Pumpkin Pie Granola

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This homemade pumpkin pie granola recipe is packed with warm fall flavors. This cozy breakfast tastes like a pumpkin pie in granola form. Ready in about 30 minutes, this easy granola recipe is great for meal prep. Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, and refined sugar-free!

Pumpkin Pie Granola

Okay, pumpkin season is in full-swing, so I’m officially allowed to post this pumpkin pie granola recipe! I first made this recipe sometime in the summer, so I kept it in my pocket until now 🎃

Honestly, I’m all about pumpkin all year round. Whenever the pumpkin spice tea comes out in the stores, I impulse buy several boxes to last me a couple months after it’s gone. I’ve been burning this delicious Pumpkin Creme Brûlée soy candle I got from the Secret Cubby of Antiques in Findley Lake, NY and my entire apartment (and hair, and clothes, and backpack) smells like maple syrup and fall. I’ve done the corn mazes (the maze at Long Acre Farms in Macedon NY is so intense and took 90 minutes to complete), pumpkin patches, and apple cider slushies. I went on a New England road trip to hike and see the changing leaves. I’m just having a great time in my own little fall world. Oh, also, I have the most glorious red tree right in front of my house and it makes me so happy!

Back to the recipe – this homemade granola is so easy to make and full of cozy pumpkin spice flavors! I hope you love this recipe as much as I do.

Why you should make your own granola

1. You can make it vegan. “Why does everything have honey in it???” is probably a question you’ve asked scanning the ingredients of granola in the stores. I feel ya. But really though, why is there honey in everything? They couldn’t have just used maple syrup (like my granola does 😉)?
2. Homemade granola is healthier. You get to control the amount of fat and sugar that goes into your granola. Store-bought granola can often be too sugary or include unnecessary amounts of oil.
3. You control the ingredients. Finding a good store-bought granola without honey is hard, and finding a vegan granola with ingredients you love is even harder. With homemade granola you get to decide if you want to add the weird dried fruit or not.
4. It’s so easy!!! It only takes about 30 minutes to make granola at home, with the prep time being only about 5 minutes. Mix the wet ingredients, mix the dry ingredients, spread on a baking sheet, and bake. Easy peasy.

Ingredients for Pumpkin Pie Granola

• Rolled oats: make sure you use old-fashioned rolled oats
• Nuts, seeds, and dried fruit: add whatever you’d like, but I think pecans, pumpkin seeds (pepitas), and dates taste so cozy in this granola!
• Pumpkin puree: for a subtle pumpkin taste
• Maple syrup: for sweetness
• Tahini: to help form those wonderful crunchy clusters
• Vanilla extract
• Pumpkin spice: use a store-bought pumpkin spice blend or make your own
• Cinnamon: because pumpkin spice just don’t have enough!
• Salt: to bring out the flavors

Can I use quick oats for homemade granola?

No 😌

You must use rolled oats lol. Trust.

How to customize this granola recipe

For those with a a nut allergy, feel free to omit pecans altogether or replace them with more pumpkin seeds or another seed of choice. You can also substitute them for chopped walnuts, almonds, or any nut you fancy.

If you do not like tahini, you can substitute it with almond butter or cashew butter, but this will change the flavor of the granola. I do not recommend using peanut butter, as the flavor can be quite overpowering, but I don’t think it would taste bad!

Chopped dates can be replaced with raisins, or another dried fruit of choice.

Maple syrup can be subbed with agave, or any liquid sweetener you prefer.

How to make easy homemade Pumpkin Pie Granola

First, mix the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, tahini, vanilla and spices into a large mixing bowl. Then, mix in the oats, pecans and pumpkin seeds. You’ll add the chopped dates after baking.

Thinly spread the granola mixture on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or a reusable silicone mat. I recommend using a silicone mat if you have one, as I find it produces the most crunchy granola!

Bake for 25-30 minutes on the bottom rack of the oven, flipping halfway through. When the granola is golden, remove it from the oven and sprinkle on the chopped dates. Let cool completely before serving or storing.

Enjoy this pumpkin pie granola with your favorite non-dairy milk or yogurt, sprinkled on top of a smoothie bowl, or eaten on its own. I recently took a big container of this granola on a hiking road trip, and it was a perfect snack!

Tips for crunchy granola

Here is what you need to do to get perfect crunchy granola:

• Bake at a low temperature. Baking at a low temperature allows the granola to dry out and become crunchy. Setting the oven to 325 F usually works for me! If I use ingredients that were more likely to burn, like coconut flakes, I may drop the temperature to 300 F.
• Bake at the bottom rack of the oven. Baking at the bottom rack of the oven ensures whatever you are cooking will get a crispy bottom. Flip half way through so the other side of the granola can get super crispy as well.
• Don’t skip on the tahini and maple syrup! Fat and sugar help the oats stick together and form those wonderful crunchy granola clusters. They also encourage browning and caramelization, making the granola crisp.
• Let the granola cool completely before serving or storing. Granola firms up considerably as it cools, so it is very important to wait until it is room temperature before touching it.

Why is my granola soggy?

If your granola is soggy, then you most likely took it out of the oven too soon. Bake it for longer, but be careful not to burn it.

Also note that granola firms up a lot when it cools, so it may not be the texture you are expecting straight out of the oven. Give it time to set! And be sure to let the granola cool entirely on the baking tray before eating it or storing it. If you transfer warm granola to an air-tight container, it will trap moisture from the heat within the container and make the granola soggier.

How to store homemade granola

Store this granola at room temperature in an air-tight container. You could also keep it in the fridge if you want, but it is not necessary. I have not tried freezing this granola, but I imagine it would work.

Important: Let the granola cool completely before storing!

How long does homemade granola keep?

This pumpkin pie granola will last about 2 weeks stored at room temperature in an air-tight container.

More easy vegan granola recipes

• Banana Bread Granola
• Carrot Cake Granola

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