, crunchy seeds, and a sweet dose of maple and pumpkin spice.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 cups rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup ground flax seeds
  • 1/2 cup hemp seeds
  • 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
  • 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
  • 1/2 cup canned or homemade pure pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
  • 2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
  • 2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 3/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 300˚F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, stir together oats, flax seeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds. Set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, stir together pumpkin puree, maple syrup, coconut oil, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt until combined. 
  4. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and stir together until well combined, and all the oats and seeds are coated well. 
  5. Spread mixture evenly onto the baking sheet.
  6. Bake for 15 minutes, then stir well. Make sure to spread the mixture back out into an even layer before returning to the oven. Bake for another 15 minutes.
  7. Stir and continue baking for 8-10 more minutes, or until lightly browned. Watch closely to prevent burning.
  8. Let cool completely in the pan, then break up into small pieces. Store in an airtight container.
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Category: Granola
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: Breakfast

Keywords: pumpkin, pumpkin spice, granola

Cooking By the Numbers…

Step 1 – Melt Coconut Oil and Measure Remaining Ingredients

Overhead horizontal image of one small square and six small glass bowls of maple syrup, spices, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds, and pumpkin puree, and a larger stainless steel bowl of uncooked oats, on a mottled gray and white surface.

Add coconut oil to a small microwave-safe bowl. Melt in the microwave, about 15-30 seconds.

Measure out all remaining ingredients as listed on the ingredients list.

You can use canned plain pumpkin (the kind without any spices already added) or homemade roasted pumpkin puree to make this recipe.

Preheat oven to 300˚F. Use parchment paper to line a large rimmed baking sheet.

Step 2 – Combine Dry Ingredients

Horizontal overhead image of a stainless steel bowl with separate quadrants of pepitas, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, and oats filling the bottom, on a gray and white spongepainted background.

Add the oats and all the different seeds to a large mixing bowl. Stir together to combine and then set aside.

Horizontal closely cropped overhead image of a stainless steel bowl of oats and pumpkin seeds, on a blue-gray sponge painted surface.

Step 3 – Combine Wet Ingredients

Horizontal closely cropped image of a stainless steel bowl with a ring handle, containing a brown mixture that is being stirred with a wire whisk, on a gray and white spongepainted surface.

Add the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt to a medium bowl. Stir together until well-combined.

Horizontal closely cropped overhead image of a stainless steel bowl containing a wet oat and seed mixture, being stirred with a red silicone spatula, on a gray background.

Add the wet mixture to the oats and seeds. Stir well, making sure all the oats and seeds are coated evenly.

Step 4 – Bake

Horizontal overhead image of a mixture of seeds and grains to make granola, spread in a single layer on a metal rimmed sheet pan.

Spread the mixture in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes, then stir. Make sure that it is spread out in an even layer again before returning the pan to the oven.

I like to rotate the pan when I put it back in the oven, to ensure even baking. Bake for another 15 minutes.

Horizontal overhead closely cropped image of an oat and seed mixture spread in a thin layer in a large metal baking sheet, on a gray surface.

Stir again, and spread back into an even layer. Bake for another 8-10 minutes, until it is lightly browned. Be sure to keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn.

Step 5 – Break Up and Store

Horizontal overhead image of a white ceramic bowl of homemade pumpkin spice granola and milk, on a white cloth to the right and a gray striped cloth to the left, on a gray surface.

Let the mixture cool completely in the pan before breaking the granola up into small pieces with your hands.

Store in an airtight container.

How Do I Store Granola and Keep It Crunchy?

When it comes to storing granola, you want to make sure the mixture is fully cooled before you store it.

To store your granola properly, add it to an airtight container. This can be a plastic container with a lid, zip-top bags, or a mason jar. Be sure to keep it in a cool, dry spot when you are storing it to provide the longest possible shelf life.

Horizontal image of a jar overfilled with homemade granola to the right with more spilling out around it on a gray surface, with a crumpled white cloth napkin, white bowl of cereal, and spoon to the left.

You can also freeze your granola in a resealable freezer bag, if you choose.

Are you looking for even more granola recipes to make throughout the year? Here are some of our favorite varieties:

Avoiding grains entirely? Check out our grain-free granola for a delicious option!

What are your favorite ways to use pumpkin in the fall? How will you enjoy this crunchy and tasty autumn treat? Tell us in the comments below, and be sure to rate the recipe as well after you’ve given it a try!

Photos by Meghan Yager, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published on November 8, 2013. September 22, 2019. With additional writing and editing by Allison Sidhu.

Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.

About Meghan Yager

Meghan Yager is a food addict turned food and travel writer with a love for creating uncomplicated, gourmet recipes and devouring anything the world serves up. As the author of the food and travel blog Cake 'n Knife, Meghan focuses on unique foodie experiences from around the world to right at home in your own kitchen.

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