Sourdough Pumpkin Granola

This crunchy Sourdough Pumpkin Granola is made with sourdough discard, real pumpkin puree, pumpkin spices, and pumpkin seeds, and will become a favorite fall recipe in your rotation.

The not-too-sweet sourdough pumpkin granola is sweetened with maple syrup and brown sugar, with dried cranberries mixed in. You can add any nuts or seeds you enjoy, but I like using protein-forward hemp hearts, crispy puffed millet, nutty sunflower seeds, and fiber-rich chia seeds for added crunch and nutrition.

My detailed instructions, photos, and tips walk you through making this delicious sourdough discard pumpkin granola with lots of variations of other inclusions you can add to make your own.

---

👍 Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Customize the recipe to swap in your favorite seeds, dried fruit, puffed grains, nuts, or spices like I do in my go-to pantry sourdough granola recipe.
• Plant-based or vegan recipe that can be nut-free or gluten-free using a gluten-free sourdough starter.
• Not overly sweet: the recipe only uses maple syrup and brown sugar.
• An easy and quick way to use sourdough discard.
• Stores well for up to a week or two in an airtight container, so you can make a large batch ahead of time.
• Crunchy topping for yogurt, cereal, snacking, on oatmeal, or with fresh fruit.

---

🔍 Top Baking Tips

• A thin, even layer helps the granola bake and crisp evenly.
• Stir only once or twice during baking to promote even browning but retain clusters.
• Granola becomes crunchy after cooling completely.
• Mix dried cranberries or dried fruit in after baking.
• Use real pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. I tested the recipe with canned Libby’s.

---

🛠 Tools Needed

You only need a couple of basic tools to make the sourdough pumpkin granola.

• Baking scale
  • Ingredients can vary in weight from person to person, so weighing your ingredients is best. Measuring your ingredients by weight will make your baking more consistent and accurate.
• Whisk, for mixing dry and wet ingredients
• Spatula, for stirring ingredients.
• Large baking sheet, lined with parchment paper

---

🛒 Ingredients Needed

See below for my ingredient recommendations and possible substitutions.

• Rolled Oats
  • I use old-fashioned rolled oats for the recipe like I do for Brown Butter Sourdough Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, Maple Oat Sourdough Sandwich Bread, and Sourdough Oatmeal Cream Pies.
  • Quick oats will brown too fast and steel-cut oats may remain too hard and chewy.
• Pumpkin Spice
  • I used Burlap & Barrel’s Toasted Pepita Pumpkin Spice for a more complex pumpkin pie spice flavor.
  • Substitute the pumpkin pie spice with 1 ½ teaspoons of cinnamon, ¼ tsp ginger, ¼ tsp nutmeg, and ¼ tsp clove or allspice.
• Salt
• Puffed Millet
  • The puffed millet adds a light, crispy texture without making it overly dense. Its tiny, airy grains create pockets of crunch in the clusters.
  • Alternatively, use puffed rice, puffed quinoa, rice cereal, or replace with more rolled oats.
• Hemp Hearts
  • The hemp hearts add a hearty texture, subtle nutty flavor, and more protein to the granola.
  • Substitute with nuts or more seeds.
• Pumpkin Seeds (Pepitas)
  • While the granola recipe is flexible, I think pumpkin seeds are essential for a pumpkin granola to complement the pumpkin flavors and add more crunch and color.
  • I use pumpkin seeds in this Buckwheat Sourdough with Pumpkin Seeds and the topping on my Sourdough Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins.
• Sunflower Seeds
  • I like sunflower seeds because they add fiber and small, crunchy bites with a nutty flavor while keeping the granola nut-free like this Seeded Whole Wheat Sourdough Sandwich Bread.
  • Substitute with other add-ins such as nuts, seeds, unsweetened coconut flakes, or even chocolate chips.
  • Pecans, almonds, or walnuts would be my nuts of choice in this recipe, like in this Sourdough Maple Pecan Scones and Sourdough Maple Pecan Sticky Buns.
• Chia Seeds
  • Since pumpkin granola has added moisture from the pumpkin puree and discard, chia is a great addition to help soak in some of the moisture while adding fiber, healthy fats, and smaller crunchy bites.
  • Replace with flaxseeds for a similar texture.
• Sourdough Discard
  • Instead of egg whites or another binder, sourdough discard is a great binder for granola that also adds a subtle tang and creates crunchy clusters.
  • If you don’t have an active sourdough starter, learn how to make one in a week by following my how-to guide. See my top sourdough starter tips and other sourdough discard recipes.
  • To make 100% gluten-free, use a gluten-free sourdough starter and gluten-free flour.
• Vanilla Extract
• Maple Syrup
  • Learn how to make your own homemade maple syrup.
  • Substitute with another liquid sweetener such as honey or agave. The liquid sweetener is vital for sweetness, moisture, browning, and binding.
• Brown Sugar
  • The brown sugar adds a deeper, caramel-like sweetness, and the molasses pairs well with pumpkin and spices like in my Sourdough Anadama Bread.
• Olive Oil
  • I like olive oil in granola because it assists with browning, helps the granola become crisp and golden while adding richness and bind the ingrediets.
  • Substitute with melted coconut oil, as in these Sourdough Chocolate Protein Granola Bars, or avocado oil.
• Pumpkin Puree
  • I used canned Libby’s pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) when testing the recipe.
• Dried Cranberries (optional)
  • Always add dried fruit after baking granola.
  • Cranberries complement the fall flavors in this granola well, but you could use dried cherries, raisins, dried apples, dates, or dried figs.

---

🎃 How to Make Sourdough Pumpkin Granola

Follow this detailed recipe guide with step-by-step images as you make this sourdough pumpkin granola.

1. Mix the Dry Ingredients

Preheat the oven to 325ºF (163ºC) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients.

2. Mix the Wet Ingredients

In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the wet ingredients until you have a thick, pourable mixture.

3. Mix the Granola

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until no dry spots remain.

4. Bake

Spread the sourdough pumpkin granola into a thin, even layer onto the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for about 40 minutes total, until the oats are toasty and golden brown. Stir twice during baking to prevent burning.

Cool completely (the granola will become crunchier as it cools) and mix in the dried cranberries before storing.

---

How to Store and Serve

• Sourdough pumpkin granola can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week.
• Keep the granola away from moisture or humidity as it may become chewier and less crunchy.
• If the granola loses some of its crunch, reheat it slowly in an oven or toaster oven.
• Snack on the pumpkin spice granola alone, serve as cereal with milk, over yogurt or cottage cheese, with fresh fruit like apples or pears, or even as a crunchy topping for vanilla or pumpkin ice cream.

---

❓ Frequently Asked Questions