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This Pumpkin Seed Granola is grain-free and super-easy to make. All you need is 30 minutes of time and a handful of healthy ingredients!
Why Make Grain-Free Granola?
This recipe is grain-free, so it’s properly combined when you serve it with almond milk and sliced banana on top. It will leave you feeling satisfied for hours!
Pumpkin seed granola is also gluten-free, oil-free, vegan, and paleo friendly, so you can enjoy it even if following one of these special diets. I love that it’s naturally sweetened with maple syrup, so it won’t spike your blood sugar as much as a version made with refined sugar might.
Benefits of Pumpkin Seeds
Why make a grain-free granola out of pumpkin seeds? These seeds are a great nut-free alternative and are loaded with nutrients.
Here’s why I love them:
- Pumpkin seeds are a good source of antioxidants, which may help to reduce inflammation in the body.
- Eating pumpkin seeds has been linked to a lower risk of breast cancer in post-menopausal women.
- In studies, pumpkin seed extract has been shown to help improve urinary function.
- Pumpkin seeds are a great source of magnesium, which may help to control blood pressure and regulate blood sugar levels.
Keep in mind that when I say pumpkin seeds in this recipe, I’m referring to hulled pumpkin seeds, which are also called pepitas. You can usually find them in the grocery store near other nuts and seeds.
Granola Ingredients
I love this grain-free granola recipe because all you need is a handful of ingredients to make it, and it’s flexible enough that you can use what you have on hand.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Shredded coconut (make sure you buy one that is not sweetened)
- Pumpkin seeds (hulled ones; also called pepitas)
- Sunflower seeds (or you can use extra pumpkin seeds)
- Chia Seeds (I love how these help everything stick together)
- Cinnamon
- Salt
- Maple syrup (this makes everything stick together and get crunchy)
I love that this recipe is oil-free and super-fast to prepare. Once everything is mixed together, you just have to flatten it out on a lined baking sheet and bake until lightly golden.
This granola will crisp up as it cools, and then you can break it into pieces. Store it in an airtight container until you’re ready to serve it.
I like to serve this pumpkin seed granola homemade almond milk or hemp milk (for extra protein!), along with a sliced banana to make sure I stay full for hours.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- 3 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice)
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 300F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine the pumpkin seeds, shredded coconut, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl, and stir well to combine.
- Add in the maple syrup, and stir again until all of the ingredients have been coated. This will help everything stick together, but the mixture won't look very wet.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking sheet, and spread it out into a flat, even layer. Bake at 300ºF for 25 minutes, or until the granola looks lightly golden.
- Let the granola cool completely. It will firm up as it cools, and then you can break it into pieces and store it in an airtight container. This will last for up to a week when stored at room temperature, or you can store it for up to a month in the fridge. (You can probably freeze it for up to 3 months, too, if you want to make a larger batch.)
- Serve with almond milk and sliced bananas, or any other toppings you like!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is for 1/4 of this recipe and does not include fruit or milk. This information is automatically calculated ,and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment below and let me know how you like it! If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll see that I’ve been eating this at least twice a week lately. I’d love to hear about any modifications or swaps you make to this recipe, too. We can all benefit from hearing about your experience!
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Reader Feedback: What’s your favorite fast breakfast?
I make this so much I had to start ordering big bags of shredded coconut online. So easy, so good! Thanks.
It’s my first time making granola, and I’ve been repeating this recipe for a bit now, it’s so good! I’ve doubled it and split the base to a cup of coconut and a cup of oatmeal, i enjoy it. I use any seed or nut I have available, like hemp seeds, pecans, chopped hazelnuts, I’ve also added cacao powder too and it’s all great, I highly recommend.
An easy, delicious recipe the whole family enjoys!
Delicious and nutritious!
I substituted sesame seeds for the sunflower seeds and added in 2 T coconut oil to the maple syrup, which I mixed over low heat with the cinnamon before adding to the rest of the ingredients. I love oats, but I prefer snacking on granola that is oat-free and eating the usual granola for breakfast.
Megan,
I made your Pumpkin Seed Granola for the first time. SO satisfying! I don’t eat oats so this pumpkin seed version was so appreciated. I have been enjoying it just plain as a snack and also I have used it a few times this week for my breakfast cereal. I doubled the recipe and I was so glad that I did. It is perfect for breakfast cereal. Thank you so much, Love, DZ
Hello!! Let me just say that I’m very sensitive to sugars and a lot even natural tend to upset my stomach/or both upset my stomach and cause severe hypo glycemia. So I have been using zero calorie natural allulose sweetner and LOVE IT!!! In this recipe I use the liquid (“syrup” liquid type) and added extra cinnamon and added a little ground cloves. It doesn’t really stick quite the same way and it a little crumbly but still yummy. I hope this helps someone else that may have similar issues. I also use the granulated form to replace regular sugar when baking. It is less sweet and I enjoy it. If you want it sweeter add more but just realize it will never taste sugary. Just sweet-ish. Which I 💕💕💕 God bless you all 💓 🤗
I am following restrictions from a food sensitivity test so I sought out to find a grain free granola to give me a healthy crunchy snack. This is so dang good! I made as is but added 1/4 each of raisins and dried cranberries and about a cup of pecans. Thank you!!
This is the only granola I make. I love it! I have a nut allergy and am so thankful for a delicious granola recipe that doesn’t contain tree nuts!