Little hints of autumn are quietly creeping into Los Angeles and I've decided to tempt fall even further by making crunchy pumpkin granola. A simple, fast and fragrant mixture of oats, pumpkin seeds, shredded coconut, quinoa and pumpkin puree spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice finished with rich dried red cranberries- perfect crumbled over strained plain yogurt or fruit, or simply gobbled by the handful. Add nuts, ground cloves, or even pumpkin spice to further enhance the flavor. The cranberries are added at the very end, once granola has cooled from the oven, so they don't burn and stay tangy and chewy. This is a staple in our house, and, of course, jars of homemade granola make for a perfect hostess gift during the holiday season.
RECIPE: Crunchy Pumpkin Granola (adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction)
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 cups old- fashioned rolled oats
- 3/4 cup roasted pumpkins seeds, salted or unsalted
- 3/4 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
- 1/3 cup uncooked quinoa
- 3 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
- 3 medium egg whites
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup melted coconut oil
- 2 heaping tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries, or cherries
DIRECTIONS:
- Turn oven to 350F to preheat.
- Lay parchment paper to line two baking sheets.
- Mix together oats, pumpkin seeds, coconut. quinoa, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and salt to combine in a large bowl. Put aside.
- In a smaller bowl, whisk the egg whites until slightly frothy, 1 minute, or so.
- Using the whisk, mix into egg whites the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, brown sugar and vanilla until combined and smooth.
- Pour this into the bowl of mixed dry ingredients, fingertips work great here, until moistened.
- Divide mixture in half and using a wooden spoon, spread out each portion evenly over parchment lined baking sheets.
- Bake for approximately 40 minutes, stirring gently every 10 minutes and checking to make sure nothing is burning.
- Once a deep golden brown, allow for baking sheets to sit untouched for another 25 minutes, until cooled. This step ensures the perfect crunch.
- Baked and cooled granola goes into a large bowl, then add the dried cranberries or desired fruit and gently combine.
- The granola will last for up to two weeks at room temperature, stored in an air tight container/jar, but, in my experience, this granola gets eaten within a couple of days of making.
Images by Andrea Roth-Fedida
Love this? Follow us on Pinterest.
