Pumpkin pie granola is a great way to get excited about fall. When you open the granola jar, you'll think for an instant that you actually took the leftover pumpkin pie out of the fridge. Feel free to adjust the level of pumpkin pie seasonings to your own taste buds.
Have two sheet pans ready, lined with silicone mats or parchment paper (optional).
In a large bowl, stir together the first five ingredients – oats, coconut, pumpkin seeds, nuts, and salt
In a smaller bowl, stir together the pumpkin puree, oil, maple or date syrup, honey, vanilla extract along with the cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, and cardamom, if using. After blending it all together give it a taste and see if you like the pumpkin flavor. If all is to your liking, add this mixture to the larger bowl and combine well.
Spread in an even layer on the two sheet pans. Bake for approximately 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so. Note the color before you place the pans in the oven – it’s done when it has noticeably darkened. It will be soft when you first take it out. Let it cool on the sheet pans. It will harden and form clusters as it does. Store in a glass jar, cereal holder, or sealable plastic bag.
Notes
Be sure to adjust the pumpkin seasonings to match your taste buds and personal preferences.
Please don't double the actual pumpkin puree to bump up the pumpkin flavor — you’ll end up with soft, instead of crunchy granola.
I recommend switching the shelves and mixing the granola twice while it's in oven. Want even more chunks of granola when it cools? You could do the mixing in the oven only once. But I still recommend switching the tray shelves twice during the cooking.
Definitely let the granola cool on the trays untouched - this is where I believe most of the chunky nuggets are formed.