Spiced Apple Granola with Pecans

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This Spiced Apple Granola has all the autumn flavors you love. It's full of apple pieces, pecans, and warm fall spices. Serve homemade apple granola atop yogurt or oatmeal.

Spiced apple granola in a bowl with a spoon.

Contrary to what you may think, homemade granola is simple and easy to make. Homemade granola is healthier than storebought too. This spiced apple granola recipe uses common ingredients and is ready in as little as 30 minutes.

Chock-full of warm spices and fall flavors, apple cinnamon granola is made with dried apples, pecans, and maple syrup for sweetener. It is healthy and wholesome, with no artificial flavors or additives.

This spiced granola is reminiscent of the flavors of apple pie, and it is oh-so-good! Enjoy it with milk or yogurt for a fall-inspired breakfast that's perfect with warm coffee or tea.

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Homemade Apple Granola
Ingredients
Instructions
Substitutions and Additions
Serving Suggestions
Suggested Equipment
Storage
Other Recipes You'll Love
Expert Tips
Frequently Asked Questions
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💬 Comments

Homemade Apple Granola

A healthier alternative to storebought granola and cereal, made-from-scratch apple granola is as delicious as it is easy to make. Here is why you will love it.

Healthy, wholesome ingredients
Customizable recipe
No artificial additives or sweeteners
Warm fall flavors and spices
Perfect for breakfast or a snack

Ingredients

Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats
Spices - The spices in this granola are the ground spices you find in an apple pie spice blend. This includes cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger. This spicy blend is perfect with apples and, in this case, oats.
Maple Syrup - You want to use pure maple syrup, not artificially flavored stuff. Pure maple syrup is 100% maple sap, while the artificial kind is simply maple-flavored sugar syrup.
Dried Apple Rings - The apple in this recipe comes from dried apples. When I say dried apples, I mean the dried but slightly chewy kind. The apple rings are chopped into little pieces before being incorporated into the granola.
Pecans (chopped)
Salt
Avocado Oil
Vanilla Extract

See the recipe card for ingredient quantities.

A siplat-lined baking tray with granola and a wooden spoon.

Instructions

This recipe is really simple and quick to put together. The first step is to preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. You will want to line a baking sheet tray with a sheet of parchment or a Silpat.
Combine the rolled oats, chopped apples, pecans, brown sugar, and spices in a large bowl. Whisk the avocado oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Pour the liquid ingredients over the oat mixture, and stir until everything is coated and well incorporated.
Pour the oat mixture onto the center of the prepared baking sheet. With a rubber spatula, gently press the granola down into a rectangle.
Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Rotate the pan, and bake for approximately 15 more minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Once cooled, break into little pieces.

Substitutions and Additions

Pecans - Walnuts, Almonds
Ground Spices - Pumpkin Pie Spice, Apple Pie Spice
Avocado Oil - Canola oil, Coconut Oil, Melted Unsalted Butter

Serving Suggestions

While you can undoubtedly enjoy apple granola by the handful, it is a delicious accompaniment to various other food items. Here is what I love to serve it with.

In a bowl with milk or yogurt and fresh fruit
Sprinkled over pancakes, waffles, or oatmeal
Sprinkled over ice cream, milkshakes, or smoothies
Sandwiched in the middle of a peanut butter sandwich

A bowl and baking sheet of granola side-by-side.

Suggested Equipment

Storage

Transfer cooled granola to an airtight container or jar—store at room temperature for up to two weeks.

Can you freeze homemade apple granola? Transfer cooled granola to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the granola completely before enjoying it.

Other Recipes You'll Love

Expert Tips

For a more intense apple flavor, pulse freeze-dried apples in the food processor. Add the apple dust alongside the other dry ingredients.
Be sure to line your baking pan with a Silpat baking mat or sheet of parchment paper to prevent sticking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different type of oat in this recipe?

Rolled old-fashioned oats hold their shape better when baked in the oven. Visually, you can see the difference between old-fashioned oats and quick-cooking oats. Quick-cooking oats are cut into more pieces during processing, in addition to being rolled thinner. For this recipe, old-fashioned rolled oats are necessary.

Can I use fresh apples in this granola recipe?

This recipe is designed around dried apples only. I have not experimented with fresh apples in this granola.

If you make the recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe, and let me know what you think in the comments below! Take pictures, tag #sugarylogic, and share them with me on Instagram or Facebook.

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