Enjoy the warm spices of the season in this gingerbread granola. Filled with nuts, oats, molasses and maple syrup, it's perfectly spiced and great for breakfast or to snack on.
You'll love celebrating the holiday season with this wonderfully spiced gingerbread granola recipe.
I'm always looking for new flavors to incorporate into my granola recipe. Homemade granola is one of those incredibly delicious snacks that make it easy to mix in all kinds of different flavors and ingredients.
Why I Love This Granola
With this gingerbread granola recipe, I've taken the ingredients found in my traditional granola and added the warm, spiced flavors of the holiday season.
This granola is crisp and crunchy, subtly spiced, and completely addicting.
Ingredient Notes
See below for ways to use leftover ingredients
- Oats: I use old-fashioned rolled oats in my granola recipes. If you'd like to make a gluten free granola, be sure to use gluten free oats. I do not recommend using quick oats.
- Coconut: I use unsweetened shredded coconut, you may sweetened instead if preferred.
- Walnuts or pecans: Feel free to switch up the nuts you use in your version. Consider using cashews or chopped almonds instead.
- Brown sugar: I highly recommend using brown sugar. It caramelizes over the oats and makes the granola absolutely delicious!
- Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and cloves: These spices are found in gingerbread recipes and make this granola so incredibly delicious.
- Butter: Salted butter is what I prefer using, you may use coconut oil instead.
- Maple syrup: You can use honey, agave, or brown rice syrup instead of maple syrup.
- Molasses: Essential for gingerbread. We recommend using ¼ cup.
- Salt and vanilla extract: For flavor.
How To Make This Recipe
See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Mix the oats, coconut, nuts, and spices together in a large bowl.
- In a small pot over medium heat, melt the butter and stir in the maple syrup, molasses, and salt. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Pour the liquid ingredients over the oats and nuts and stir with a big spoon. Spread out the unbaked granola onto a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake for a total of 30 minutes, removing the pan from the oven every 10 minutes to give the granola a little stir so that the granola cooks evenly.
As the granola bakes, the aroma coming from your kitchen will smell amazing.
The flavors in this gingerbread granola are fantastic. The spices are subtle and the granola is crunchy and filled with flavor. I can't resist eating it right off the baking sheet - it's just so good!
Pro Tip: For gluten-free granola, make sure to use gluten-free oats.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this granola recipe, you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
- Oats: Blueberry Crumble, Lace Cookies, Baked Oatmeal
Coconut: Cowboy Cookies, Coconut Macaroons - Nuts: Apple Muffin, Pecan Pie, Chicken Salad
- Maple syrup: Maple Walnut Muffin, Breakfast Bread Pudding, Baked Salmon
- Molasses: Sloppy Joe, Soft Ginger Cookies, Gingerbread
- Vanilla: Panna Cotta, Mini Spice Cake, Banana Cream Pie
Frequently Asked Questions
Completely cool the granola on the baking tray before transferring it to a container. Granola will keep well for up to a month when stored at room temperature in an airtight container.
Expert Tips
- Gingerbread granola would also make a lovely holiday, hostess, or teacher gift. Pour the granola into little mason jars and decorate with a festive ribbon for a no-fuss gift.
- If you like big clusters of nuts and oats, press the oats mixture into little 1-inch ovals for the first 10 minutes of baking.
- Be sure to let the granola cool before eating or transferring into a jar. As the granola cools, the crispier it gets.
Other Granola Recipes
RELATED: 20 Breakfast Ideas Worth Waking Up To
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Gingerbread Granola
See the post above for expert tips,
FAQs and ways to use leftover ingredients.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups old fashioned oats
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut shredded
- 1 cup walnuts , roughly chopped ( or pecans )
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ cup salted butter
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup molasses
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300° F (150° C).
- In a large bowl, combine the oats, coconut, walnuts, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger and cloves. Set aside.
- In a small pot on medium heat, melt the butter.
- Stir in the maple syrup, molasses and salt.
- Remove pot from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Pour the maple syrup mixture into the bowl with the oats and nuts and mix well.
- Pour onto 1 large sheet pan and spread evenly.
- Cook for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to achieve an even color.
- Remove from the oven, cool and transfer to a large bowl.
Notes
- Gingerbread granola would also make a lovely holiday, hostess, or teacher gift. Pour the granola into little mason jars and decorate with a festive ribbon for a no-fuss gift.
- If you like big clusters of nuts and oats, press the oats mixture into little 1-inch ovals for the first 10 minutes of baking.
- Be sure to let the granola cool before eating or transferring into a jar. As the granola cools, the crispier it gets.
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.
kittie says
Any idea if adding some craisins would be an issue and if not at point would I add them
Joanie Zisk says
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.
Elizabeth Jackson says
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????
Joanie Zisk says
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.
Karen says
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?
Joanie Zisk says
I use salted butter, Karen. I hope you enjoy the granola!
Joanie
Lisa A Langston says
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!!
Joanie Zisk says
Hi Lisa,
Honey or agave would be a good substitute.
Angie | Big Bear's Wife says
This mixed into some greek yogurt this weekend is going to be fantastic! Perfect holiday flavor too!
Katerina @ diethood .com says
Oh my goodness!! This is absolutely incredible!!! LOVE it!!