Pumpkin Seed Granola Recipe » LeelaLicious (2024)

This crunchy pumpkin seed granola is chock-full of quinoa, sunflower and pumpkin seeds. It makes for a great seasonal breakfast.

About Pumpkin Seed Granola

People often enjoy granola for breakfast or even for a snack. It is usually a crunchy mixture of nuts, oats, dried fruit, syrup, and flavourings that is baked until crisp and golden in the oven.

While you could purchase granola from the grocery store, it can be much more affordable to make it at home. Plus, you have full control of what you put into the mixture.

This pumpkin seed granola blend is perfect for fall when the weather is crisp and pumpkin spice flavours are on the menu. This crunchy blend comprises of oats, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, quinoa, and pecans for the dry elements.

If desired, you could substitute the quinoa with puffed amaranth, a type of seed that has been puffed similar to popcorn. They are high in protein and other nutrients and add a nice puffed rice type of texture to the granola mix.

Meanwhile, pumpkin puree, coconut oil, and maple syrup bind everything together. A little salt and pumpkin spice bind all of the flavours, making an incredibly addictive breakfast food you may want to eat all day. You can also add studs of dried cranberries or raisins to impart some colour and sweetness, but these are optional. The colour of the red cranberries looks particularly great against the green pumpkin seeds.

How to Make Pumpkin Seed Granola

If you aren't a regular cook or baker, this pumpkin seed granola is incredibly easy to make. You will want to start by warming your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. While you may think that a higher temperature would be ideal, this granola includes delicate ingredients that you don't want to brown too quickly. The idea is to get the entire mixture golden, toasted, and fragrant, but not burnt.

Next, you mix all of the ingredients (except for the dried fruit) in a large bowl until well-combined. You will want to ensure that all of the seeds and oats are adequately coated in the maple syrup, pumpkin puree, oil, and spices. Afterward, you arrange the mixture in an even layer on a large baking sheet. In order to achieve the appropriate texture and colour, it is crucial to give the mixture enough space.

The entire pumpkin seed mixture bakes in the oven for a total time of 30 to 45 minutes, stirring halfway for even cooking. The reason for such a significant time range is that some may like their granola toastier and crisper than others. If you like a more lightly toasted flavour, feel free to err on the side of 30 minutes. Meanwhile, a total time of 45 minutes will result in a slightly darker colour.

After baking, you can sprinkle the granola with dried cranberries or raisins if using. These don't go in during baking, because they tend to dry out in the oven and lose their vibrant appearance. Chewy, supple dried fruit is best in this healthy pumpkin seed granola mixture.

How to Make Pumpkin Spice

While you could certainly purchase pumpkin spice from the grocery store, it isn't always available. Luckily, it is a relatively simple process to make it yourself. In fact, you can view my Homemade Pumpkin Spice recipe to learn how to mix a batch so that you can use it in this granola and other recipes.

My version includes classic dessert spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves. They simply get mixed together and stored until ready to use.

To ensure that your batch is always fresh, I recommend making it in small batches so that you can use it in a reasonable amount of time. Spices can lose their robust flavours over time, resulting in less tasty dishes. Generally speaking, if stored properly, both whole and ground spices should keep for up to a total time of 2 years just fine. The telling signs that they may be past their prime is if they cake together, are dull in taste, or have a pale appearance. You should be able to minimize the chances of all those elements by storing the spice mix in an airtight container in a dark cupboard in between uses.

See Also

No Bake Cookies RecipeChocolate No-Bake Cookies - Classic No-Bake Cookie RecipeDecadent Oatmeal Fudge Bars Recipe - Creations by KaraAlmond Cookie Recipe

How to Eat Pumpkin Granola

Pumpkin granola is wonderful as it is for a snack. It also tends to work well on hikes because it is light to carry and is robust in calories.

One of the best ways to enjoy it is in a bowl with your favourite dairy, nut, or soy milk, though. This is particularly great if you are a fan of the convenience of boxed breakfast cereal in the morning, but want to have something healthier on hand. You can simply keep a jar of this granola with rolled oats in your pantry to have ready when you need a fast breakfast in the morning.

Another option is to sprinkle it on your favourite dairy or coconut yogurt. For an extra fancy touch, consider layering it with the yogurt to make a parfait type breakfast dish.

More Granola Recipes To Make:

1. Almond Mocha Granola
2. Almond Butter Granola
3. Coconut Oil Granola
4. Healthy Granola Bar Recipe
5. Paleo Tigernut Granola

Original photos from 2014

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