Pumpkin Spice Granola with Maple, Dates & Walnuts

Granola is one of my favorite things to eat, but I honestly can’t seem to find one at the store that is free of nasty seed oils and refined sugars. That is exactly why I started making my own!

This Pumpkin Spice Granola with Maple, Dates & Walnuts is sweetened with real maple syrup and flavored with warm fall spices. It has the best crunch from the pumpkin seeds and walnuts, chewy bites of dates, and big pieces of dried coconut that toast beautifully in the oven.

I love the variety of textures in every bite. It is crunchy, chewy, nutty and just sweet enough. It tastes like fall, makes the whole kitchen smell amazing and is perfect over yogurt, with milk or simply by the handful!

Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Spice Granola

• It is naturally sweetened with real maple syrup and dates.
• There are no refined sugars or nasty seed oils.
• The walnuts, pumpkin seeds and coconut give it the most satisfying crunch.
• It is incredibly easy to mix and bake right on one sheet pan.

How to Make Pumpkin Spice Granola

This recipe is as easy as can be.

Preheat the oven to 350º.

Directly on a large baking sheet, toss the oats, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, chopped dates and coconut smiles. Try to cut the coconut into smaller chunks, as some pieces can be quite big.

Tip! I choose this type of coconut over coconut chips or flakes because of the texture. When they bake, they are crunchy but still have a bite to them. I have only seen these at Whole Foods, BTW.

Add the pumpkin pie spice, vanilla powder, kosher salt, maple syrup and coconut oil to the oat mixture.

Toss and mix the entire mixture with your hands. Make sure every oat is covered in the mixture and all the loose pieces are coated as well.

Tip! I take this time to separate any date pieces that have stuck together or clumped up. I also use this time to cut any coconut smiles I might’ve left too big.

Spread the mixture into an even layer and bake for 20 minutes.

At the 10-minute mark, using a spatula, toss and shimmy the granola around. This helps the granola brown evenly.

After the final 10 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow it to cool on a cooling rack.

Tip! Cooling warm food on a cooling rack allows it to cool evenly from both the top and the bottom.

Once the granola has cooled completely, it will be crunchy and dry.

Tip! Do not store the granola while it’s still warm. It will make it sticky and not as crunchy.

I love serving this granola with the freshest fruit of the season. For fall, I can’t get enough pears and blackberries! I also find myself munching on the granola constantly just as is. The warm flavors of vanilla and nutmeg from the pumpkin pie spice are the perfect complement to the walnuts, dates and pumpkin seeds. This granola is seriously a winner.

Enjoy!

Substitutions:

-Coconut smiles are large pieces of dried coconut. If you cannot find them, use large coconut chips instead.

-If you do not have vanilla powder, substitute 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Try to find vanilla powder, though—it is a great addition to any baker’s pantry.