It’s been a while since we talked about granola… so let’s make today about my favorite crunchy snack.
Granola is one of my biggest food weaknesses. If it’s visible in my apartment, I want to be eating it. That is great when it comes to things like dreaming up new granola flavors to make for you! Not so great when I have several test batches of said granola sitting around the kitchen all weekend. They may as well be tapping me on the shoulder, begging to be eaten.
These are the kinds of problems I have in my life. Remember Friday’s post about feeling lucky? Mmm hmm.
This is not your bland garden-variety granola. Two types of ginger (ground and crystallized!) pack some serious zing. I would go so far as to say that you must love ginger to enjoy this granola. If you don’t? More for the rest of us, as my mom would say. (And Mom loves ginger.)
In addition to ginger, this granola is spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of cloves. Plus molasses! We can’t forget the molasses when we’re talking about gingerbread. All of that sweet, spiced goodness coats the oats, ground flax seeds, and pecans and bakes up to a gingery perfection. Each crunchy bite will make you feel like you’re eating warm baked gingerbread!
Let me mention again that this granola is seriously gingery. Perfect for grabbing handfuls from the jar when you can’t resist it! Or sprinkling over yogurt, or even ice cream for dessert. I think a bowl of it with milk might be a little much, but ginger lovers: feel free to prove me wrong. (Looking at you, Mom!)
- 3 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1 and 1/2 cups pecans
- 1 and 1/2 cups unsweetened flaked coconut
- 1/4 cup ground flax seed
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp allspice
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
- 1/4 cup maple syrup (I use grade B)
- 1/4 cup blackstrap molasses
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger (about 3 oz.)
- 1/2 cup raisins
- Preheat oven to 325 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Toss dry ingredients in a large bowl. Pour in wet ingredients and stir to coat.
- Spread on prepared baking sheet and bake until toasted, about 25-30 minutes, stirring once midway through. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Granola will become crunchy as it cools.
- Stir in crystallized ginger and raisins. Enjoy by the handful!
Ginger and pecans in one recipe? How can you go wrong?
Granola is definitely a weakness of mine as well. Worse than candy! I’ll put it in smoothies, on top of ice cream, and usually just by the handful. I love how much ginger is going on in this recipe. Yum!
This looks super yummy! I’m still hanging on to my last bit of pumpkin… I can’t quite seem to accept the fact that winter flavors have come to stay. But I might have to take the leap and try this gingerbread granola. It looks super duper yummy!
MMM….. I’m with you on granola. It’s just so darn easy to grab the handful and before you know it, the entire batch it gone! I am a new gingerbread lover so this is definitely going on my list. An excuse to eat dessert for breakfast? Count me in! ;)
Gingerbread granola is a brilliant idea! No, you most certainly cannot forget the molasses. Gingerbread is nothing without it.
I would have the same problem scarfing this down if it were in my house right now!
I love this fully-loaded granola! It’s been ages since I’ve made a batch and I’m thinking I need to bake this up this weekend!
I am allllll about the ginger. This sounds (and looks) so good! The pictures are all the more impressive knowing you hurriedly took them before your flight too ;)
I love the flavor of gingerbread. This recipe looks delicious. Thanks! I frequently make a granola recipe that substitutes applesauce for most of the oil and will try the same substitution with this recipe, as well. My recipe calls for 1 cup of unsweetened applesauce and one T of oil.
Thanks for sharing, Sharon! I will have to try that substitution sometime soon.