Gingerbread Granola

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Baking sheet filled with our gluten-free vegan Gingerbread Granola recipe

It’s about that time again; time for all-things gingerbread and peppermint and my beloved Indie Holidays station. I simply love this time of year, especially the baking and aromas that come with it.

Gingerbread is certainly one of my favorite holiday cookies, so when a reader requested my take on gingerbread granola, I couldn’t resist.

Stirring together ingredients for our Gingerbread Granola recipe

Since testing this first batch I’ve nearly gobbled it all up and am preparing to whip up round 2. This stuff is that good.

You guys know I have a thing for granola, and this flavor is a variation of my original recipe.

It gets its gingerbread flavor from the spices and molasses. Ginger, cinnamon and cloves give it depth, spice and warmth, while molasses adds a touch of sweetness with deep amber notes. I think I’m in love.

Oats, nuts, seeds, and spices stirred together for our healthy Gingerbread Granola recipe
Gingerbread Granola for the perfect gluten-free vegan holiday gift

As always, this recipe is simple, requiring just 10 ingredients and 30 minutes from start to finish. And it’s customizable! You can use whatever nuts you have on hand really. I went with a mix of almonds, pecans and walnuts – my favorite.

I think the only thing missing – and believe me, I was tempted to add it in – is a bunch of crumbled up Vegan Gluten Free Gingerbread Men. I don’t know how I resisted, but it would make this granola practically perfection in a bowl.

Bowl of our delicious vegan Gingerbread Granola recipe

You guys are going to L-O-V-E this granola. It’s

Sweet
Crunchy
Gingerbread-spiced
Festive
Perfectly crisp
Nutty
Wholesome
Simple
Nutritious
& Filling

If you give this recipe a try, let us know on Twitter, Instagram (#minimalistbaker), or Facebook. We certainly plan to make this granola many times winter and hope you will, too. Cheers and happy holiday baking!

Bowls of our delicious Gingerbread Granola recipe

Gingerbread Granola

10-ingredient, 30-minute gingerbread granola sweetened with molasses and tossed with cinnamon, ginger, and cloves for that perfect gingerbread flavor.
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Tray of Gingerbread Granola with Christmas cookie cutters on it
4.78 from 45 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 10 (1/2-cup servings)
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Vegan
Freezer Friendly 3 months
Does it keep? 2-3 weeks

Ingredients

DRY

  • 3 1/4 cups rolled oats (GF for gluten-free eaters)
  • 1 3/4 cups raw nuts (I used almonds, pecans, and a few walnuts)
  • 3 Tbsp organic cane sugar (or sub extra molasses or maple syrup mixed in with wet ingredients)
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 pinch ground cloves (optional)

WET

  • 1/4 cup coconut or olive oil
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup (sub agave, or honey if not vegan)
  • 2 Tbsp molasses
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (162 C).
  • Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
  • In a small saucepan over medium low heat, warm the coconut oil, maple syrup, molasses and vanilla extract. Pour over the dry ingredients and mix well.
  • Spread the mixture evenly onto a a large baking sheet and bake for 18–22 minutes, stirring near the halfway point to ensure even cooking. The coconut oil will help this granola crisp up nicely, but be sure to watch it carefully as it browns quickly.
  • Once the granola is visibly browned (about 19 minutes for me), remove from the oven and let cool completely on the pan before storing.
  • Keep in a container that has an air-tight seal and it should keep for a few weeks.

Notes

*Adapted from my favorite original granola recipe, Nut and Honey Coconut Granola
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.

Nutrition (1 of 10 servings)

Serving: 1 half-cup servings Calories: 296 Carbohydrates: 35 g Protein: 7 g Fat: 15 g Saturated Fat: 5.6 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 51 mg Fiber: 5 g Sugar: 13 g

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  1. Taylor says

    Perfection! I cooked mine for like 20-21 mins. I added little coconut and ground flaxseed. Mixed half and half coconut and olive oil, and used cashews, pumpkin seeds and pecans foe the nuts. It’s perfect ratios and my favorite cause clusters!

  2. Trisha says

    Wow, this granola is delicious and it made the house smell amazing. So festive and perfect to go with Christmas morning breakfast. I also think it would make a great gift (as long as I don’t eat it all myself, ha)!

  3. Rasta says

    Quick question — does it crisp up as it cools or am I looking for it to be crisp before I take it out of the oven? I had it in for 25 minutes and ended up taking it out, but I’m wondering if maybe I should put it back in the oven. It smells good — but I’m a bit confused what I’m looking for texture-wise. Thanks!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Rasta, it will crisp up as it cools! You can bake a little longer if it seems like it needs it, but we would suggest taking it out if it’s getting too browned or it may taste burnt.

  4. Mike says

    I make alot of granola, but wanted to try this for the holiday cheer. I think if you used 1/2 tsp of salt, and a little more spice it will be even better. The texture came out a bit chewier than other granola I make, but that’s not a bad thing.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks for the feedback, Mike! This granola should be crisp and crunchy. It sounds like it might have needed to bake a bit longer?

  5. Catalina says

    Made this granola today and I LOVED it! I made a few modifications: instead of the sugar, I used alulose, and only used molasses as the liquid sweetener. So tasty, will definitely be making it again! By the way, I’d like to say that here in Chile, we have ‘Pan de pascua’ (Easter cake) which is like a fruitcake but it’s also made with molasses, very warm spices and extracts, a little orange zest or/and juice, dried fruits and nuts. It’s a classic Chilean dessert for Christmas-time. Maybe someone who reads this could give it a try hehe. Anyways, thanks for another great recipe! <3

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed the granola, Catalina! Thank you for sharing and for the lovely recipe idea! xoxo

  6. Nikki Petersen says

    What should I look for when it’s baking if I’m using Olive oil? Because my step mom is allergic to coconut.

  7. Daria says

    Hi, I was wondering if i could sub molasses? Here in Russia I can’t buy cooking molasses, it is only used for fishing and gardening and I’m not ready to take that risk haha. Any suggestions?

  8. Emily says

    I made this for a pumpkin smoothie bowl, and it was quite possibly the best granola I have ever made! I did make a few changes:
    • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
    • 1/4 cup molasses
    • 2-4 Tbsp egg whites
    We like molasses and don’t eat things very sweet, and I thought that the egg white would hold it together; it was nice and clustery. Thank you for this great recipe. I will be bookmarking it and using it soon!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Woohoo! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Emily. So glad you enjoyed!

  9. Eli Haugen says

    I made this today with just a half cup of rolled oats needed to be used, and I’m already planning to make more! This was so tasty and made a very filling breakfast with almond milk.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Geraldine, we’ve never made granola with a dehydrator, but we don’t see why not! Let us know if you try it.

      • Geraldine Shearan says

        I swapped out the coconut oil for Aquafaba as I thought it would dehydrate better than coconut oil. 115F for 12 hours on Paraflexx sheets. Crunchy, fabulous and full of nutrients!

  10. Irene says

    This is a fabulous wintertime granola. I love eating it warm (I microwave it for a minute with almond milk). Sometimes to change it up a bit I use pumpkin pie spice, or add golden raisins.

  11. April says

    I made this for Christmas gifts. The recipe tripled well. I pretty much followed the recipe except for variation on the nuts since I didn’t have everything. The granola is flavor is so good. The spices and the toasted nuts along with the coconut oil flavors are fabulous!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      I think so, just increase quantity of wet ingredients (and maybe add a little almond butter?), press into a 9×13 (or maybe 8×8?), and bake same temp until golden brown on top! Let us know if you try!

  12. Joan says

    I’d like to make this without nuts since I’m a teacher in a nut free classroom and that’s where I eat it. Would I add more oats or just leave out the nuts?

    • Diana says

      Hahaha….this post made me LOL. How can you be a teacher in a “nut free” classroom. It’s that kind of an oxymoron. Just kidding. Kids are nuts!!! Too bad we have so many allergies to worry about these days!

  13. Taylor says

    Turned out great!
    I halved the recipe and used mostly almonds with a small amount of cashews. The almonds I used were honey roasted (with sugar) so I did not use any cane sugar. I also didn’t use any cloves. This was my first time making granola and this recipe was simple and easy to follow.

  14. Jules Collins says

    My first time ever making granola and I made this last night to have for breakfast on Sunday, is absolutely delicious and will definitely make again. This granola with my homemade vegan yogurt. best breakfast ever.
    Thanks for posting.

  15. Regina says

    I have made this 4 times in the past 3 weeks….I can’t get enough! Thank you for this amazing recipe. My kids munch on it after school as a snack, and I love it for breakfast with almond milk. Mixing it up today, and trying your pumpkin granola. But I’ll be back! Thanks Dana, for all of your awesome recipes! :)

  16. Valerie says

    This was my first-ever attempt at making granola. It turned out perfect! I ended up making 3 batches (so far). Most if it was packaged up as gifts for co-workers. The next batch is for us! I love gingerbread and this granola is going to be an annual tradition.

  17. Victoria says

    Question, please. I have some ginger snap cookies and would like to crush them to add more “snail” :). Would I do this before or after baking? Thanks!

  18. Nerissa says

    I have been making this for years and is a fam favorite. When I make a batch, I give most of it away so I don’t eat it in one sitting!

  19. Johanna B says

    I think this is going to be my favourite granola for Christmas-time. I made this with a little less oats and a bit more nuts/seeds – I used raw pumpkin seeds, halved pecans, and walnut pieces. I also just microwaved my coconut oil in a bowl and then whisked the rest of the wet ingredients, then poured that over the oat/nut mix. Baked for 20 mins, and waited until it cooled completely on the pan (I think this is key for getting some more crispy bits), and its PERFECT.
    Already thinking of making this again, and gifting it in little jars because everyone needs to enjoy this!

  20. Roz says

    Perfect snowy day baking project! First time I’ve ever made granola!! It came out really well and my apartment smells lovely. Love your recipes, love your site!

    I didn’t have all the ingredients, but modified it just a bit. I used the same core recipe, but only had 1 cup of nuts (pecans and walnuts) so I added 3/4 cup of mostly raw sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, and a dash of chia seeds. Made for a really nice texture! I also didn’t add in the cane sugar because I’m not a huge sweets person, but did add a little extra blackstrap molasses. I didn’t have maple syrup so I used agave instead. And I added a tiny smidge of nutmeg, too, because nutmeg. Lastly, I like pretty crunchy granola (I think the agave doesn’t crisp up the same way as maple syrup does) so I upped the temp to 400 for about 6 minutes after about 18 minutes at 325. I just kept the tray in the oven after stirring it as it was heating up. Dried it out nicely and left a few extra toasty bits. So tasty and a great way to use various nuts and seeds! Thank you!

  21. Jill Ryder says

    This is great granola! Easy to make and wonderful flavor for those of us who love ginger bread! My son 27 year old son is crazy about it too! I used some coconut flakes in place of some of the nuts, this turned out great.

  22. Stacey says

    This is incredible! Made as is and made my kitchen smell like a gingerbread cookie. It’s divine. Placed in jars and gave as gifts. I am so grateful for your creativity and your recipes! Thank you, also, for the feature on the recipe where you can change the servings. It was helpful. I quadrupled the batch and the ease of doing so was made possible by you allowing your readers to make a change to that servings box. Brilliant and wonderful!

  23. Jacqueline Stadler says

    This recipe is exactly what I was looking for!!! It was delicious, not overly sweet and my one son gobbled it up….mind you, he is a teenager and they gobble everything up! Thank you for sharing.

  24. Bill McKinney says

    Just made this for the first time and love it!
    I make granola a lot but was very happy to find this holiday recipe!
    Thank you

  25. Aiden Mehak says

    Hey! I’d love to make this but am just wondering whether you used blackstrap or regular molasses?

    Thanks a bunch!

    Aiden

  26. Hayley says

    As a student, I needed christmas gifts for my co-workers that weren’t going to sink my bank account – this granola recipe was perfect! Made both the sea salt/dark chocolate, and the gingerbread – I hope everyone enjoys this as much as I do! Thanks M.B!!

  27. Maddy says

    Just made this! Who says gingerbread solely resides in December?! ;) Dana, you’ve done it again! Delicious. Xx
    P.S. Put in extra molasses cause why not, and it turned out lovely.

  28. Katie G says

    This is an amazing granola recipe! Shared with my co-workers and we all love it. I used the same nuts as the recipe but chopped them up a bit. I also skipped the cloves, and subbed the agave for the maple syrup in the wet ingredients. The big bonus is how this makes my house smell like Christmas :)

  29. Shawn McLaughlin says

    If I wanted to add a fruit to this, what would you suggest?
    my daughter & I love your recipes & use them often

  30. andrew says

    love love love this recipe! with my family, we go all roasted almonds and actually halve them to maximize the nut flavor. while it takes significant more time to slice them up, it makes the meal for our child so more “please don’t choke on this” friendly AND extends the flavor of almonds into every bite. additionally, please do NOT refrain from adding vanilla, which, well, in our world, is never optional!

  31. jeanette says

    Unfortunately, the use of molasses, substituting for the organic cane sugar was a problem. That combo resulted in sticky, non crisp…dead…oats. I was really hoping for better luck. I have made granola for a while but decided a no wht/brown sugar would be better, healthier. Molasses has potassium and some good for you stuff. Not happy with this one sad to say.

  32. Amy says

    This sounds delicious! Think I could add some dried cranberries to mine? Maybe right after taking the granola out of the oven? I love the taste and color!

  33. renay says

    granola was the first thing i ever learned to make as a child, and i come from a family of granola gourmands, if you will. :-) so even though i can make granola with my eyes closed and usually throw in a bit of anything and everything, i thought i would try this recipe just the way it is, and i have to say it’s in the regular rotation now! the spice balance is perfect. by the way, for those who prefer clumpy granola clusters, just stir granola less in the pan. i spread it on a cookie sheet in a thin layer and don’t stir it at all unless the sides get really brown. the more you stir, the more the clusters separate. once golden and out of the oven, as it cools it will further harden, so just let it do it’s thing instead of handling it too much. then once it’s cool you can break it up into the consistency that is perfect for you. thanks for another great recipe, dana!

  34. Monika P. says

    My oh my, what can I say about this recipe. Except….awesome! But you should be warned before you make it, this is VERY addictive. I couldn’t stop eating it fresh out of the oven, its that good. And did I mention that is makes your house smell wonderful! For my second batch, I added some fresh shaved coconut, which makes this even more perfect (I’m nuts for fresh coconut, what can I say). Thank you for this amazing, and healthy recipe! I’m not even a granola person but I love this!

  35. Quelcy says

    You do seem to be the granola goddess! I found this recipe, and it was just what I was craving. I made my own version with some extra spices, and I got a little carried away with the gingerbread theme. :)

  36. NMPatricia says

    I made this recipe. I left out the cane sugar and just added a bit more maple syrup. Don’t think I will even do that next time. Plenty sweet for my taste. I use this as a dessert for myself. The part that confused me a bit was to bake until brown. However, with the molasses in it, it was already pretty dark. So either I will have to burn it to know when too brown is too done, or I am missing something.

  37. Sarah McLaughlin says

    Just made this and not only is it delicious but it smells amazing!! My kitchen smells just like the holidays should :)

  38. Maura says

    Just made this… the whole house smells like Christmas. Two problems with the recipe, though – first, the ‘let it cool’ part (ha!) and the ‘lasts a couple or weeks’ part (double ha!). Love your recipes. Keep ’em coming.

  39. Ellen Lederman says

    Like all your granolas, loved this! Amped it up a bit with 1 teaspoon of ginger (why stop at 3/4?) and a few T of crystallized ginger…

  40. Myrthe says

    Just made this! It’s cooling on the counter as I type, I had a little tongue-burning taste and it’s amazing! I halved the recipe to see if I liked it enough to make it as a Christmas gift for my friends and family and it definitely is gift-worthy :)

    I’ll probably be trying all your other granola recipes as well, I never knew it was this easy to make at home. Thanks for inspiring me!

  41. Jess says

    When you posted this recipe, I couldn’t wait to try it. This morning I made it and I am so excited to serve it for Christmas breakfast. The dry ingredients stirred together smelled like Christmas and the cooked batch tasted delicious. An hour after storing the granola, my house smells so good! I can’t wait to pass the recipe along.

  42. Michelle says

    This is soooo good. I was licking the spoon and pretty much eating handfuls before I could even get the pans into the oven! Your granolas are THE BEST. No question.

  43. Sofia says

    So I’ve made this recipe twice in less than 48 hours. Whoops! It’s just too delicious not too! I was trying to find a decent holiday granola and when I found yours I thought, “Well, if it’s from Minimalist Baker, it’s gotta be good!” I was right, hahaha! Thanks for the delicious recipe!

  44. Sandy says

    Another wonderful treat. Add another of your granola recipes to my box. It is delicious. I am with Gabi – I might add a bit more spice next time but no eggs, I am allergic.

  45. Heather A says

    I might have to rethink my homemade Christmas gifts, I was going to make pumpkin breads until I found this recipe. This sounds so much better!!!! Can’t wait to make this!!!!

  46. Tara says

    This looks delicious! I can’t wait to try it. I may whip some up to have on hand Christmas morning. Thanks for sharing… and creating this recipe.

  47. Gabi says

    Very good granola! The only change I made was to add 2 egg whites in order to create nice and crunchy clusters. Next time I’ll add even more spices I think. Yummy! Thank you for the recipe!

  48. AJ @ NutriFitMama says

    LOVE this! It is so all about the gingerbread and peppering right now ;) We are going to make your granola this week- I think the kids will love it (and so will I ;) )

  49. Stephanie @ Girl Versus Dough says

    When I saw this I was all “dang I really want that granola like right now” and then I realized I have ALL the ingredients for it! Exciting Friday night plans, here I come.

  50. Melissa says

    This recipe looks pretty tasty. But I have a question. Most of your granola recipes look to be more of a loose/flaky granola, as opposed to having nice bug chunks or clusters. For me, granola is all about those clusters. Do you have any ideas or suggestions for how to get those bigger chunks without adding a ton more sweetener?

  51. Stacy says

    What an amazing idea! But honestly I want to eat this all over a bowl of ice cream. I’ll def be making this for my family this holiday season. Thanks for sharing.

  52. Hannah Elizabeth says

    Yum!! I. must. try. this. I *adore* granola and you have THE BEST flavor combinations! Plus, gingerbread is one of my favorite flavors of the season (although how can one really pick with so many good ones??). Thank you for all the great recipes (and for lengthening my must-make-this-awesomeness list :P)!!

  53. Robin says

    Ohhhhhhhh my. I don’t think I’d have thought of gingerbread granola on my own. I have all ingredients on hand and will be making it this afternoon.

    I followed a link from Yanic’s blog, Family, Faith, Food and Fabric to your site this morning. I’ll be back often.

  54. Ellen says

    Oh man, I made gingerbread cookies recently and have to say I too have moved into ginger-izing everything but especially cocktails (gotta use all that ginger simple syrup somehow). But I’d never have thought to make gingerbread granola!

  55. Timaree says

    Thanks for the station info! This granola sound terrific. I can make it and share it with my family who are one or more of vegan, vegetarian, wheat sensitive, soy sensitive! Yay!!

      • Timaree says

        I got it made. Oh my what a chore on my part! I doubled the oats and nuts but nothing else. Halfway through the baking I realized that so I hurried up and put it all back in the bowl, heated the other half of the liquid ingredients, poured it over and mixed it up. I popped it back in the oven and thought “oh no” and pulled it right back out to add the other half of the spices. Popped it back in the oven to realize I hadn’t doubled the sugar! One more mixing and some more baking and NOW I have some great granola! It is so yummy I’m not sure it will make it into gift bags lol. Yes, it will as I just have to share it. This was not one of my better baking days.

  56. Leigh says

    I must make this granola STAT! What better way to get in the Christmas spirit! My house will smell amazingly festive for sure! Thank you for the Indie Holidays Radio too I heart it as well!

  57. Robyn @realfoodwholelife says

    I love anything with molasses and this gingerbread granola looks to be just about the perfect thing to quell my sweet cravings without eating a bunch of cookies! Also, on a separate note, welcome to Portland! I hope you’ll love it here. I work in the Pearl and live in outer North West–it’s the best. I saw on IG you found Dechutes Brewery–love those sweet potato fries. Bridgeport Brewery is another of our favorite–they have an awesome happy hour and their vegan bowl can’t be beat! Also check out Prasad Cafe (in Yoga Pearl) if you haven’t already. Cheers!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Ah, thanks Robyn! So kind. Thanks for the welcome note. We did indeed find the sweet potato fries at Deschutes. SUH GOOD. I’ll be sure to check out Bridgeport! John loves beer and I love fries, so it’s probably a match made in heaven. Someone else had mentioned Prasad! Thanks for sharing that! Will have to check it out. Happy baking!

  58. Emilie@TheCleverCarrot says

    Fab! Love gingerbread anything. And granola. It’s funny, because I made some granola last week and stashed in the freezer for some on-the-fly holiday gifts. I’m thinking Ill add this to my (boring) rotation to spice things up ;) xx

  59. Kare @ Kitchen Treaty says

    I adore the idea of gingerbread granola, and I’m really sort of pissed I didn’t come up with the idea first! ;) Perfect for edible gift-giving too.

  60. genevieve @ gratitude & greens says

    This granola would be amazing as a gift! Love how simple the ingredients are, I’m excited to make some!

    • Victoria says

      I made this granola recipe without molasses and it turned out super good. It tastes like ginger cookies for me and I love it! I wonder what would it taste with molasses but I’ll definitely make this recipe again ( but will with molasses next time ) <3

  61. Medha @ Whisk & Shout says

    That Pandora station has been my mainstay for Christmas music the last few years! I made my own playlist for the first time this year, but I’m sure I’ll abandon it pretty quickly. This granola looks amazing! It’s like dessert for breakfast :)

  62. Melissa @battleofmarathonblog says

    Throw this goodness into a mason jar, tie with a ribbon, and you’d have such a nice holiday present for a foodie. Love!

  63. Ashlee says

    Oh yay, I have all of these ingredients at home! Definitely making these this weekend. Just need to buy some festive cookie cutters… Now I have an excuse to buy cookie cutters : )

  64. jenna @ just j.faye says

    That indie holiday Pandora station is my absolute fave. Non-stop from now until
    Christmas! Also, this granola sounds spectacular.

  65. Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says

    Every year I make a big batch of gingerbread granola for the holidays. I’d love to try your recipe!

  66. The Blonde Chef says

    Just when I think you couldn’t possibly create another amazing granola recipe, you pull this out! Just the name is enough to put me in the Christmas spirit! Can’t wait to put this on EVERYTHING!