This Pumpkin Spice Granola is crunchy, sweet, and infused with warming spices. It's easy to make, delicious, and so much more affordable than store-bought granola. It captures all the flavors of a pumpkin spice latte in a healthy, vegan granola that you can enjoy by the handful, with plant-based milk, or sprinkled onto yogurt, smoothie bowls, or ice cream!
Pumpkin spice season may just be my favorite time of year! Warming spices, sweet pumpkin, and cozy sweaters make me want to snuggle up with a good book. This granola brings all of that warmth, tasting like pumpkin pie but in a deliciously crunchy bite. Perfect for fall mornings or as a grab-and-go snack, it’s filled with fall goodies, including walnuts (or pecans), pumpkin seeds, toasty oats, maple syrup, brown sugar, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, and dried cranberries (or raisins, or vegan chocolate chips). I love making a big batch of this to enjoy for weeks, and it also makes a wonderful homemade gift!
After making this pumpkin spice granola on repeat, I might have become a little obsessed with homemade granola flavors. Who's in for more granola recipes to come?
INGREDIENTS:
Pumpkin purée: Make sure to use pure pumpkin purée (sometimes called pure pumpkin, or mashed pumpkin), and do not use pumpkin pie filling.
Maple syrup: Adds a natural sweetness and a hint of maple flavor that pairs perfectly with the warm spices. It also helps the granola crisp up in the oven.
Brown sugar: Enhances the sweetness and contributes to a deeper, caramel-like flavor. If you prefer a less sweet granola, you can reduce the brown sugar or substitute with coconut sugar for a more subtle sweetness.
Coconut oil: Use unrefined coconut oil for a subtle coconut flavor or refined coconut oil for a neutral taste. Coconut oil helps achieve a crispier granola, but you can substitute it with another neutral oil like avocado or sunflower oil if preferred. For an oil-free version, simply omit the oil, but check on the granola 5-10 minutes earlier to prevent over-browning.
Pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt: For that signature warming, comforting flavor. You can buy pumpkin pie spice at most grocery stores, or you can easily make your own.
Rolled oats: The base of your granola, giving it texture and crunch. Be sure to use old-fashioned rolled oats for the best consistency and not 1 minute oats or instant oats. If you're gluten-free, ensure you purchase gluten-free oats.
Walnuts, pecans, and pumpkin seeds: These nuts and seeds add a hearty crunch and a nutty richness to the granola. Feel free to swap them out for what you have on hand. Raw cashews, almonds, or sunflower seeds would work well too. For a nut-free option, use all pepitas, or half and half an extra ½ cup of oats.
Dried cranberries, raisins, or chocolate chips: Optional for an extra burst of sweetness.
HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN SPICE GRANOLA:
Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin purée, maple syrup, brown sugar, melted coconut oil, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir until smooth. Add the oats, walnuts (or pecans), and pumpkin seeds, stirring until all ingredients are well coated.
Spread and Bake: Spread the mixture evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway through for even baking, until the granola is golden brown. The granola may still be soft when first removed from the oven, but it will crisp up as it cools. Let the granola cool completely on the baking sheet.
Add-ins (optional): Once cooled, mix in the dried cranberries, raisins, or chocolate chips, if desired.
Serve: Enjoy this pumpkin spice granola as a snack, with plant-based milk, or as a topping for smoothie bowls, ice cream, or vegan yogurt (try swirling a spoonful of pumpkin purée and a drizzle of maple syrup into plain or vanilla almond yogurt for extra pumpkin flavor!).
Store: Transfer to an airtight container. Store in a cool, dry place for up to 4 weeks, or freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. It defrosts quickly at room temperature and remains fresh and crunchy.
This Pumpkin Spice Granola Recipe is…
- delicious, crunchy, and sweet
- easy to make
- perfect for a snack or a homemade gift
More Pumpkin Spice Recipes:
- 4 Ingredient Pumpkin Spice Syrup
- DIY Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Easy Vegan Pumpkin Pie
- Vegan Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal
- Vegan Pumpkin French Toast
- Easy Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte
If you try this pumpkin spice granola recipe let us know by leaving a comment, rating it, and don't forget to tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram.
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
(click stars to vote)
Pumpkin Spice Granola
Servings: (makes about 4 cups)
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Ingredients
- ¼ cup pumpkin purée, (not pumpkin pie filling)
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted (see notes)
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups rolled oats, (gluten-free if preferrd)
- ½ cup raw walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped
- ½ cup raw pumpkin seeds, (also called pepitas)
- ¼ cup dried cranberries, raisins, or vegan chocolate chips, optional, for after baking
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin purée, maple syrup, brown sugar, melted coconut oil, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir until smooth.
- Add the oats, walnuts (or pecans), and pumpkin seeds, stirring until all ingredients are well coated.
- Spread and Bake: Spread the mixture evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway through for even baking, until the granola is golden brown. The granola may still be soft when first removed from the oven, but it will crisp up as it cools. Let the granola cool completely on the baking sheet.
- Add-ins (optional): Once cooled, mix in the dried cranberries, raisins, or chocolate chips, if desired.
- Serve: Enjoy this granola as a snack, with plant-based milk, or as a topping for smoothie bowls, ice cream, or vegan yogurt (try swirling a spoonful of pumpkin purée and a drizzle of maple syrup into plain or vanilla almond yogurt for extra pumpkin flavor!).
- Store: Transfer to an airtight container. Store in a cool, dry place for up to 4 weeks, or freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. It defrosts quickly at room temperature and remains fresh and crunchy.
Becky Yih says
So easy! I substituted canola oil, and used a mix of honey and molasses instead of maple syrup. It came out perfectly and tastes great. Baggies of this granola will be going into Christmas packages and to neighbors.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
So happy you loved it so much Becky! Thank you for the review 🙂
Vivienne says
Absolutely Wonderful! So easy to make and seasonally perfect. We didn’t use the brown sugar and used olive oil instead of the coconut oil because that was all we had. Will be making a bigger batch immediately. Thank you!
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Wonderful - we're glad you enjoyed it!
Laurie Kudoba says
This granola is amazingly delicious as well as amazingly easy to make! I omitted the brown sugar and it was more than sweet enough! So good and I will definitely be making this regularly!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yay! So happy you enjoyed it so much Laurie! Thank you for leaving the first review 🙂