This scrumptious Gingerbread Granola is a holiday breakfast worth waking up early for! This simple recipe is loaded with flavorful ingredients: warmly spiced oats, toasty nuts, and chewy fruit. It's perfect for Christmas breakfast, but so delicious you'll want to make it year round!
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Ginnie's Take
I love making my own granola. It's fun to customize the basic recipe with different ingredients (like nuts, seeds, fruit, and spices), and unlike store bought versions, it's affordable and I know exactly what's in it. Plus, it's super easy! During the holiday season, this yummy Gingerbread Granola is my favorite. My recipe uses the same warm spices you'll find in your favorite Christmas cookies, and it's loaded with crunchy oats, toasty nuts, and flavorful, chewy fruit. This granola is full of nutritious ingredients, yet it tastes like a breakfast treat! You can even give it as a holiday gift, and you'll find a free printable label below.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Cozy Flavor - If you like gingerbread cookies, then this recipe is for you! Between the warmly spiced oats, crunchy nuts, chewy dried cranberries, and zesty crystallized ginger, each bite is better than the last!
- Super Easy - Homemade granola is a snap to prepare! You just mix a few basic, healthy ingredients together, then bake. The oven does most of the work for you, and it's economical, too (especially compared to pricey store bought granola).
- Festive - With its warm, cookie-inspired flavor, this Ginger Granola is perfect for the holiday season. Make a batch in the beginning of the month, then serve it for busy weekday meals, and of course, Christmas morning!
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Ingredients
You probably have most of the ingredients for this easy DIY granola recipe in your cupboard! Here's what you'll need:
- Oats - Traditional old fashioned rolled oats are a must for this recipe. You can find them in any grocery store, and they're a cheap and super nutritious. Tip: Avoid using quick-cooking, instant, or steel cut oats, each of which has a different texture than rolled oats.
- Spices - This recipe is flavored with classic gingerbread spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. You'll also need kosher salt, which brings out all the other flavors.
- Vanilla - A little vanilla extract adds a classic, cozy flavor.
- Molasses - The secret ingredient for that traditional gingerbread flavor? Old fashioned molasses! This dark, thick, sweet syrup has a unique taste and sticky texture, and it's a key ingredient when making gingerbread. Tip: Make sure to use regular, unsulphured molasses, not blackstrap molasses, which can have a bitter flavor.
- Nuts - I used walnuts when developing this recipe, but other nuts will work, too. Check out the Variations section below for tips.
- Mix-Ins - This recipe uses a combination of sweet-tart dried cranberries and spicy crystallized ginger, both of which add a ton of flavor.
- Oil - You'll mix the oats with extra virgin olive oil, which helps them crisp up.
This recipe is naturally vegetarian and dairy free, and you can easily make it nut free. Depending on the brands you use, it can also be vegan and gluten free (check out the Variations section for my tips).
You'll Also Need
You'll need a couple bowls to prepare the oats: a large bowl to mix everything together, and a smaller bowl to combine the molasses-oil mixture. To bake the granola, you'll need a large baking sheet. I recommend covering your baking sheet with parchment paper (or nonstick foil) to make clean up easier.
How to Make Gingerbread Granola
This Ginger Molasses Granola couldn't be easier to make from scratch! You'll find a detailed recipe card below, but here's an overview of the steps:
- Combine oats and spices. In a large bowl, mix the rolled oats, spices, and salt together.
- Mix oil, molasses, and vanilla. In a separate small bowl, stir the olive oil, molasses, and vanilla extract together.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients. Add the molasses mixture to the oat mixture, then stir until the oats are well coated.
- Bake. Spread the oats in an even layer on a large baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes.
- Add nuts. After 10 minutes, stir the granola, then sprinkle the chopped nuts over the oats, pressing down gently. Tip: Adding the nuts later in the baking process helps to avoid overcooking them.
- Bake until crisp. Return the granola to your oven, then bake for another 10 to 20 minutes (stirring every 10 minutes), or until it's golden and crisp.
- Add ginger and cranberries. Let the granola cool completely, then gently stir in the ginger and cranberries.
Okay, time to enjoy your mouthwatering Gingerbread Granola! I like to serve it with Greek yogurt, but you'll find many other ideas below.
Variations
The best thing about homemade granola? You can customize it to your heart's content! Here are a few ideas to try:
- Fruit - Swap out the cranberries for dried cherries, apples, or figs.
- Nuts - Replace the walnuts with pecans, almonds, pistachios, cashews, or other nuts.
- Seeds - You can also use seeds in addition to (or instead of) nuts. Pumpkin seeds (pepitas) would work especially well!
- Oil - I typically use olive oil when I make granola, but other oils (such as canola, vegetable, avocado, grapeseed, etc.) will also work.
- Sweetener - Molasses gives this recipe its distinctive gingerbread flavor, however you can replace it with honey or maple syrup if you can't find it (or if you're not a fan).
- Chocolate - Chopped dark chocolate would be a wonderful addition. Make sure to add it after the granola has completely cooled, so it doesn't melt.
- Coconut - I love adding coconut chips to granola. So delish!
- Gluten Free - Oats are naturally gluten free, but there is a risk of cross-contamination. Always use GF rolled oats if you have an allergy, and double check all other ingredient labels.
- Vegan - This recipe is vegan, as long as you choose ingredients made with vegan-friendly sugar. You will want to use organic molasses, as well as vegan dried cranberries and crystallized ginger.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve this granola for breakfast, or snack on it by the handful. Try one of these delicious ideas:
- Yogurt - Serve it over Greek yogurt for a quick breakfast, or layer it with yogurt and fruit to make a Breakfast Parfait.
- Cottage Cheese - Make a cottage cheese bowl with granola and fresh fruit.
- Fruit - Sprinkle it over berries, apples, and other fruits for a quick snack or light breakfast.
- Cereal - Serve it with milk, and eat it as a cereal.
- Oatmeal - Spoon it over oatmeal for extra texture and flavor.
- Toast - Spread toasted bread with peanut butter or jam (or both), then sprinkle granola over the top.
- Smoothie Bowls - Use it as a topping for smoothie bowls (and smoothies, too).
Storage
Store this Christmas Granola in an airtight container at room temperature. I like to keep it in a large mason jar, but a zip top bag also works great. It will taste freshest when eaten within about two weeks, but it will keep for up to four weeks. Granola can also be frozen in an airtight container for two to three months. Thaw for about 10 to 15 minutes at room temp before serving.
Related Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, you'll love my Gingerbread Cookies and Chewy Ginger Cookies, too! Looking for more granola ideas? Try one of these easy recipes next:
- This Homemade Granola is my favorite basic recipe. There are a million ways to customize it!
- Craving fall flavors? Then you'll love this pumpkin spice-flavored Pumpkin Seed Granola (made with pepitas).
- This yummy Cherry Chocolate Granola feels like breakfast treat!
Searching for more oat recipes? Try my versatile Baked Oatmeal, go-to Overnight Oats recipe (this Cranberry Orange Overnight Oats is one of my fave holiday variations), or these irresistible Oatmeal Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies!
Printable Label
This recipe makes a wonderful Christmas gift, and I've created a free printable label just for you! Click here to download the labels, or anywhere on the image below. I recommend printing the file on card stock. I bring mine to FedEx Office, and you can upload the file, then pick it up in store, so there's no waiting!
I like to package the granola in mason jars, then use jute twine to attach the label. This recipe makes about five cups, and you can use different sized jars, depending on how much granola you plan to give:
- 8-ounce mason jar (holds 1 cup)
- 12-ounce mason jar (holds 1 ½ cups)
- 16-ounce mason jar (holds 2 cups)
- 32-ounce jar (holds 4 cups)
If you're thrifty, you can save empty jars throughout the year to re-use when gifting! The cute jar in my photos is one I saved from Bonne Mamam Jam!
Gingerbread Granola
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups old fashioned rolled oats
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped walnuts (or other nuts)
- ½ cup chopped crystallized ginger
- ½ cup dried cranberries
Equipment
- Parchment Paper (or Nonstick Foil)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or nonstick foil.
- In a large bowl, stir together oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.
- In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, molasses, and vanilla extract.
- Pour molasses mixture over oat mixture, then stir until everything is well-mixed.
- Spread oat mixture over prepared baking sheet in an even layer.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then stir. Sprinkle walnuts over granola, then gently press down into granola.
- Continue cooking granola until it's golden and crisp, stirring every 10 minutes (about 20 to 30 minutes total).
- Remove granola from oven, then let cool completely.
- Stir in cranberries and ginger, then serve immediately or store in an airtight container. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
