Pumpkin Maple Pecan Granola

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Baking sheet filled with a batch of our gluten-free vegan Maple Pecan Granola recipe

You guys, it’s fall. For instance, just the other day I put on a hooded sweatshirt. Point proven.

Can we move onto baking now?

Baking sheet filled with our naturally-sweetened Pumpkin Pecan Granola

So I have this super secret but not-so-secret plan to create a new granola recipe every time I run out of my last batch. Is that OK with you guys?

I don’t like making the same thing twice anymore. Must be a side effect of food blogging. I’m totally fine with it though. It thrusts me out into the world and forces me to try new things.

Pumpkin puree, maple syrup, pecans, and other ingredients for making Pumpkin Maple Pecan Granola

Like this granola, for instance. It has pumpkin and maple and pecans, oh my! How can you go wrong (no seriously)?

This recipe is simple in that it requires just 30 minutes and 9 ingredients, most of which you’ll have on hand as autumn sets in (squeal).

Pumpkin? Check.
Maple syrup? Check.
Pecans and pepitas? Check and check.

Don’t you just love this time of year?

Stirring together ingredients for our healthy Pumpkin Pecan Granola recipe
Using a scooper to grab a serving of our simple Pumpkin Pecan Granola recipe

The all important question: What does it taste like? Happiness on a spoon. It’s:

Crunchy
Pumpkin-y
Nutty
Not too sweet
Perfectly spiced
Healthy
Satisfying
Customizable
& Shareable

Because it’s loaded with protein, fiber, and healthy fats, this granola makes the perfect breakfast or snack. I love mine with a little almond milk. That’s really all it needs.

Bonus: It would also make a lovely gift for fall birthdays and other special occasions. Give a friend granola, you’ll have a friend for life. That’s what I say.

Serving bowls and baking sheet filled with Pumpkin Pecan Granola alongside a glass of nut milk
Bowls of Pumpkin Pecan Granola and a jug of nut milk for a delicious gluten-free vegan breakfast

If you make this granola, give us a virtual high five in the form of a social media shout out! Tweet us @minimalistbaker or tag your Instagram #minimalistbaker, so we can see all the fall goodness you bake up. Cheers!

Bowls of Pumpkin Pecan Granola and a side of almond milk

Pumpkin Maple Pecan Granola

Simple, healthy granola that’s perfect for fall! Just 9 ingredients, perfectly crunchy, and infused with tons of pumpkin flavor and fall spices.
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Measuring cup and baking sheet of homemade Maple Pumpkin Pecan Granola
4.84 from 77 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 18 (1/4-cup servings)
Course Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Vegan
Freezer Friendly 3 months
Does it keep? 2-3 weeks

Ingredients

  • 3 cups rolled oats (gluten-free for GF eaters)
  • 1 1/4 cups raw pecans
  • 1/3 cup raw pepitas
  • 3 Tbsp sugar
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice (I also added an extra dash cinnamon)
  • 1/4 cup coconut or olive oil
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup (or sub agave or honey if not vegan)
  • 1/3 cup pumpkin puree

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 340 degrees F (171 C).
  • Mix the oats, nuts, seeds, spices, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl.
  • In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the coconut oil, maple syrup, and pumpkin puree and whisk. Pour over the dry ingredients and quickly mix with a wooden spoon.
  • Spread the mixture evenly onto two baking sheets (or bake in two batches // adjust if altering batch size) and bake for 23-33 minutes, stirring a bit near the halfway point. If you prefer chunkier granola, don’t stir as it breaks up the clusters. Instead, just rotate the pans at the halfway point to ensure even cooking.
  • Once the granola is golden brown (usually about 25 minutes), remove from oven and let cool completely. It will crisp up as it cools.
  • Transfer to an airtight container. Should keep for a couple weeks. Enjoy with almond milk, dairy-free yogurt, or on top of oats!

Notes

*Adapted from my Sweet Potato Granola.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
*Recipe makes ~4 1/2 cups granola.

Nutrition (1 of 18 servings)

Serving: 1 quarter-cup serving Calories: 170 Carbohydrates: 16.9 g Protein: 3.4 g Fat: 10.7 g Saturated Fat: 3.5 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 2 mg Fiber: 2.5 g Sugar: 6 g

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My Rating:




  1. Suzanne says

    So great! I’ve made this dozens of times and it’s always a hit. I usually leave out the sugar because I find it sweet enough with just the syrup. It’s delicious and easy!

  2. Terry says

    Oh wow! How do I keep from eating the whole pan right now?
    It is delicious! Next time I will add more spices. Maybe some raisins after it comes out from the oven. But it truly is good!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Justin, rolled oats are definitely preferable here for best texture, but another reader did report success using quick oats. Let us know if you try it!

  3. Aimee-Jo Benoit says

    I have made this several times, my family loves it! Today I tried it with applesauce, hemp seeds, almonds and walnuts in place of the pumpkin, pecans and pepitas and it is still a hit! I added a little more applesauce due to the water content, but it still turned out crunchy and delicious. I also used Coconut Flower Syrup (I haven’t tried it before) and it seemed to work out as a good substitute.

    Thanks MB!

  4. michelle says

    this was really good! just wondering how it stays fresh without going in the fridge? won’t the pumpkin go bad?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Michelle! So glad you enjoyed it! Because the pumpkin is cooked it doesn’t have to be refrigerated!

  5. Tali B says

    This recipe looks fantastic. I don’t have pumpkin purée though, can I use something else instead? How about apple sauce?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Tali, applesauce might work, but we haven’t tested it in this recipe. Let us know if you try it!

  6. Patty says

    Yummmmmy! I made this yesterday with some leftover pumpkin puree and the only change I made was to add a splash of vanilla to the liquid ingredients. I used only one baking sheet and baked it a little longer; it turned out great. Thank you for a healthy granola (not too much sugar) recipe!

  7. Cindy says

    Excellent recipe. Might bump up the pumpkin purée on the next attempt, but otherwise the recipe is fantastic. Thank you!

  8. Babe Konnerth says

    I just made this last night. I sub’d pecans for Almonds because I had them. I added Coconut ‘smiles’, I think they’re called. I tripled the recipe because I didn’t want leftover pumpkin AND I made your pumpkin spice mix ( my larder is ridiculous, so I’m happy to use what I have. Oh! I added a cup of steel cut oats as well.
    Totally FORGOT to add the sugar!
    Oh MY GOSH! Doesn’t NEED the extra sugar! I now have a LOT of this stuff and it’s amazing! So happy, too because maple syrup is low-glycemic = this recipe is so healthy! I threw some cranberries in when Icwas bagging it up! So good! Thank you!!
    Now I’m wondering- if the pumpkin worked, would applesauce work??
    Thank you!!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed the result! Applesauce might work too, but we haven’t tested it in this recipe. Let us know if you try it out!

  9. Theresa says

    Want to try this! I make your aquafaba granola all the time. Will this work with aquafaba instead of oil? Or just leave out the oil?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Theresa, we haven’t tried this with aquafaba or without oil but we think aquafaba should work. Let us know how it goes!

  10. Tania says

    OMYUM! I only replaced the sugar for monk fruit and Lakanto maple (trying to not have sugar) syrup for the syrup. It is truly next level. We love it.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Yum! So glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for your lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Tania!

  11. Blair says

    I love anything pumpkin and this did not disappoint. I made a few batches and found 22 minutes with a rotation halfway to work best. I didn’t have pepitas so just added extra pecans and subbed honey for maple syrup. Also I couldn’t find raw pecans at my local store so I just added the ones I had (already roasted) in towards the end of the 22 minutes of bake time so they didn’t burn. It’s a bit TOO tasty and addictive so I’m gifting a lot of it so I don’t eat it all myself!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Leah, That would be fine as long as you’re keeping the maple syrup! It just won’t be as sweet. Or you could sub coconut sugar for a similar level of sweetness. Hope that helps!

  12. Sandy says

    I have made this recipe as written the first time and it was good. This time I reduced the temperature to 325, so my nuts wouldn’t burn. I added 1 tsp. Pumpkin Pie spice and 1 tsp. cinnamon. I didn’t have enough pecans so I substituted sliced almonds for part and increased the pumpkin to half a cup and it was even better. I also did 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup of honey.

  13. Cathy says

    I followed this recipe exactly, but I was pretty underwhelmed. I usually love MB recipes, but this one wasn’t a keeper for me. Just didn’t have a lot of flavor for some reason. I’d recommend the MB gingerbread granola recipe over this one.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Oh bummer! So sorry you didn’t love this recipe, Cathy. Thanks so much for sharing your honest experience! We’d love to know what brand of pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice you used?

  14. Cas says

    This is super good, I made one batch and was like nope, need more. So I have a double batch in the oven right now. I added a little more pumpkin and pumpkin spice and used soco oil. I’m so excited

  15. Michelle says

    Soooo good! The unbaked granola tasted good so I knew it’d be good. The only sub was canola oil and used agave syrup. Everything else was the same. My first tray burnt. I did 12 minutes, rotated the tray and then another 13 minutes. Obviously too long! The ones on the edge were burnt so those were composted. The second one I did 11 minutes, rotate tray, then 9 minutes. This was perfect for me! Thanks for another keeper recipe! I know I’ll come back to this! ❤️

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Woohoo! Thanks so much for sharing your experience, Michelle! So glad you enjoy the granola!

      • Arne says

        BTW, I’ve found that I have a lot more trouble with burning granola when using Agave syrup…not sure why, but I don’t use it for granola anymore.

          • Arne Ray Johnson says

            I actually went to research this after posting, got curious. Found this on the Florida Crystals site: “Since the properties of agave nectar are different from granulated sugar, some baked items may brown quicker. We recommend reducing the oven temperature by 25°F and increase baking time a few minutes.” AND “Agave nectar will not work when making candy. Agave nectar will burn before it reaches the high temperatures needed for traditional candy.” (Delicious recipe btw, I used Maple).

        • Mallory says

          Oh my goodness, I’m not sure if I should thank you or curse you! 🤣 I can’t stop eating this granola!! My 3yo decided she didn’t want nuts or seeds so we left those out but I’m definitely sneaking them in next time! Which I think might be later today….

          We used brown sugar (her choice again) and added chia seeds. Absolutely amazing! We had it for dessert last night which is saying a lot that i chose this over chocolate! Thank you!!

          • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

            Woohoo! So happy to hear that you’re all enjoying the granola! Thanks so much for the review, Mallory!

    • Barbara says

      This was a good base recipe, but a bit bland for our family. I will make it again, but will triple the pumpkin spice and maybe do a mix of maple syrup and molasses for a bit more fall flavor.

  16. Anne says

    Such a simple recipe and so delicious. I subbed a few dates for the sugar. I also like clusters and the tip to not stir and just rotate in the oven worked perfectly. Will definitely make again.

      • Angela O. says

        Great recipe, thanks. I accidentally bought quick oats (I know!!) and used them here, and everything in life is still ok. I’ll make it again someday with old fashioned oats for sure!

    • Yumna Islam says

      Overcrowding the pan definitely makes granola more chewy and less crunchy! I make granola every fortnight and this I’ve learned from experience. Give it air! Spread over multiple baking sheets if needed, and don’t skip the oil xx

  17. Maria Savage says

    You have had this recipe posted for a while, but I only just discovered it. I felt compelled to try it even though squash season is truly at its end now. It was delicious as it was, but even more so with the addition of cacao nibs. Thanks so much for the recipe!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Love that addition, Maria! We’re so glad you gave it a try and enjoyed it. Thanks for the lovely review! xo

  18. Nancy Silj says

    I wasn’t terribly impressed with this recipe. Maybe I like more zing in my granola. Sounded so good, followed recipe exactly.
    I’ll look at what other’s added to improve it.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Sorry to hear that, Nancy! It may depend on the brand/freshness of your pumpkin pie spice. But you could increase the pumpkin pie spice and/or add ground ginger. Hope that helps!

  19. Trina says

    This is my favorite granola recipe ever. I’ve probably made it 25-30 times. I love it because it stays chunky and it adds just the right about of sweetness to my bowl of unsweetened yogurt and fruit. Thank you for such a great recipe!

  20. Colette McEldowney says

    This is my absolute favorite granola recipe. I have made multiple batches, and have given as little favors/gifts. It is great! I like mixing in dried coconut, so good! Thanks for such a great recipe, we love it!

  21. Amanda says

    The best granola I have ever had by far! The only problem was how fast it disappeared. Making a double or triple batch next time!

  22. Laure says

    WoW! This granola is so good! I will do it again for sure. I tried chocolate granola and banana granola but I think this one is my favourite!

  23. Marta says

    This is a great recipe! I first tried it last fall and ended up making it many times… I’m back to make some more! I double the pumpkin spice… we just can’t keep this stuff around!

  24. Clarice says

    I made this recipe as an experiment to see if my parents would like it with some leftover pumpkin puree in the fridge. They loved it!! My dad ate almost the whole batch in less than a week so here I am making another. He really likes it in his cereal or just to snack on. The only request he made was to add more pecans so that’s what I am doing this time. I would love a taste but I’m GF and the oats I use for granola aren’t but that’s okay. When I get my hands on some GF oats I’ll definitely try this first :)

  25. Renee says

    Do yourself a favor and make this granola, like ASAP! I’ve never made homemade granola and this recipe was so easy to follow. Literally been snacking on it all day. I completely omitted the sugar (personal preference) and used walnuts instead of pepitas (didn’t have any). I’ve been eating it with plain yogurt, I love the crunch. Literally so so good! Make this tonight!