Maple Pecan Granola

It's so easy to make maple pecan granola at home! All you need is a handful of warming ingredients and under 30 minutes. You'll never want to go back to store bought again!

I recently started making homemade granola and let me tell you -- I am hooked! I thought that making granola would be tedious, but it turns out that it's so easy to do.

When you make granola at home you can easily customize it and it's more affordable than the store-bought kind.

Making your own also allows you more control over the amount of added sugars and salt.

This pecan granola is accidentally vegan and filled with warming ingredients like cinnamon and cloves. It's similar to my recipe for pecan baked oatmeal, another delicious way to enjoy pecans for breakfast!

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Ingredients

Rolled oats: Quick oats and steel cut oats will not work. Stick to oats labeled "old fashioned" or "rolled oats".

Cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves: These classic spices add so much warmth (and they make the kitchen smell wonderful!)

Olive oil: I use a lightly flavored olive oil but any kind will work. You can also sub with canola oil.

Maple syrup: Adjust syrup as needed to reach your desired sweetness level. You can also use honey, agave syrup or any other liquid sweetener.

Raw pecan halves: Swap with walnuts, almonds or peanuts as desired.

Oranges: Fresh squeeze orange juice adds the perfect level of sweetness and tang. You can use tangelos, clementines, cuties or navel oranges. 

Add extras like chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, shredded coconut or even more nuts for an extra nutritious granola. 

How to make homemade granola

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. I keep an oven thermometer in my oven because I live by the words "trust no oven".

1. Add rolled oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt and pecans to a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
2. Pour in the maple syrup, olive oil and fresh orange juice. Use a wooden spoon to thoroughly combine.
3. Line a cookie sheet (or half sheet pan) with parchment paper or a baking mat (this is the one that I use). Spread granola as thinly as possible (see image below for reference).
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 16-18 minutes. Halfway through (at the 8 minute mark), remove the granola from the oven and stir the oats. This part is important to make sure that the granola cooks evenly.
5. Return to the oven for another 8 minutes. Keep an eye on the pecans to make sure they don't burn. You can tell they are getting overcooked if they turn a deep brown.

See recipe below for complete instructions including ingredient amounts.

The granola will continue crisping up after you remove it from the oven, so don't worry if it still a little soft after 16-18 minutes. Let it cool and firm up for 5 minutes before moving it to a storage container. 

I store my granola in quart sized ball jars. Keep granola refrigerated for up to a week for best quality.

One of my favorite parts about making pecan granola is that it makes the kitchen smell glorious. That being said, this granola has many uses other than as an air freshener.

You can enjoy it for breakfast by adding it to parfaits with yogurt and granola.

Or try making your own maple pecan trail mix by adding in extra nuts and dried fruit like cherries, apricots or raisins.

You can use leftover rolled oats in recipes like mocha overnight oats, pumpkin baked oatmeal or even strawberry almond energy balls.

Or make another batch of granola, it's up to you!