In case you have not yet discovered, homemade granola is super easy to make and customize to your preferences and/or needs. This fantastic seasonal Pumpkin Spice Granola is chock-full of nuts, seeds, and oats, tossed in delicious pumpkin spice goodness. Not only does it make a protein-packed snack on its own, but with a little milk poured over the top, it becomes a tasty cereal!

This recipe is easy to edit for restricted diets, as well. It’s already dairy free, no adjustments needed. For gluten free, use gluten-free approved rolled oats. For sugar free, substitute your favorite sugar/syrup replacements.

NOTE: You can use salted or unsalted nuts in this recipe. However, if you use unsalted, add a pinch of sea salt as you pull it out of the oven. It’ll develop the flavor more!

TIP: To crunch up your nuts, I prefer to use a plastic freezer bag and a rolling pin, but you can definitely use a food processor if you prefer. If you do, just pulse the nuts a few times. Don’t chop them too finely; you want chunks!

Pumpkin Spice Granola
(Original recipe: Wholesomelicious)

1/2 C almonds
1 C pecans
1/2 C walnuts
1/2 C pumpkin seeds
1/2 C sunflower seeds
1 C rolled oats (use gluten-free oats to make it GF)
1 C unsweetened coconut flakes
1/3 C chia seeds
1/4 C coconut oil (measured before melting)
4 TBSP pumpkin puree
1/4 C real maple syrup (or stevia-sweetened syrup)
1/3 C coconut or brown sugar (or sugar replacement)
1 TBSP vanilla extract
1-1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Pinch of sea salt (if using unsalted nuts)

Preheat the oven to 300F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Pour all the nuts into a large sealable bag and crush them lightly into large chunks with a rolling pin so that you end up with a variety of sizes. You can also use a food processor, pulsing just a few times.

Add the coconut flakes and chia seeds to the mixture. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, melt the coconut oil. Whisk in the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, sugar (substitute), vanilla extract, and pumpkin pie spice. Heat to a medium heat and stir to combine. Reduce heat to a simmer for 2-3 minutes, then remove from heat.

In a large bowl, combine the nuts/seeds mixture with the pumpkin sauce. Toss to coat everything evenly. Spread out the mixture on the prepared baking sheet. (If you used unsalted nuts, sprinkle the top of the mixture with a pinch of sea salt.) Bake for 20 minutes, give it a quick stir, then bake another 15-20 minutes.

Remove from heat and let cool completely on the counter. Once totally dry, serve or store in a large air tight container.