Gingerbread Granola is the (food) gift that keeps on giving. Loaded with good-for-you ingredients and the ultimate Christmas spices, it is sure to get you into the holiday mood. Serve yourself for breakfast, make it a delicious present and devour the heavenly smell when baking this balanced treat.
Gingerbread Granola
The smell of Christmas! Did you know that smelling and tasting have a close link to our memory? A particular smell or taste transports you right into the situation where you experienced it the first time. I can agree when I think of my strongest memories. Because they always involve food. There are certain smells this time of the year that put me right into the Christmas mood.
I especially remember Christmas as a child, which I always spent with my grandparents. Although I liked the presents I got on Christmas, the best gift was all the mouthwatering food my grandma made. Of course, l was always the first one waiting with my plate to get some warm cookies right out the oven when I smelled them.
To capture the smell and taste of this childhood memory, I wanted to create an easy and balanced recipe combining the best of both worlds. A healthy treat with the same taste and smell as the carb- and sugar-loaded gingerbread. Hello, Gingerbread Granola! Delivering all the Christmas flavour but in a balanced way, this easy granola recipe is made of good-for-you ingredients and the ultimate Winter spices to get you into the holiday mood.
What goes into this Gingerbread Granola
Here is what you need to make this festive granola recipe:
- rolled oats
- ground almonds
- crushed almonds
- coconut oil
- maple syrup
- orange zest
- vanilla extract
- spices: cinnamon, cloves, ginger
- dried cranberries
Tips and variations for this recipe
This recipe is super easy to make and very versatile. Here are some tips and variations to make it even easier:
- Make sure you use rolled oats and not steel-cut oats or the quick-cooking option.
- You can substitute the almonds in this recipe with different nuts like hazelnuts or walnuts. Use the same amount as stated in the recipe to keep the same consistency of the mixture.
- You can also substitute the sweetener in this recipe. I used maple syrup, but this recipe works perfectly fine with honey or agave nectar too. Be sure to use a liquid option. Using a solid sweetener would change the consistency of the granola mixture, and you won’t get the same result.
- Make it gluten-free by using gluten-free oats for this recipe.
- Combine the dry ingredients (oats, nuts, cinnamon, cloves, ginger) before adding the wet ingredients (coconut oil, maple syrup, orange zest). It makes it easier when stirring to get everything evenly combined.
- Let the granola cool completely. The cooling process makes the baked mixture stick together, so you get these heavenly clusters that you want to eat right out of the jar.
- Don’t extend the baking time, and check the oven occasionally. If you exceed the baking time, the granola will get too dark and develops a bitter taste.
More balanced and flavourful recipes using oats:
Gingerbread Granola
Ingredients
- 250 g rolled oats (2 cups)
- 50 g ground almonds (½ cup)
- 50 g almond sticks or crushed almonds (⅓ cup)
- 4 tablespoon coconut oil melted
- 3 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 100 g dried cranberries (¾ cup)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F) and line a baking pan with parchment paper. Zest the orange with a grater and set it aside.
- In a bowl, mix rolled oats, ground and crushed almonds. Add cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. Stir with a spoon to combine.
- Add melted coconut oil, maple syrup, orange zest and vanilla extract. Mix well until combined.
- Transfer granola mixture into the baking pan and pat flat with a spoon or your hands. Bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes until golden.
- Take out the oven, let cool and break into pieces. At last, add the dried cranberries and serve with milk, yoghurt and fruits.
- Store in an airtight container for up to one month.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only calculated with the recipe calorie and nutrition calculator provided by verywellfit.com. The author of this website is not a nutritionist nor a doctor. All nutritional data provided in the recipes and correspondent blog posts are for informational purposes only. Do not use the information as nutritional or medical advice.
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