Making your own Christmas granola is a great way to get ahead for the festive season. Easy to prepare and packed with festive flavours, it’s a great one to make in advance, so you don’t have to worry about nutritious breakfasts over Christmas.
Not only does it make your kitchen smell incredible whilst baking, but it’s also really nutritious containing so many gorgeous ingredients.
Why Make Your Own Granola?
Making granola from scratch is a great habit to get into. Firstly, it allows you to control the ingredients, ensuring there are no extra sugars, preservatives, or artificial flavours that are often found in shop-bought granolas.
Secondly, it is usually more cost-effective—I buy all the individual components in bulk, so it saves money in the long run.
Lastly, homemade granola can be customised to your own personal tastes. If you don’t like certain flavours, you can easy swap them out for your favourites.
How to make granola from scratch
It’s super easy. You just mix your dry ingredients e.g. oats, seeds, nuts and spices with orange zest. Add the wet ingredients e.g. coconut oil, orange juice and maple syrup and stir to combine. Bake until golden and add any dried fruit at the end. I like to add some of the nuts halfway through the baking time, so they don’t burn.
Which spices to include in your Christmas granola
I like to use mixed ground spice plus extra cinnamon and ginger. Mixed ground spice is a spice blend that contains cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg. Some blends also include coriander and caraway too. A good alternative to this is pumpkin spice.
How to store Christmas granola to keep it fresh for longer
I store the granola in airtight jars. You can either make one large jar and keep for yourself or you can make lots of smaller jars and give to friends and family. They make a great little addition to a Christmas hamper or a foodie gift to bring to friends.
Creative ways to serve Christmas granola during the holidays
I like to serve this granola with yoghurt and some berries. However, there are lots of ways you can serve it. You can replace your normal cereal and serve with milk. Alternatively, you can use it as a sprinkle on top of your porridge to give it extra crunch (and nutrition!). It is also nice sprinkled over some ice-cream.
If you make the recipe without the maple syrup – it’s also great as a more savoury topper for salads.
What Ingredients do you need to make Christmas Granola
- Oats
- Mixed seeds
- Ground almonds
- Orange
- Spices
- Coconut oil
- Maple syrup
- Pistachios
- Pecans
- Cranberries
Oats
A staple in most granolas, oats are a fantastic source of complex carbohydrates and soluble fibre, so will keep you full for longer and provide longer lasting energy.
Mixed seeds
I like to use a combination of pumpkin, sunflower, or sesame seeds for this Christmas granola. You get a variety of essential fatty acids, protein, and minerals like magnesium and zinc.
Ground almonds
Adding some ground almonds to the granola gives it a lovely nutty flavour. Almonds are also a great source of vitamin E and offer protein and healthy fats.
Coconut oil
Used as a binding ingredient, coconut oil gives a subtle coconut flavour. It’s a good source of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), known for their quick energy boost. If preferred, you can substitute for olive oil.
Maple syrup
My preferred natural sweetener, maple contains antioxidants and small amounts of zinc and manganese. The flavour is also amazing.
Oranges
Adding some orange zest and juice gives the granola an amazing citrus kick. It’s a great source of Vitamin C too.
Pecans and Pistachios
These luxurious nuts not only elevate the taste of this granola, but also add healthy fats, protein, and micronutrients like selenium (in pecans) and potassium (in pistachios) too.
Cranberries
These are optional but add a great hint of sweetness and colour.
Storage and Shelf Life
This Christmas granola will last for about a month in an airtight jar.
Recipe Tips
Stir mid-bake: To ensure even baking, stir the granola halfway through its time in the oven. This helps prevents the edges getting burnt.
Customise your ingredients: If you have allergies or preferences, swap pecans or pistachios for your favourite nuts, or use agave syrup instead of maple syrup.
Add dried fruit after baking: Mix the cranberries in after the granola has cooled. Baking dried fruit can cause it to become hard or bitter.
Adjust the sweetness: if preferred, add a little less (or a little more) maple syrup to suit your own tastes.
Try it for yourself and let me know what you think in the comments!
If you liked this Christmas granola recipe, you might want to try these other festive options:
Christmas Granola
Ingredients
- 2½ cups rolled oats (250g)
- ½ cup mixed seeds (60g)
- ½ cup almond flour ground almonds (50g)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground mixed spice
- ½ tsp salt
- 4 tbsp coconut oil
- 4 tbsp maple syrup
- Juice/zest 2 satsumas or 1 orange
- ½ cup pecans (50g)
- ½ cup pistachios (65g)
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries (50g)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 150C or 300F.
- Add all the ingredients (except the pistachios, pecans and cranberries) to a large mixing bowl and stir well to combine. Spoon into a large roasting tin (lined with parchment paper) and spread out and flatten with a spatula. Roast for 15 mins.
- Roughly chop the pistachios and pecans. Remove the tray from the oven and add them to the tray and mix through. Return to the oven and bake for a further 10-15 mins.
- Remove from the oven and once cool, stir through the cranberries. Store in a large airtight jar.
Notes
- If you don’t want to use coconut oil, you can use olive oil.
- This granola will keep for about a month in an airtight jar.
- Ground mixed spice can be subbed for pumpkin spice.
THis was a BIG hit this year for Christmas gifts already. Plus, I LOVE it myself. THank you for a great EASY recipe!!
Amazing – glad you liked it!
What are porridge oats? Thanks
Smaller oats (oatmeal) but to be honest any oats will work.
Can this be done in the airfryer
Yes probably but I haven’t tested it! You would probably need to do in two batches and shorten the cooking time xx
What is ground mixed spices please
It’s a spice mix with cinnamon and ginger that’s similar to pumpkin spice.
Can you substitute honey for the maple syrup?
It will be stickier but yes you can.
If don’t have any coconut oil what can I use instead please ?
You could use olive oil instead.