Pumpkin Crackle
an autumn granola featuring pumpkin and pumpkin spice
30 min|Easy|Lightly Sweet
If you have little roasted pumpkin left over and aren't sure what to do with it, this recipe for Pumpkin Crackle might be just what you're looking for! The recipe uses a small amount of roasted pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice to give the classic granola recipe an autumn twist. Originally developed as a testing platform for a spice blend, you can substitute in one of your favorite pumpkin spices, or just use some cinnamon where called for.
About Digital Food Works
This recipe was developed by Curtis Lawyer for use on the Digital Food Works website. DFW provides photography, design, and ideation services for businesses with things to eat and drink!
I found two, 9 minute sessions in the oven worked best in my kitchen. If your oven runs a little hot, two 8 minute sessions might work out better. If your oven runs a little cooler, two 10 minute session might do the trick. The point being, the ideal baking time is somewhere around 9 minutes, plus or minus.
* Want to add a little extra kick? Try adding pinch of Ancho Chili Powder to the mix!
** While this recipe was originally developed for testing a pumpkin spice blend, you can substitute in your favorite pumpkin spice blend or just use some ground cinnamon.
This recipe was developed by Curtis Lawyer for use on the Digital Food Works website. DFW provides photography, design, and ideation services for businesses with things to eat and drink!
Recipe Notes
The baking time on this one is a little finicky and should be watched carefully. With my initial two cup batch, there's enough room on a typical baking sheet to really spread things out. Doing so, gives the granola space to bake evenly. If you're using a smaller baking sheet (or making a larger batch), the granola is going to be closer together when baking. This may require an extra minute or so on the baking time.I found two, 9 minute sessions in the oven worked best in my kitchen. If your oven runs a little hot, two 8 minute sessions might work out better. If your oven runs a little cooler, two 10 minute session might do the trick. The point being, the ideal baking time is somewhere around 9 minutes, plus or minus.
* Want to add a little extra kick? Try adding pinch of Ancho Chili Powder to the mix!
** While this recipe was originally developed for testing a pumpkin spice blend, you can substitute in your favorite pumpkin spice blend or just use some ground cinnamon.
Ingredients
Step by Step Instructions
1
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350.
Mix the dry ingredients together (oats, coconut, spice mix, pecans, sesame seeds, and sugar).
In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients together (olive oil, pumpkin, maple syrup, and vanilla).
Mix the dry ingredients together (oats, coconut, spice mix, pecans, sesame seeds, and sugar).
In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients together (olive oil, pumpkin, maple syrup, and vanilla).
2
Mix and Separate
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly.
Then line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the mix out evenly.
There should be space between the various parts of the granola. We're not really looking for a connected mass like a brownie mix or a pancake. Having air around even the smallest pieces, will help it to bake more evenly.
Then line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the mix out evenly.
There should be space between the various parts of the granola. We're not really looking for a connected mass like a brownie mix or a pancake. Having air around even the smallest pieces, will help it to bake more evenly.
3
Bake, Separate, and Bake
Bake for 9 minutes (but read the "Notes" section first). Your baking times may vary by a minute in either direction.
After the first baking period, take the baking sheet out of the oven and use a spatula to push the mix around to free anything that may be sticking together (careful, the pan will be very hot).
Bake for another 9 minutes and then remove from the oven to let cool.
When the granola is first removed from the oven, it will still be a little gooey. This is totally fine. It will harden and become more "dry" as it cools.
After the first baking period, take the baking sheet out of the oven and use a spatula to push the mix around to free anything that may be sticking together (careful, the pan will be very hot).
Bake for another 9 minutes and then remove from the oven to let cool.
When the granola is first removed from the oven, it will still be a little gooey. This is totally fine. It will harden and become more "dry" as it cools.
4
Finish with Salt and Let Cool
As the granola is cooling, sprinkle it with a flake salt or some sea salt. Allowing the mix to cool on the baking sheet that it was cooked on is totally fine, by the way, there's no reason to move it to a "cooling" pan.
After about 30 minutes, break the larger pieces apart, and store in an airtight container. Homemade granola is best when eaten within a few days of making it. Because there's a bit of pumpkin in this one, it may loose it's "crunch" faster than other made from scratch granola.
After about 30 minutes, break the larger pieces apart, and store in an airtight container. Homemade granola is best when eaten within a few days of making it. Because there's a bit of pumpkin in this one, it may loose it's "crunch" faster than other made from scratch granola.
Additional Notes
A quick search on Google for the term "Pumpkin Spice Blend" will turn up many different recipes that you can make at home with ground spices (and I'm sure a few pre-blended ones that you could purchase too).
There's a good chance however, that none of those are going to give you that "Mmmmm... now that's Pumpkin Spice" experience we have come to expect in our favorite foods and beverages from large commercial locations.
High-volume restaurants, coffee houses, and packaged snack manufacturers — tend to favor a liquid form of "pumpkin spice" flavoring. But certain spices like nutmeg and cloves don't always turn into liquid extracts so easily (or cheaply).
It's not uncommon to find liquid substitutes like Eugenol and Sabinene taking the place of naturally grown and ground spices — so much so, that we have become more accustom to their taste, as being part of that warm and punchy "pumpkin spice" we love, more than the actual organic powdered versions.
There's a good chance however, that none of those are going to give you that "Mmmmm... now that's Pumpkin Spice" experience we have come to expect in our favorite foods and beverages from large commercial locations.
High-volume restaurants, coffee houses, and packaged snack manufacturers — tend to favor a liquid form of "pumpkin spice" flavoring. But certain spices like nutmeg and cloves don't always turn into liquid extracts so easily (or cheaply).
It's not uncommon to find liquid substitutes like Eugenol and Sabinene taking the place of naturally grown and ground spices — so much so, that we have become more accustom to their taste, as being part of that warm and punchy "pumpkin spice" we love, more than the actual organic powdered versions.