Spoonful of Sugar Free

Registered Dietitian

Pumpkin Spice Latte Granola

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Happy Fall Everyone!

Today is officially the start of Fall (or Spring if you’re in the Southern hemisphere), so it’s time to whip out those can openers for those dozens of cans of Pumpkin you’ve stored up.

What? You don’t excessively hoard pumpkin?!

Oh well, I guess that’s just me.

Do you know what goes hand and hand with Fall and Pumpkin?

What’s in the bag?

Godiva Coffee!

FoodBuzz partnered with Godiva Coffee, and sent me these two limited time-only seasonal coffee blends: Caramel Pecan Bark and Pumpkin Spice.

Both taste great, but I especially love the pumpkin spice. It tastes just like pumpkin pie! You can find these at most grocery stores.

What goes great with a nice, hot cup of coffee: Granola.

No, not coffee cake, donuts, or pastries (unless you want to get into a sugar coma so early in the morning). Granola.

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Pumpkin Spice Latte Granola

Pumpkin Spice Latte Granola

~Granola is not an exact science. I write these measurements down by how I made the granola, but feel free to add more or less of the ingredients, throw in some extra spices, or whatever you like. I don't think granola is meant to be a huge project full of measuring cups and spoons, simply throw in handfuls! This granola is gluten-free (make sure to use gluten-free oats), dairy-free, soy-free, peanut-free, vegan, and, of course, sugar-free!

Ingredients

  • 3 cups rolled oats (not quick-cooking oats)*
  • 2 cups chopped nuts (pecans, almonds, walnuts. Or whatever you have on hand)
  • 1 cup chopped dried fruit (I used apricots, dates, and prunes. Golden raisins, dried cranberries, and mulberries would work well, too)
  • 1/2 cup seeds (pumpkin, chia, flax)
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil
  • 2 Tablespoons ground coffee (I used Godiva's Pumpkin Spice)
  • Spice: 1 Tablespoon Cinnamon, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 Tablespoons whole coffee beans**

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350*.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin with spices, salt, and ground coffee.
  3. Next, stir in nuts, fruit, seeds, and granola.
  4. Drizzle and toss with Coconut oil until evenly coated. Do NOT add the whole coffee beans yet.
  5. Spread on baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes, stirring every fifteen minutes, or until golden brown. Stir in whole coffee beans after baking.

Notes

*To make this recipe grain-free, simply omit the oats and double the nuts, seeds, and dried fruit. It still tastes great!

**The coffee beans are not required, but I highly recommend adding them. They stay crunchy like the rest of the granola's texture, and it adds that extra bit of coffee flavor. Use decaffeinated beans if you plan on munching on the granola at night, so it won't keep you awake!

https://www.spoonfulofsugarfree.com/2011/09/23/pumpkin-spice-latte-granola/

Tastes great with a cup of Pumpkin Spice Latte. I made Averie’s Pumpkin Spice Latte, but omitted the sweetener. Still amazing.

Health Benefits:Β 

  • Oats:Β ClickΒ HEREΒ for a post I wrote about the nutritional benefits of oats.
  • Pumpkin:Β One cup of pumpkin hasΒ 7Β grams fiber, 2650 IU Vitamin A, 564 mg potassium!Β It also boasts a truckload of antioxidants likeΒ Alpha-carotene and Beta-carotene.
  • Almonds: Almonds are a major superfood, and they are full of monounsaturated, good-for-you fats. It contains many nutrients that benefit the brain, and regulate cholesterol. The monounsaturated fats and vitamin E reduce the risk of heart disease.
  • Coffee: Sometimes people are negative about coffee, and sometimes people are positive. Science suggests these positives: it can increase alertness, rich in antioxidants, can help boost metabolism, can treat migraines, can help prevent Type 2 diabetes. However, it can also be addictive, cause anxiety, osteoporosis, and dehydration. My take: everything in moderation. The studies that show coffee causes osteoporosis were people drinking over four cups of coffee everyday. Drink in moderation.
  • Cinnamon:Β Studies have shown that it can help lower LDL cholesterol, help regulate blood sugar levels, has anti-clotting effect on blood, and it can boost cognitive function and memory.

Simply grab a handful, sit outside, munch, and enjoy the Fall!

Sprinkle on pancakes, or place in a bowl and drizzle with almond or coconut milk.

Thought-provoking question of the day:

Does it feel like fall yet where you live? For me, not quite yet. I can’t wait for the air to start feeling cooler, though! It is my favorite time of year.

Do you like pumpkin as much as me?

I love it! Pancakes, Brownies, Bread, Sticky Buns, and now lattes and granola!

 

 

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Yes I do love pumpkin. I never got the chance to make your bread last weekend like I said. BUT, it’s in the oven right now! I’m going on a short trip this weekend and plan to pack slices for snacks πŸ™‚

  2. I can’t wait to try this recipe. I make LOTS of granola and I always tweak the recipe, but it always includes some sort of liquid sweetener (brown rice syrup seems to work the best). i love the idea of using pumpkin puree as the ‘wet’ ingredient – and I really like the omission of the sugar – can’t wait to give this a try!

  4. Alex, you and your recipes never fail to leave my mouth watering!!! I’ve been looking for a new granola recipe to try so i’m going to have to track down some pumpkin and give this a try! πŸ™‚

  6. Your table cloth and pictures are beautiful! It’s definitely fall here and every type of pumpkin imaginable is for sale at the markets right now. I looooove pumpkin but never know how to use a whole pumpkin and its pulp fast enough.

  8. Love this recipe! It definitely feels like fall in MN. We even had our first light frost a week and a half ago. Although, we are anticipating Indian Summer’s arrival this weekend – in the high 70s next week! Wheeee!

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