The days are getting shorter, the afternoon cooler, and the weekends are spent doing fun Fall activities like picking apples, watching football and carving pumpkins. This weather and season naturally makes you crave comfort, and there’s nothing cozier than a morning spent with your loved ones and adorable kiddos, baking a batch of this golden, crispy Maple Pumpkin Granola!
Some of you may not know but along with being an event planner, designer and pastry chef, I’m not I’m also a children’s cooking and baking teacher, so getting kids in the kitchen is really important to me. I’m a big believer that children will learn to love food, and get over their picky tastebuds by getting involved and helping make the food they eat.
When kids see exactly what goes into their food, and how fun cooking can be, their appetites almost instantly change. I’m pretty certain you’ll also get some extra adorable helping hands in the kitchen. Which is why I’m so excited to be teaming up with the lovely Paula and her adorable girls to kick off our Mommy and Me In The Kitchen series, where I’ll be sharing recipes to get your kiddos in the kitchen, and loving all types of food!
To kick things off, I’m sharing my favorite fall maple pumpkin granola, so head over to Paula’s blog to read the full post and get this must do autumn recipe below!
There is always homemade granola in my house, it’s become a monthly tradition, each time slightly different from the last, always reflecting of the season. It’s a perfect quick and healthy breakfast with milk or topped onto yogurt with fresh fruit, or the best snack for your kiddos to take in their lunch boxes. And since it’s Fall we’re making all things PUMPKIN, and this granola is blended with organic pumpkin puree, plenty of this comforting pumpkin spice blend, and maple syrup! 
Don’t you just love the deep caramel like color this granola has, it’s such a warm, yet rich tone which simply exudes Fall. 
The perfect batch of granola is perfectly golden crunchy and slightly chewy, and if you’re like me plenty of large clumpy pieces that just a bit of each of your fixings. The hard task might be getting this granola to last longer than a week.
And let me tell you, warm granola is too tempting, seriously I dare you not to sneak a few, or several bites!
- 8 cups - Gluten Free Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
- 1 tablespoon & 1 1/2 teaspoons - Pumpkin Pie Spice {Homemade or store bought works well too}
- 1/2 teaspoon - Salt
- 1 1/2 cup - Unsalted Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
- 1/2 cup – Raw Pecans {coarsely chopped}
- 1 cup – Raw Walnuts {coarsely chopped}
- 1/2 cup – Ground Flaxseed
- 1/4 cup – Chia Seeds
- 2/3 cup - Pure Pumpkin Puree {NOT Pumpkin Pie Filling}
- 1 cup - Pure Maple Syrup
- 1 teaspoon - Pure Vanilla Extract
- Optional Extras
- 1/2 cup - Dried Cranberries*
- 1/2 cup - Raisins*
- 1/2 cup - Medjool Dates* {Chopped into small pieces & lighted coated in flour}
- 1/2 cup - Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips, optional not pictured
- 1/2 cup - Caramel/Butterscotch Chips, optional not pictured
- Preheat your oven to 350*F, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine the oats, pumpkin spice, salt, pumpkin seeds, flax, chia, pecans and walnuts. In a measuring cup, mix the maple syrup and pumpkin puree together until incorporated and smooth. Pour over the dry ingredients and mix until everything is well coated.
- Spread evenly onto the baking sheets, and bake for 30 minutes. Stir the granola, and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.
- Let it cool completely on the baking sheet, then stir breaking up the pieces, and mix in a large bowl with the cranberries, raisins and dates {or whatever your extras are}.
- Place in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two months.
That granola looks so yummy!