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Home » All posts » Breakfast

Heart Healthy Pumpkin Granola

Updated: Jul 19, 2022 · Published: Oct 7, 2019 by Laura Yautz · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

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Is it time to switch up your breakfast to something more seasonal? Heart Healthy Pumpkin granola has you covered! This granola recipe is really simple, delicious, and has no added sugar or oils (I have included an option for a sweetener though if you're working on decreasing your sugar consumption slowly!).

This recipe uses real pumpkin, and is lightly sweet, with warming, complementary spices like cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. It's nicely crunchy and chewy, and holds up to milk without getting soggy. It's great by the handful, in a bowl of milk, or layered in a parfait. The sky is the limit with this pumpkin granola! Have I mentioned its yum-factor yet? YUM! It seriously tastes like a crisp Fall morning.

Granola spilling out of a Mason jar on a black background with text overlay: Heart Healthy Pumpkin Granola, no added sugar, easy.

How To Make Heart Healthy Pumpkin Granola

You probably know by know how I really prefer to keep things simple, and this is no exception. Toss everything in a bowl and mix it up. Bake. Yum! 😋

This is really customizable though. You can use any nut or seed for any nut or seed, and any dried fruit for any dried fruit in the ingredients. No need to run out to the store for just one thing! Don't have pecans? Use walnuts, or more slivered almonds. Have sliced almonds instead? Use those! No hemp seeds? Use flax. Want to make it totally nut free? Use sunflower seeds, flax seeds, etc., instead of nuts.

If you do replace the dates with something else, I high recommend using the optional maple syrup or honey in the recipe, though. The dried dates are very sweet, and another fruit may not impart the same sweetness.

Pumpkin Granola

Is Granola Healthy?

I get this question a lot, and it's a fair one! Granola has a reputation for being healthy. The internet has even begun referring to people who used to be called "health nuts" as "crunchies" - which is a reference to granola being crunchy. So, is granola worthy of the health halo it's received?

The answer is: sometimes. It seems to be the answer in all things nutrition, doesn't it? It depends. At its heart, granola is pretty healthy: nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and usually a whole grain of some kind. Sounds great! But it kind of goes downhill from there.

Because we like sweeter things in America, there's almost always some kind of sugar added: honey, maple syrup, agave, rice syrup, molasses, or corn syrup. They all mean the same - added sugar. Which alone isn't terrible, but there tends to be a lot of sweetener added. Plus, it adds up over the day really fast because it's an ingredient in much of what we eat. Added sugar is a known contributor to heart disease and many other maladies. If you want to learn more about added sugar, check out my YouTube video on the topic. I avoided having to use a sweetener by using dried fruit chopped small, so you get some in every bite! For my granola recipe, the fruits I chose were dates and raisins. Raisins are easily found, and already small, and dates have a very sweet caramel flavor, so they fit perfect.

The next addition in commercial granola is often oil of some kind. Again, not necessarily terrible, but granola is usually full of nuts and seeds. Remember that nuts and seeds are high calorie foods, because they have a lot of fat in them. Good, heart healthy fat, but still a lot of fat. I avoided using an oil by using pumpkin, which helped bind the granola together, and coat it to prevent quick burning.

What else have you seen in boxed granola? Chocolate chips? Marshmallows? Other such add ins. None of that here. I used a combination of warming, familiar spices to amp up the flavor and perceived sweetness so nothing else was needed! I also fit in 24% of your daily fiber, as much protein as an egg, and 32% of your daily magnesium in a ½ cup serving!

Here's to your health and taste buds!

📖 Recipe

Pumpkin Granola close up

Heart Healthy Pumpkin Granola

Laura Yautz
Is it time to switch up your breakfast to something more seasonal? Pumpkin granola has you covered! My version is really simple, delicious, and has no added sugar or oils! Mix, bake, enjoy, repeat!
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 40 minutes mins
Course Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 7
Calories 278 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup Old Fashioned Oats
  • 1 cup chopped, pitted Dates
  • ½ cup Raisins
  • ¼ cup Sesame seeds
  • ¼ cup Pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
  • ¼ cup slivered Almonds
  • ¼ cup chopped Pecans
  • ¼ cup Hemp seeds
  • ⅔ cup Pumpkin puree
  • 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon Pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
  • (Optional) 2-3 tablespoon Maple Syrup or Honey

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
  • Combine all ingredients and mix well.
  • Transfer to a baking sheet, and spread thin.
  • Bake for 30-35 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes, until mixture is dry and crispy, but not burned.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cupCalories: 278kcal (14%)Carbohydrates: 37.6g (13%)Protein: 7.8g (16%)Fat: 12.3g (19%)Saturated Fat: 1.6g (10%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 5.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 4.7gSodium: 4.2mgPotassium: 591.6mg (17%)Fiber: 6g (25%)Sugar: 20.8g (23%)Vitamin A: 181.9IU (4%)Vitamin C: 2.4mg (3%)Calcium: 98mg (10%)Iron: 3.1mg (17%)

*Nutrition information is an estimate, and will change based on the brand and individual ingredients and amounts you use. This is provided for your convenience only.

Keyword granola
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Granola spilling out of a Mason jar on a black background with text overlay: Heart Healthy Pumpkin Granola, no added sugar, easy.
Granola spilling out of a Mason jar on a black background with text overlay: Heart Healthy Pumpkin Granola, no added sugar, vegan.
Close up of pumpkin granola with text overlay: Heart Healthy Pumpkin Granola, no added sugar, easy.
Granola spilling out of a Mason jar on a black background with text overlay: Heart Healthy Pumpkin Granola, no added sugar, easy.
Granola spilling out of a Mason jar on a black background with text overlay: Heart Healthy Pumpkin Granola, vegan, easy.
Split image; top image is close up of pumpkin granola, bottom image is granola spilling out of a Mason jar on dark background. Text overlay: Heart Healthy Pumpkin Granola, vegan, easy.
Split image; top image is close up of pumpkin granola, bottom image is granola spilling out of a Mason jar on dark background. Text overlay: Heart Healthy Pumpkin Granola, no added sugar, easy.
Granola spilling out of a Mason jar on a black background with text overlay: Heart Healthy Pumpkin Granola, no added sugar, easy.
Granola spilling out of a Mason jar on a black background with text overlay: Heart Healthy Pumpkin Granola, no added sugar, easy.

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Comments

    5 from 1 vote

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Nilda Bergmann says

    September 21, 2023 at 7:17 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Laura, Today I made the Pumpkin Granola and plan to have it for breakfast. Of cause, I had to taste and I like it.

    I looked online to find out how to store homemade Granola what I learned was from 2 weeks to 2 months in the fridge or cupboard and 2 months to 6 months in the freezer. What is your suggestion.

    Thanks you,
    Nilda

    Reply
    • Laura Yautz says

      September 25, 2023 at 10:11 am

      I'm so glad you like the pumpkin granola! This granola should keep on the counter or cupboard for at least a week or two. What affects the storage life of this recipe is how dry you get it in the oven. If you notice it isn't completely crispy and dry, store it in the refrigerator. Otherwise it's fine for counter/cupboard storage in an airtight container. If you do intend to have it around for longer than a week, I'd definitely recommend storing it in the fridge. I've never had it around that long, but up to 2 months in the fridge sounds reasonable, as well as up to 6 months in the freezer (but it may be a bit soggy when it thaws).

      Reply
Laura Yautz in her kitchen

Hi, I'm Laura!

I’m a Registered Dietitian and I love food and cooking, It’s my passion to help you discover how delicious and easy heart healthy eating can be! I’m glad you’re here! Take a look around. You’re going to LOVE Being Nutritious!

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