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This small batch Gingerbread Granola is crisp, lightly sweet, and filled with warm holiday spices. Made with oats, molasses, and maple syrup, it’s an easy homemade granola recipe that’s perfect for breakfast, snacking, or gifting during the holiday season.
Featured Comment
“OMG!!! SOOOO GOOD!…
– Melissa
If you like gingerbread, you will LOVE this!”
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to Make: Uses simple pantry ingredients and comes together in minutes.
- Warm Gingerbread Flavor: Sweetened with molasses and maple syrup and spiced with cinnamon and ginger for that classic holiday taste.
- Small Batch Recipe: Makes just the right amount.
- Flexible Ingredients: Customize with your favorite nuts or sweeteners.
- Perfect for Gifting: A thoughtful homemade granola to share during the holidays.
What I love most about this gingerbread granola is how it fills my kitchen with the scent of the holidays. The mix of warm spices and molasses always takes me back to baking in my mom’s kitchen during December.
I like to make a batch early in the season, keep a jar on the counter, and snack on it with my morning coffee. It’s one of those simple recipes that instantly makes the day feel a little more special.
Looking for more small batch granola recipes? You’ll love our small batch pumpkin spice granola, small batch butter pecan granola, small batch maple granola, and small batch apple pie granola.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this gingerbread spice granola recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Oats: Use old-fashioned rolled oats for the best texture. They bake evenly and stay crisp. For a gluten-free version, choose certified gluten-free oats. Avoid quick oats, which tend to make the granola soft. If you have extra oats, use them in baked oatmeal, small batch oatmeal cookies, or an apple crisp for one.
- Coconut: Unsweetened shredded coconut adds a light, toasty flavor and texture without extra sweetness. Use any leftover coconut in small batch morning glory muffins, small batch coconut macaroons, or coconut cream pie for one.
- Nuts: Walnuts and pecans add a rich, buttery crunch. You can substitute almonds or cashews, just keep the same measurement.
- Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness and a hint of molasses flavor. If you’re out, make your own with our homemade brown sugar recipe.
- Spices: A blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves gives this granola its warm gingerbread flavor.
- Butter: Salted butter adds richness and helps the granola bake evenly. For a dairy-free or vegan version, use coconut oil instead.
- Maple Syrup: Sweetens and helps the granola form clusters. Honey, agave, or brown rice syrup can also be used. Extra maple syrup can be used to make a small batch of mulled cider.
- Molasses: Brings the signature gingerbread flavor. Dark molasses gives the deepest, most traditional taste. If you love molasses, try using it in our small batch molasses cookies recipe.
- Salt and Vanilla Extract: Both enhance the overall flavor and balance the sweetness, don’t skip them.
How To Make Gingerbread Granola
These step-by-step photos and instructions help you visualize how to make a small batch of gingerbread granola. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Preheat the Oven: Set the oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the oats, coconut, walnuts, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and cloves.
- Make the Wet Mixture: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the maple syrup, molasses, and salt. Cook, stirring often, until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Combine: Pour the warm butter mixture over the oat mixture. Stir until everything is evenly coated.
- Bake the Granola: Spread the mixture evenly over the prepared baking sheet. Bake for a total of 30 minutes, removing the pan every 10 minutes to stir the granola so it toasts evenly.
- Cool and Store: Remove from the oven and let the granola cool completely on the baking sheet. Once cooled, transfer to an airtight container for storage.
Expert Tips
- Read Before You Start: Review the full recipe, including the Ingredient Notes and step-by-step photos, before beginning. This helps you understand each step and ensures your granola turns out perfectly.
- Make It Giftable: Package the granola in small mason jars tied with festive ribbon. It’s an easy and thoughtful gift for the holidays, teachers, or hosts.
- Forming Clusters: For big granola clusters, lightly press the mixture into small 1-inch ovals on the baking sheet before baking. This helps the oats and nuts stick together.
- Let It Cool: Allow the granola to cool completely before breaking it apart or storing. It crisps up as it cools, giving you that perfect crunch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store cooled granola in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Keep it in a cool, dry place for the best crunch.
Lightly press the granola into small sections on the baking sheet before baking. Stir gently every 10 minutes, and let it cool completely before breaking it apart. The cooling time helps it crisp up and form clusters.
The granola is ready when it looks golden brown and feels slightly dry to the touch. It will continue to crisp as it cools on the baking sheet.
Yes. Add dried fruit or chocolate chips after the granola has cooled completely. Adding them too soon will cause the chocolate to melt or the fruit to harden.
Yes. Double or triple the ingredients and use two baking sheets.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
RELATED: 20 Breakfast Ideas Worth Waking Up To
If you’ve tried this gingerbread granola or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Get a Quick Recipe Overview
Small Batch Gingerbread Granola
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
- ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Set the oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner.
- In a large bowl, combine the oats, coconut, walnuts, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and cloves.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the maple syrup, molasses, and salt. Cook, stirring often, until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Pour the warm butter mixture over the oat mixture. Stir until everything is evenly coated.
- Spread the mixture evenly over the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, stir, and return to bake for another 10 minutes.
- Stir once more and bake for another 10 minutes, for a total baking time of 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let the granola cool completely on the baking sheet. Once cooled, transfer to an airtight container for storage.
Notes
- Read Before You Start: Review the full recipe, including the Ingredient Notes and step-by-step photos, before beginning. This helps you understand each step and ensures your granola turns out perfectly.
- Make It Giftable: Package the granola in small mason jars tied with festive ribbon. It’s an easy and thoughtful gift for the holidays, teachers, or hosts.
- Forming Clusters: For big granola clusters, lightly press the mixture into small 1-inch ovals on the baking sheet before baking. This helps the oats and nuts stick together.
- Let It Cool: Allow the granola to cool completely before breaking it apart or storing. It crisps up as it cools, giving you that perfect crunch.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Fantastic recipe! I added both walnuts and pecans. I will definitely be making this again.
Delicious and so versatile. I just made this true to your recipe. Turned out great. Love your web site and all your commentary.
OMG!!! SOOOO GOOD!
I made this to give as part of Christmas treat plates, and it is FANTASTIC! I tripled the recipe with no problem and added craisins after it cooled.
If you like gingerbread, you will LOVE this!
Good recipe.
Any idea if adding some craisins would be an issue and if not at point would I add them
That would be fine. If you’re adding dried fruit to your granola, add it at the end. You don’t want to run the risk of burning your dried fruit in the oven. Stir it in after the granola cools.
I do have one question. I baked my granola at 300 according to specified temp in recipe. It came out darker than the recipe picture. Also slightly grainy. It tasted great and I love it just wondering about it’s appearance and what I may need to change????
Hi Elizabeth, it could be that your oven may be running hotter than it should be. You can test the true temperature of your oven by placing an oven thermometer inside the oven and heating the oven to 350 F. See if the thermometer registers the same temperature as the oven. It’s also very important to stir the granola from time to time to help it brown evenly. I’m not sure why your granola was grainy, it could also go back to stirring the granola every 10 minutes.
This recipe sounds amazing, I can’t wait to make it!
One quick question for you….do you use salted butter or unsalted butter in your granola recipes?
I use salted butter, Karen. I hope you enjoy the granola!
Joanie
Hey! I just came across your blog and love it! I love small batch recipes since there are only two of us! What can I use to substitute the maple syrup in this recipe? I am not a fan of maple syrup. Thank you!!
Hi Lisa,
Honey or agave would be a good substitute.
This mixed into some greek yogurt was fantastic! Perfect holiday flavor too!