It’s pumpkin season – and not just for the artificially flavored snacks in the supermarket, but for real pumpkins too! Go figure. This Homemade Pumpkin Spice Granola is salty, nutty, and crunchy with pumpkin seeds as its star. So if you’re wondering what to do with all the pumpkin seeds from pumpkin picking or if you just want a healthy fall snack – this recipe will hit the spot.
While all the pumpkin-flavored snacks are so tempting, I find one of the best ways to combat these cravings is to go back to the real stuff. So, finding recipes with real pumpkin and real apple lets you enjoy the season by taking a note from what nature has in store versus what products are just being pushed and marketed for the fall season.
You may not typically eat granola, but I find it’s a great snack to eat mid-morning or pre-workout on top of some yogurt. I love putting granola on yogurt so much in fact that I almost can’t have it without it. You could also pour some milk over your granola, like a bowl of cereal – which I love to do after a workout when I’m so hungry I just want to tear apart the pantry!
Making my own granola has been on my list for some time now too since I eat it so frequently. And now having seen the real difference between store-bought and homemade, I realize that granola is something that I should have been making myself all along!
One main reason for this is because it's extremely cost-effective. I buy granola just about every other week and they sell for roughly $3.50-5 per bag. So this usually costs me about $7-10 a month. But this recipe is made from pantry ingredients that you’ll get more than one use out of and not to mention that it makes x ounces which will definitely last more than a couple weeks! Some things are not worth making yourself because of the time and effort that go into it, but I’m reporting from my experience that granola IS one of those things worth making yourself.
The fun thing about making it yourself is that you can play around with different combinations and flavors for different seasons. Think different kinds of nuts, dried fruits, coconut flakes, seeds, oats, and even making a chocolate or peanut butter granola. The choices are endless and extremely nutritious. Not to mention, little jars or bags of granola would make a really cool present.
AS ALWAYS, IF YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE - PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW BELOW!
Homemade Pumpkin Spice Granola
Ingredients
- 4 cups oatmeal
- 1 cup pecan pieces
- 1 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp pumpkin spice
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ½ cup agave
- ½ cup olive oil
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350
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Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Prepare a baking sheet with foil and spread the granola all over the baking sheet. The entire tray will be filled. Compress down with a spatula for bigger clusters.
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Bake for 22 minutes. The granola will still be soft and not seem done, but it will harden as it cools! Let the granola cool entirely in the tray – I leave mine overnight.
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Break up the granola once it's cool and hard to the touch.
Yum
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