My Christmas Spiced Granola with Orange and Cranberry is popular at this time of year. I add a variety of nuts and seeds for crunch, along with warming cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg, which work perfectly with orange and cranberry. Make ahead and enjoy for an easy Christmas breakfast or Boxing Day brunch.
My festive granola is a hit at this time of year, but something I like to make the year round as I love the combination of flavors. Warming spices with orange will always be a go to.
This easy Christmas granola recipe can be easily adapted to suit your own tastes, varying the nuts, seeds, dried fruits and spices depending on what you fancy at the time and have in your stores at home.
If you enjoy the flavours in this granola recipe you should also check out my Christmas Spiced Flapjacks recipe.
Why you'll love this recipe
- The perfect balance of Christmas spice flavours with a combination of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
- Make up to a week ahead of the big day and store, ready to serve for an easy breakfast on Christmas morning.
- Feed a crowd as one batch of granola goes a long way.
- With a few swaps this granola can be gluten free and vegan too.
Recipe ingredients
- Oats - I use regular porridge oats (rolled oats) as the base for this granola recipe. Use gluten free oats if needed.
- Nuts - I used chopped pecans and pistachios, as well as flaked almonds.
- Seeds - sunflower and pumpkin seeds add great crunch and texture to the granola.
- Ginger - I use finely chopped crystallised ginger in this granola mix, it really adds to the flavour.
- Oil - I used coconut oil to help bind the ingredients together but you can use any light flavoured oil.
- Unrefined sugar - I use honey, but maple or agave syrups would work well too.
- Spices - I used a combination of ground cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
- Salt - I add a touch of salt to balance out the sweet flavors.
- Vanilla - I use vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste as it has the best flavor.
- Orange - I added the finely grated zest of 2 oranges to the granola mix. You could also use mandarins, satsumas or clementines, just add a little more given they are smaller fruits.
- Cranberry - I like stir through some dried cranberries once the granola has baked.
How to make Christmas granola recipe
- Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°CFan. Line a large baking tray with baking parchment or a silicone baking mat.
- Finely chop the pistachios, pecans and crystallised ginger.
- In a large bowl, mix together the oats, nuts, seeds and crystallised ginger.
- In a small saucepan, add the coconut oil, honey, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, vanilla extract and orange zest. Warm slightly to allow the coconut oil to become liquid.
- Once the sugar and oil mixture has warmed through and is in a liquid state, add to the dry oat mix.
- Stir together until fully incorporated and all the dry ingredients are covered evenly with the coconut oil and honey mixture.
- Pour the mixture onto the lined baking tray and spread evenly across the tray in a single layer.
- Place the tray in the hot oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven, turn the granola over and place the tray back in the oven for a further 10 minutes.
- Remove the tray from the oven and stir through the dried cranberries.
- Allow the granola to cool on the tray before placing in an airtight container.
Recipe variations
This easy granola recipe is really adaptable to suit your own tastes. Here are some ideas:
- You can use any combination of nut in this recipe, try whole almonds rather than flaked, walnuts, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, cashews.
- I use a mix of sunflower and pumpkin seeds as I always have them in my stores and they add great crunch and texture. You could also use flaxseeds, chia seeds or a blend of mixed seeds.
- I've added dried cranberries, but you can use the dried fruits of choice. Try raisins, golden raisins, sultanas, goji berries, apricots, figs, dates or prunes. If adding larger dried fruits I recommend chopping them up first.
- Adjust the spiced to suit your own tastes, you could also add a pinch of ground cloves or allspice.
- If there is a spice you don't like leave it out and add more of the spices you do enjoy.
- Make vegan Christmas granola by swapping the honey for maple syrup, or agave syrup.
- For gluten free Christmas granola ensure you use gluten free porridge oats.
Serving suggestions
Keep things simple and enjoy a bowl of this delicious granola with ice cold milk, a perfect start to the day. Or do as I've done here and sprinkle some over Greek yogurt. I've added fresh orange slices, but you can add any sliced fruit or a handful of fresh berries.
My kids love sprinkling some Christmas granola over a bowl of cinnamon spiced porridge for added crunch and texture.
When baking breakfast muffins, sprinkle some granola over the top of the muffins before baking in the oven.
Useful hints and tips
- Line the baking tray with a silicone mat or baking parchment, this will stop the granola from sticking to the tray.
- Stir the cranberries through once the granola is baked. If you add the cranberries earlier they will dry out too much and possibly catch and burn in the oven. By adding them at the end they retain their chew.
- I recommend using 2 baking trays if you plan to make a double batch of granola. Two thinner layers of granola will crisp up better than one thick layer which you will need to bake for longer.
- For vegan diners, swap honey for maple or agave syrup.
- For coeliacs or gluten free diners, ensure you use gluten free porridge oats.
- Allergy advice: dairy free, egg free, soya free and peanut free. For comprehensive and detailed allergy advice go to Allergy UK.
FAQs
If your homemade granola isn't crunchy you've not baked it long enough, so place it back into the hot oven. It's also really important to stir the granola mid way through the cook, that stops everything sticking together, breaks the granola up and ensures it toasts all over.
Yes. Good quality granola is really expensive to buy. Chances are you will have many of the ingredients in your stores at home, like the porridge oats, spices and honey. Also you can easily adapt the recipe to suit what you do have, for example if you don't have pecans but you do have walnuts, swap them in. The dried nuts, seeds and cranberries keep well, so I like to make smaller batches of granola which last me a couple of weeks, then I make a fresh batch.
Yes, my homemade granola is a healthier option than store bought as it doesn't contain high amounts of sugar, and no refined sugars. I use coconut oil and just a little honey to get all the ingredients to stick together. Whilst dry fruits like cranberries are high in sugar, I only add a little in moderation.
To keep your homemade granola crunchy, store in an airtight container with a tight fitting lid which will keep any moisture out. It can be stored in a dry place on the counter top for up to 2 weeks.
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Additional recipe suggestions
If you like this recipe then try some of my favourite healthy breakfast recipes:
- Chocolate & Hazelnut Granola
- Cinnamon Granola with Apricot & Almond
- Christmas Gingerbread Granola from Farmersgirl Kitchen
- Baked Nectarines with Hazelnuts & Yogurt
- Healthy Green Smoothie
For all my favourite breakfast and brunch recipes in once place, check out my Ultimate Guide to Brunch.
Christmas Spiced Granola with Orange & Cranberry
Equipment
- 24 x 36cm (91/2 x 14") baking tray with sides
- silicone baking mat or parchment paper
Ingredients
- 150 g porridge oats
- 40 g pecans (chopped)
- 40 g pistachios (chopped)
- 40 g flaked almonds
- 20 g sunflower seeds
- 30 g pumpkin seeds
- 40 g crystallised ginger (finely chopped)
- 70 g coconut oil
- 100 g honey
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- zest of 2 oranges (finely zested)
- 100 g dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°CFan. Line a large baking tray with baking parchment or a silicone baking mat.
- In a large bowl, mix together the oats, nuts, seeds and crystallised ginger.
- In a small saucepan, add the coconut oil, honey, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, vanilla extract and orange zest. Warm slightly to allow the coconut oil to become liquid.
- Once the sugar and oil mixture has warmed through and is in a liquid state, add to the dry oat mix. Stir together until fully incorporated and all the dry ingredients are covered evenly with the coconut oil and honey mixture.
- Pour the mixture onto the lined baking tray and spread evenly across the tray in a single layer.
- Place the tray in the hot oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven, turn the granola over and place the tray back in the oven for a further 10 minutes.
- Remove the tray from the oven and stir through the dried cranberries.
- Allow the granola to cool on the tray before placing in an airtight container. Store the granola in an airtight container, in a cool place/counter top for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- This is a really versatile granola, add the nuts, seeds and dried fruits of choice.
- Adjust the spiced to suit your own tastes.
- Make a vegan Christmas granola by swapping the honey for maple syrup, or agave syrup.
- Only stir the cranberries through once the granola is baked. If you add the cranberries earlier they will dry out too much and possibly catch in the oven. By adding them at the end they retain their chew.
• Please note that the nutrition information provided above is approximate and meant as a guideline only •
Chloe says
I started eating this on the first and I think I'm going to have to make more very soon because this is my new December breakfast. No cinnamon for me because I'm me but I doubled up on the ginger and its amazing!
Lesley says
Glad you enjoyed it Chloe, and yes play with the spicing to suit your own tastes.
Sisley White - Sew White says
This is so festive I absolutely loved it.
Lesley says
Thank you Sisley, I'm glad you enjoyed the flavours.
Cat says
These spices instantly make me happy, it's like a festive hug. I will be having this everyday for breakfast until the Spring!
Lesley says
Thank you Cat, I'll be enjoying this granola well into Spring too.
Hazel says
I'm a big fan of your granola recipes and this one is no exception. Such lovely festive flavours.
Lesley says
Thank you Hazel, I'm glad you enjoy my recipes.