Pumpkin Granola

If you are a fan of granola than you will like this recipe! It made my house smell so good while it was baking and it tasted just as good! I have been snacking on it all day and even had it with some milk for breakfast this morning.

I read some of the comments that were posted on the Two Peas and Their Pod blog regarding this recipe. Some people said it was not as crunchy as they would have liked it to be so I ended up baking it about 5 minutes longer than the directions say. Also, the recipe calls for pepitas which are green raw pumpkin seeds. I've never had a pepita before so I just stuck with almond slivers, walnuts, and pecans. In addition to the dried cranberries, I also added dried cherries and blueberries.

This recipe was delicious!

Pumpkin Granola
Source: www.twopeasandtheirpod.com

5 c. rolled oats
1 t. pumpkin pie spice
1 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg
¾ t. salt
¾ c. brown sugar
½ c. pumpkin puree
¼ c. applesauce
¼ c. maple syrup
1 t. vanilla extract
3/4 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. pepitas ***see note

1. Preheat the oven to 325° F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine oats, spices, and salt. Mix well.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar, pumpkin puree, applesauce, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth. Pour wet ingredients into oat mixture and stir until the oats are evenly coated. They will be moist. Evenly spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet.

4. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and stir. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the granola is golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and stir in dried cranberries and pepitas. Let cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Note: You can use almonds, walnuts, pecans, or sunflower seeds in place of the pepitas.