Honey Maple Granola With Pumpkin Seeds

Great grains.

If there is recipe heaven, there is almost certainly a place for recipes that are 1) fabulous tasting; 2) impressive to others; and 3) require almost zero effort. This honey maple granola with pumpkin seeds most certainly qualifies. Homemade granola is truly simple to make: Mix the ingredients together. Put it on a sheet pan. Bake. Here’s my favorite recipe.

This honey maple granola recipe with pumpkin seeds makes a wholesome, crunchy breakfast that is light yet substantial, and sweet without being a sugar bomb. Plus, the combination of natural sugars (maple, honey, agave) makes for a better, more complex flavor than average, sugary granola. Granola also makes a perfect edible gift, and a great snack.

You’ll also like: Multigrain Porridge and How to Slice a Loaf of Bread

Recipe Notes: Honey Maple Granola With Pumpkin Seeds

Feel free to riff on this granola recipe. Substitute pecans or walnuts for the seeds, toss in some coconut flakes, nix the agave and double up on the maple syrup, or swap in your own favorite dried fruits.

The key to good granola is to bake it at a low oven temperature for a long time. High oven temperatures cause browning, then burning — especially when sugars are involved. A low oven temperature allows the granola to dry out and toast, while keeping the color on the light side. It’s worth the wait.

Want your granola to have big clumps instead of being a more loose granola? No problem. Just don’t stir it while baking until at the very end when it comes out of the oven. This can get a little tricky because the top will toast more than the bottom, so I recommend not baking the granola on silicone mats, which are well insulated. Use a plain greased sheet pan or a parchment-lined pan instead.

Did you make Honey Maple Granola With Pumpkin Seeds? How was it?

Honey Maple Granola With Pumpkin Seeds

A sweet, simple granola.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time2 hours hrs

Course: Breakfast, Snack

Keywords:: breakfast, easy, edible gift, granola, honey, maple

Servings: 9 cups

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Ingredients

• 7 cups rolled oats
• 2 cups raw, unsalted pumpkin seeds, or nuts of choice (such as almonds, pecans, or walnuts)
• 1/2 cup good-quality extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup agave nectar (or substitute an additional 1/4 cup maple syrup)
• generous pinch Kosher salt
• 2 cups dried fruit(s) of choice, such as golden raisins, dried cranberries, apples, or dates

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 265°F, and line two half-sheet pans with parchment.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, maple syrup, light brown sugar, agave, and honey. Add the oats, seeds (or nuts), and salt, and mix until thoroughly combined. The mixture should be moist and lightly sticky, with no liquid pooling in the bottom.
• Pour the oat mixture onto the sheet pans and spread in evenly.
• Bake for around two hours, stirring every 30 minutes or so, until it becomes a nice toasted brown color. Let cool on the sheet pans.
• Add the dried fruit. Stir well, and store at room temperature in an airtight container.