Gingerbread Granola brings Christmas vibes to your breakfast table at any time of the year. Subtly sweet, slow-baked and delectably crunchy, make it even more irresistible by adding dried cranberries and little nuggets of dark chocolate after cooling. A great last-minute Christmas gift, too.
I’ve been making granola for years. By years I mean 20 years. Late-1997 was when my daughter Rachel was old enough to competently eat small crunchy bits without my finger nervously poised on the emergency speed dial button. At the time I didn’t include nuts, just applesauce-coated and slow-baked oats. Always with a light hand of cinnamon and cardamom. I kept the sugar content waaay down. Still do.
Countless batches of granola have been in and out of my oven. Sometimes scoffed right off the tray. Mostly we are able to delay our gratification until it cools right down, the individual clusters and stray bits getting super crunchy. Then I use the parchment paper underneath as a funnel, decanting the insanely aromatic granola into airtight jars for breakfasts – and, more likely for me – evening snacks.
Although I mainly make granola because of its supreme ease and customisability (less sugar!), there is also the price thing. Store-bought granola of the pedigree I desire is quite the costly business.
Every time I catch a glimpse of the price of a small-batch granola in its faux rustic packaging (always something in rough brown paper) I am always glad that we make our own. Not in a smug way though. After all, I don’t make my own vegetable stock and rarely make bread, except for Southern cornbread. It’s a pleasant ritual for me. Every time Rachel comes home from uni I make a batch of granola for her to take back with her. And now I make some for her boyfriend Dan, too.
Which leads me to today’s recipe. If you have even a scintilla of time left in your festive calendar, why not make a big batch of this Gingerbread Granola to gift? Leave some for yourself, obviously. Or at least spill a lot onto the countertop when decanting. :-)
If you made my One-Bowl Chocolate-Orange Lebkuchen Cake you will have some spice mix left. As well as adding it to waffle batter, scone dough and even nut butter, consider also this easy granola recipe. Keep half and decant the rest into festive food bags with the recipe attached.
Fancy more granola recipes? Here ya go:
Bircher-Style Granola with Berry-Cherry Compote
Malted Whole Grain and Quinoa Granola
Slow-Baked Sunflower Butter Granola
And these granola-centred recipes:
American-Style Chocolate Granola Pancakes
Matcha Green Tea Granola Bites
I want to take this opportunity to wish you a very Happy Christmas and a healthy, happy and glowing 2018. See you next week for another breakfast recipe!
Gingerbread Granola
Gingerbread Granola brings Christmas vibes to your breakfast table at any time of the year. Subtly sweet, slow-baked and delectably crunchy, make it even more irresistible by adding dried cranberries and little nuggets of dark chocolate after cooling. A great last-minute Christmas gift, too. xx
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp nut butter
3 tbsp dark brown sugar (molasses sugar if possible)
2 tbsp black treacle or molasses
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp Lebkuchen spice mix
1/4 tsp salt
300g rolled oats
100g mixed seeds (I used sunflower, pumpkin, sesame and flax)
100g nuts (I used flaked almonds), roughly chopped
Method
Preheat your oven to 140C fan/160C/320F. Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
Gently heat the oil, nut butter, sugar, treacle and maple syrup in a large saucepan. When liquid, add the lebkuchen spice mix and salt; stir well. Pour in the oats, seeds and nuts and stir really, really well.
Decant the granola onto the two trays and place in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Stir the granola at 15 and 30 minutes, swapping the trays around to ensure even baking. Let the granola cool on the trays before storing in a large airtight container(s). After the granola has cooled you can add any dried fruit you like, and even some chocolate pieces.
RIPE FOR PINNING!
Beautiful done as always 🙂
Aw, thank you, Nina. It’s a pretty tasty nibble 🙂
<3
Your granola looks amazing
Cheers, Gary! Do let me know if you make it 🙂
Loved your yummy recipe
Thank you. If you make it, let me know. Okay?
Granola looks so delicious !
Merry Christmas !!
Merry Christmas and a Happy Healthy 2018 to you. 🙂
Thank you ! Happy New year !!
Looks seriously Yum, meant to make granola packets for family this Xmas but unfortunately didn’t have time! Happy Christmas, and enjoy the granola!
We can start a new trend for healthy, useful New Year’s presents. 😉
So glad I read this before heading to the grocery! Definitely going to try it :0).
YUM!!!
Thank you 🙂
I always enjoy your blog!! Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!! 🙂
Thank you so much, Aki. I hope you are enjoying the holiday season, too. 🙂
Just made this for the first time and love it!
I make granola a lot but was very happy to find this holiday recipe! Thanks!!!
I’m thrilled you made it, Diane 🙂 Just adding these spices to one’s own recipe makes granola so Christmassy 🙂
This looks like delicious!
Thanks so much!
Your gingerbread granola would be a great gift as well 🙂
I made your lovely granola & it is the best I have ever eaten! So fab! 🙂 Yummy Yum!!!
ahhh! love love love this! gonna make it in bulk <3 so refreshing to see you on here again!
Thanks for the glowing feedback! We love that granola too!