a delicious fall flavored crunchy granola
Pumpkin Pecan Granola Recipe
Granola …. crunchy and full of flavor!
If you’re a granola lover like we ALL are, you’re going to want to try this yummy pumpkin pecan granola recipe this fall season! It’s crunchy, full of pumpkin and fall flavors and a granola recipe that couldn’t be any easier to make! You can eat a bowl of it with milk, put some on yogurt, top vanilla ice cream with….the options are numerous!
I was in the grocery store getting some bulk food the other day and couldn’t believe the price of granolas by the pound. They all looked so yummy, but I know how much cheaper I can make them at home. Granola recipes are one of the easiest recipes to make. . . . seriously, you just mix some ingredients together, dump it on a pan, then let it bake. I don’t even stir it, so once it’s in the oven, you don’t have to do anything else. After a few hours, you have a large batch of granola that didn’t even cost much to make! This yummy pumpkin pecan granola recipe is one that I will be making many times during this fall season. It’s just irresistible!
The key to getting a crunchy granola is to bake it at a low temperature, stirring it so that all the oats are exposed to heat evenly and then by allowing it to cool. When you first get it out of the oven, it will still be soft. But, if you allow it to cool completely it will be crispy and crunchy.
The granola will still be on the soft side after coming out of the oven, but it will be crisp after cooling.
The Kitchn says, “Not only can you transform that soggy, chewy granola back to being blissfully crunchy, but it’s easier than you might think. All it takes is spreading the granola in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and heating it in a 400 degree oven for five minutes — essentially re-baking it.”
I suggest allowing your pans of granola to cool completely overnight before storing in an airtight container.
SO HERE’S THE BASICS OF MAKING GRANOLA. . .
- Mix your dry ingredients together.
- Whisk the wet ingredients together until smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and mix until combined.
- Dump onto 2 cookie sheets and bake on a low temp for several hours.
EASY PEASY!
(Scroll down for the recipe)
THIS is our favorite baking sheet. We couldn’t be happier with it!
This commercial “half-sheet” by Nordic Ware is made from natural aluminum, which means it won’t rust.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thanks! / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
And this plastic lid (you can buy separately) is a great add-on. It’s the best when we make our sheetcakes and need an easy way to cover it without messing up the cake!
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thanks! / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
READY TO TRY THIS GRANOLA?!
Pumpkin Pecan Granola
Easy and yummy pumpkin pecan granola recipe that you're going to want to make this fall season! It's crunchy, full of pumpkin and fall flavors - delicious!
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
- 3 1/2 cups quick oats
- 3 cups pecan pieces
- 1- 1/2 cups brown sugar *
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
- 3 Tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract *
- 1/2 Tablespoon salt
- 1/2 cup boiling water
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine old-fashioned oats, quick oats and brown sugar. Mix.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine oil, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract, and salt. Slowly whisk in the boiling water.
- Whisk until smooth.
- Pour the pumpkin mixture over the oats / brown sugar mix.
- Mix completely until all is combined.
- Spread it onto 2 baking sheets.
- Bake it at 250° for 3 hours. (I don't stir it at all since I prefer large clumps of granola; I just rotate pans every 30-40 minutes.)
- Let cool before transferring to a storage container.
Notes
*I prefer to use just 1 cup of brown sugar and then put a little maple syrup over my bowl of granola for a bit more sweetness.
*Try it with maple extract!
This granola stays fresh for so long, and it is certainly worth a little extra time one day to make enough breakfast for dozens of days! We love having this breakfast option for those days we need a quick and filling breakfast.
My *favorite* storage containers are the OXO Good Grips POP containers — for one thing, they seal super-tight and keep everything fresh. Another thing that I love about them is that the tops can’t fall off! That top “POP” seal-lock is amazing! They sell them as a 10-container value set making it so nice for pantry organization! They are also sold individually in various sizes.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thanks! / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
****This post was originally published in September of 2019. Updated October 2022.****