I have been wanting to make an olive oil granola for a few years now, it has been one of those recipes that has been on my mind ever since my Mom and I had some at a coffee shop in LA.  We were there on a weekend trip to pick up my wedding dress and hang with my Maid of Honor.  My Mom and I still talk about the granola we had to this day. I was feeling inspired by the cool Fall weather we’ve been having up here to make something Pumpkin Spice flavored, thus Pumpkin Spiced Olive Oil Granola was born. I also wanted to make this because I will be seeing my Mom this weekend in LA for one of Eric’s games!!! I thought I would bring her a big jar of this to take home with her since it isn’t often I get to share food I make with her since we live here in ID and she lives in CA.

This granola  has some of my favorite things that I always have on hand in our pantry. Old-fashioned rolled oats (usually used for overnight oats that I hope to share soon), dried cranberries, coconut flakes, pepitas (pumpkin seeds), and raw pecans. To sweeten the granola, I used some pure maple syrup my mother-in-law just brought back from Canada that she got while visiting my brother-in-law in Ottawa (Go Redblacks!).  All of these ingredients made for the perfect mixture and the olive oil makes the oats and coconut flakes crispy making it perfect to add to yogurt, a parfait, or with your milk of choice and a banana.

The pumpkin spice and cinnamon made my whole house smell like fall; now it’s time for the leaves to start changing colors.

All jarred and ready to bring to my Mom.   

Pumpkin Spiced Olive Oil Granola

Makes about 10 cups. 

Preheat oven to 300°F.

Ingredients
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cups raw pecans, broken into pieces
1 cup raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin spice

1 cup dried cranberries (or your favorite dried fruit)

Preparation
In a large mixing bowl combine oats, pecans, pepitas and coconut flakes. In a separate medium-sized bowl combine maple syrup, olive oil, brown sugar, salt and spices. Stir the wet mixture and pour over the dry ingredients.  Toss the wet and dry ingredients until everything is evenly coated.

Grease a large baking sheet and spread the mixture out evenly across the entire pan.
Bake for 40 minutes, stirring it every 15 minutes or so. The granola will be golden brown and will become more crisp as it cools. Once removed from the oven add the dried cranberries and gently toss to combine but be careful not to break up the coconut flakes.

Enjoy warm or as you wish!

To store let the granola cool completely and put in an air tight container such as a mason jar.
The granola should keep for a few months in a cool dry space.

Adapted from the New York Times.