Homemade Pumpkin Spice Granola Recipe

This pumpkin granola recipe is crunchy and filled with some of my favorite flavors: Maple and pumpkin. A great breakfast to start the morning.

Originally published November 2015; this post has been updated.

granola in a patterned glass jar with a wooden scoop.

Except for an occasional splurge, we stopped buying packaged cereal years ago. The common box of cereal just has too many strikes against it: Preservatives, coloring, packaging… plus it’s expensive!

Since my guys still like to have a crunchy bowl of cereal in the morning, I started making my own homemade granola. Yep. That hippy-dippy alternative to boxed cereals.

This maple pumpkin granola recipe is the latest in a line of granola recipes that we switch through for a little variety. Even my eggs and bacon guy liked this one!

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Homemade Granola with Fall Flavors

This granola recipe is made with pumpkin puree, and might remind you a bit of a pumpkin pie. But don’t get all particular about the pumpkin. You can try it with other winter squash varieties like acorn or butternut squash, if you have those. It’s good with milk, of course, but it’s good sprinkled on homemade yogurt, too.

healthy granola recipe ingredients

Ingredients

Oats   The bulk of this granola recipe comes from old-fashioned rolled oats. Skip the quick oats, as they won’t hold up in milk. 

Pumpkin Puree    Whether you make your own pumpkin puree from a whole pumpkin or opt for ready-to-use canned pumpkin, this is what gives the granola its rich fall flavor.

Sweeteners    With both maple syrup and molasses, the sweeteners add flavor and help the granola to crisp up. If you’re cutting back on sugars, you can reduce the amount called for in the recipe for a less-sweet breakfast cereal. 

Coconut    Use unsweetened shredded coconut. Larger flaked coconut works, too.

Buckwheat Groats    Find these at a natural food store if you can; they add a delicious crunch.

Spices   Cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg give this granola its “pumpkin spice” flavor. You could use a pumpkin spice blend to replace the cinnamon and nutmeg, too.

Oil    I suggest avocado oil for its light flavor, but you could also use sunflower oil or coconut oil.

Making it

This recipe couldn’t be easier. Measure, dump, mix, bake. It really is that easy. I combine all of the ingredients in my roasting pan. This allows me enough room to stir the granola without spilling it all over the inside of the oven.

To save energy, I try to cook it when dinner is in the oven or while the oven is already on for something else.

Once finished, this granola will keep for a month or so in an airtight container. We like to add raisins or dried cranberries to our bowl of granola for an extra flavor pop, but that’s entirely optional.

Need another breakfast idea? Try these easy pumpkin pancakes!

close up of pumpkin granola in a glass jar with a wooden scoop.

★ Did you make this pumpkin granola recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!

granola in a patterned glass jar with a wooden scoop.

Maple Pumpkin Granola Recipe

Yield: 20 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

This granola is made with pumpkin puree and spices, and might remind you a bit of a pumpkin pie. But don't get all particular about the pumpkin. You can try making it with other winter squash varieties like acorn or butternut squash, too.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup avocado oil
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 8 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1 cup shredded coconut
  • 2 cups buckwheat groats

Instructions

  1. Measure oil into large roasting pan. Turn the pan so the oil coats the bottom to prevent sticking.
  2. Add remaining wet ingredients and spices. Stir until thoroughly combined.
  3. Add oats, coconut, and buckwheat groats stirring until well-coated.
  4. Bake at 350 (F) degrees, stirring every 10-15 minutes for about an hour or until the granola is toasty brown.
  5. Turn off the oven and allow the granola to remain in the oven until it cools. Store in an airtight container.

Notes

While this recipe calls for avocado oil, you can use your favorite oil or even butter instead.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1/2 cup
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 197Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 15mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 4gSugar: 7gProtein: 4g

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About the author: Kris Bordessa is an award-winning National Geographic author and a certified Master Food Preserver. Read more about Kris and how she got started with this site here. If you want to send Kris a quick message, you can get in touch here.

7 comments… add one
  • Gina M Baker Oct 7, 2023 @ 5:52

    I haven’t eaten or cooked with buckwheat groats before. Do I buy hulless groats? do I cook them before I add them to the granola?
    Thanks so much!

    • Kris Bordessa Oct 10, 2023 @ 12:29

      You want the ones that are kind of beige with a green tinge, hull removed. And no, don’t cook them.

  • Michelle Mar 24, 2018 @ 19:19

    Great for breakfast or just a yummy snack!

  • Sarah Nov 20, 2015 @ 18:31

    You know, I have been meaning to make some granola, and I just really need to do it! I LOVE granola, but I can’t bring myself to pay what the stores want for it.

    • Kris Bordessa Nov 20, 2015 @ 18:57

      Well, go for it! If you’re not fiddly and don’t like to measure, you can try my no-measure granola (which is what my son makes most of the time): https://www.attainable-sustainable.net/homemade-granola/

    • L. Peterson Oct 5, 2023 @ 1:17

      I was so looking forward to making this since it doesn’t have nuts in it….then I found out that buckwheat groats are very high in oxalates (on a low oxalate diet because of recurrent kidney stones). What could be substituted for the groats?

      • Kris Bordessa Oct 10, 2023 @ 12:30

        Hemp seeds? Flax seed? More oats.

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