This crunchy pumpkin seed granola is chock-full of quinoa, sunflower and pumpkin seeds. It makes for a great seasonal breakfast.
About Pumpkin Seed Granola
People often enjoy granola for breakfast or even for a snack. It is usually a crunchy mixture of nuts, oats, dried fruit, syrup, and flavourings that is baked until crisp and golden in the oven.
While you could purchase granola from the grocery store, it can be much more affordable to make it at home. Plus, you have full control of what you put into the mixture.
This pumpkin seed granola blend is perfect for fall when the weather is crisp and pumpkin spice flavours are on the menu. This crunchy blend comprises of oats, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, quinoa, and pecans for the dry elements.
If desired, you could substitute the quinoa with puffed amaranth, a type of seed that has been puffed similar to popcorn. They are high in protein and other nutrients and add a nice puffed rice type of texture to the granola mix.
Meanwhile, pumpkin puree, coconut oil, and maple syrup bind everything together. A little salt and pumpkin spice bind all of the flavours, making an incredibly addictive breakfast food you may want to eat all day. You can also add studs of dried cranberries or raisins to impart some colour and sweetness, but these are optional. The colour of the red cranberries looks particularly great against the green pumpkin seeds.


How to Make Pumpkin Seed Granola
If you aren't a regular cook or baker, this pumpkin seed granola is incredibly easy to make. You will want to start by warming your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. While you may think that a higher temperature would be ideal, this granola includes delicate ingredients that you don't want to brown too quickly. The idea is to get the entire mixture golden, toasted, and fragrant, but not burnt.
Next, you mix all of the ingredients (except for the dried fruit) in a large bowl until well-combined. You will want to ensure that all of the seeds and oats are adequately coated in the maple syrup, pumpkin puree, oil, and spices. Afterward, you arrange the mixture in an even layer on a large baking sheet. In order to achieve the appropriate texture and colour, it is crucial to give the mixture enough space.
The entire pumpkin seed mixture bakes in the oven for a total time of 30 to 45 minutes, stirring halfway for even cooking. The reason for such a significant time range is that some may like their granola toastier and crisper than others. If you like a more lightly toasted flavour, feel free to err on the side of 30 minutes. Meanwhile, a total time of 45 minutes will result in a slightly darker colour.
After baking, you can sprinkle the granola with dried cranberries or raisins if using. These don't go in during baking, because they tend to dry out in the oven and lose their vibrant appearance. Chewy, supple dried fruit is best in this healthy pumpkin seed granola mixture.
How to Make Pumpkin Spice
While you could certainly purchase pumpkin spice from the grocery store, it isn't always available. Luckily, it is a relatively simple process to make it yourself. In fact, you can view my Homemade Pumpkin Spice recipe to learn how to mix a batch so that you can use it in this granola and other recipes.
My version includes classic dessert spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves. They simply get mixed together and stored until ready to use.
To ensure that your batch is always fresh, I recommend making it in small batches so that you can use it in a reasonable amount of time. Spices can lose their robust flavours over time, resulting in less tasty dishes. Generally speaking, if stored properly, both whole and ground spices should keep for up to a total time of 2 years just fine. The telling signs that they may be past their prime is if they cake together, are dull in taste, or have a pale appearance. You should be able to minimize the chances of all those elements by storing the spice mix in an airtight container in a dark cupboard in between uses.


How to Eat Pumpkin Granola
Pumpkin granola is wonderful as it is for a snack. It also tends to work well on hikes because it is light to carry and is robust in calories.
One of the best ways to enjoy it is in a bowl with your favourite dairy, nut, or soy milk, though. This is particularly great if you are a fan of the convenience of boxed breakfast cereal in the morning, but want to have something healthier on hand. You can simply keep a jar of this granola with rolled oats in your pantry to have ready when you need a fast breakfast in the morning.
Another option is to sprinkle it on your favourite dairy or coconut yogurt. For an extra fancy touch, consider layering it with the yogurt to make a parfait type breakfast dish.
More Granola Recipes To Make:
- Almond Mocha Granola
- Almond Butter Granola
- Coconut Oil Granola
- Healthy Granola Bar Recipe
- Paleo Tigernut Granola
Original photos from 2014

Pumpkin Granola
Ingredients
- 3 cups rolled oats
- ¾ cup pumpkin seeds
- ¾ cup sunflower seeds
- ½ cup quinoa or puffed amaranth
- ½ cup pecan nuts pieces or chopped
- 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- â…” cup pumpkin puree
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- ½ cup dried cranberries or raisins; optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 300 F.
- In a large bowl stir together all ingredients until evenly combined.
- Place mixture on a large baking sheet and bake for 30 - 45 minutes until crisped and browned to your liking. Toss once halfway through to ensure even baking.
- After baking you can sprinkle the optional cranberries over the granola. Let granola cool to room temperature on the baking sheet. Don't stir it while warm to let larger clusters form.
- Transfer the cooled granola to an airtight storage container.
Susan
Can you use sugar free maple syrup?
Jennifer @ Leelalicious
Absolutely! You should be able to substitute regular maple syrup with the same amount of sugar free maple syrup in this recipe.
Samantha
Hi there, is there any other substitute for pureéd pumkin? Please do let me know. Thanks.
Regina | Leelalicious
It won't be quite the same, but you could use sweet potato mash, mashed banana, or applesauce for similar results
Debby
Hello: this looks fabulous! I plan to prepare this tomorrow. Can you tell me if the quinoa is cooked or uncooked?
Thank you!
Regina | Leelalicious
I used uncooked quinoa. It is crunchy. You can also use puffed quinoa or puffed amaranth
Kelly
Are the seeds raw or roasted? Thanks!
Regina | Leelalicious
I am adding them raw. They get a roasted flavor while the granola is baking
Sigi Cayel
Love this idea of pumpkin granola! If pecans weren't so expensive here, I know that they would've added that perfect fall flavor! Here are some of the substitutions I made and it still came out wonderful!
-Omitted quinoa
-1 cup chopped walnuts
-2 tsps cinnamon
-1 tsp nutmeg
-1/4 cup honey
-2 tbsps EVOO
-3 pinches of coarse sea salt
-1 tsp vanilla
Regina | Leelalicious
I am sure walnuts are just as awesome in this pumpkin granola. Around here walnuts are much harder to find than pecans. Salt and vanilla sound like they wound wonderfully round out the flavors