Cinnamon Apple Pie Granola

This cinnamon apple pie granola is the perfect fall-inspired breakfast! It's loaded with the best seasonal flavors, packed with baked apple, crunchy almonds, spices and tastes like apple pie in chunky granola form. It's quick and easy to make with a few staple ingredients.

La recette en français disponible en bas de page

Cinnamon Apple Pie Granola

La recette en français disponible en bas de page

This cinnamon apple pie granola is the perfect fall-inspired breakfast! It’s loaded with the best seasonal flavors, packed with soft baked apple, crunchy almonds and warm spices. It tastes like your favorite apple pie in chunky granola form. Homemade apple pie granola is quick and easy to make with a few wholesome staple ingredients.

A delicious and satisfying granola

This cinnamon apple granola is literally dessert for breakfast! It tastes just like your grandma’s apple pie but in the form of a chunky granola you can sprinkle over all you favorite breakfast items. To be honest I was so surprised when I took the first bite! This granola really has this very specific warm apple pie feel. It’s buttery, with caramelized flavor, warming spices and real chunks of fresh apple. It’s just the perfect fall-inspired granola to add on top of your breakfast bowl, with yogurt and fruits, or to sprinkle on pancakes, toasts, smoothie, or even ice cream.

Why you will love this cinnamon apple pie granola?

  • It’s very easy to make at home and doesn’t require specific equipment.
  • It’s utterly delicious, packed with comforting fall flavor.
  • You’ll only need a few simple pantry stapled ingredients to make it.
  • It’s healthy and nutritious, rich in fiber to keep you satisfied.
  • It’s naturally vegan, refined sugar free and gluten free.
  • You can easily adapt the recipe and mix in different nuts, fruits and spices.

Ingredients for Apple Pie Granola

Cinnamon apple pire granola calls for all natural, healthy and wholesome ingredients! It’s very easy to make with simple pantry ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen cupboards. It’s naturally vegan, dairy free, and gluten free if you use certified gluten free oats!

For this apple pie granola recipe, you will need:

  • Rolled oats – Oats are whole grain, meaning they are rich in fiber to support healthy digestion and helps you keep full and satisfied for a long period of time. Oats are naturally gluten free, but if you are celiac make sure to use certified gluten free oats. You will need to use rolled oats and not quick oats.
  • Almonds – Use whole raw almonds, not already roasted or salted. If you want you can soak then dehydrate the almonds to activate them before adding to the granola.
  • Coconut sugar – Coconut sugar is my favorite sweetener as it is unrefined and has a low glycemic index. It also has a delicious caramel like flavor that goes very well with the apple! You can replace with dark brown or cane sugar.
  • Cinnamon and nutmeg – Spices are the key for extra flavor kick and that satisfying apple pie feel.
  • Maple syrup – It’s the main sweetener in this recipe and also necessary to binds the mixture together. You can swap it for agave, date syrup or good honey.
  • Coconut oil – It helps make granola crisp. With the little quantity used in this recipe you won’t taste the flavor of coconut. But if you really don’t like it, use deodorized coconut oil.
  • Fresh apple – Fresh apple instead of dried apple or apple chips gives texture and chewiness to the granola, along with a delicious apple flavor. I recommend to use Honey crisp or Gala.

How to make Apple Pie Granola

  • Step 1: Prepare the ingredients
    • Preheat the oven to 300F/150°C and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
    • Rince the apple. If organic you can keep the skin, but peel it if you prefer. Core and chop the apple into small 1/4-inch cubes.
    • Roughly chop half of the almonds and keep the rest whole.
    • Melt coconut oil and leave it to cool at room temperature.
  • Step 2: Mix the ingredients
    • In a large bowl, mix together the oats, almonds, oat flour, coconut sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
    • Add maple syrup and melted coconut oil to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly using a spatula until they are well coated.
    • Add the chopped apple and mix gently to incorporate into the mixture.
  • Step 3: Bake the granola
    • Pour the granola onto the prepared baking sheet. Using a spatula or your hands, press down the granola together to form an even, tightly-packed layer in the center of the baking sheet.
    • Bake for 20 minutes until lightly golden.
    • Remove from oven and rotate the baking sheet to ensure an even baking.
    • Bake for 10 minutes more, until the granola is golden brown. Watch carefully as it can burn very quickly.
  • Step 4: Cool and store the granola
    • Remove from oven and place the baking sheet on a cooling rack, don’t stir. Let to cool completely, for at least 1 hour, before breaking it into clusters.
    • Store granola in an airtight glass container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Tips to make extra chunky Apple Pie Granola

Making granola at home is ridiculously easy, but making the perfect crispy granola with the big chunks requires a little technique and few simple tips that I will share with you …

  • Get your hands dirty! When adding the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients, mix well to ensure all the ingredients are thoroughly coated. Use a spatula or better your hands to mix and massage the granola to make sure everything is well combined. This is important to ensure an even baking, no burn and a crunchy granola.
  • Spread tight and thin. Spread then press down the granola onto a baking sheet and pack with your hands to form an even, tightly-packed layer in the center of the baking sheet. Try to spread pretty thin to ensure that each piece or cluster of granola gets super crispy and crunchy.
  • Don’t stir the granola! Don’t touch the granola during the whole baking time and when it cools. Wait for the granola to have completely cooled and dried to break into pieces.
  • Bake at a low temperature. It takes more time but it is very important to bake the granola evenly and at the center without burning it. It takes about 30 minutes in total. You know the granola is baked when it is lightly golden brow and fragrant.
  • Let cool completely! This step might just be the most crucial part of making homemade granola. I know this is very hard to resist the urge to devour it but trust me it’s really worth it. You need to let it cool entirely before you touch it and break it. This once again allows the granola to crisp up.

Ingredients Q&A

Can I omit the coconut sugar?

Technically you can omit the coconut sugar in this recipe. But I really recommend to follow the recipe and keep it as it’s exactly what gives the granola this SO delicious and satisfying caramelized apple pie feeling! Trust me you won’t regret it! However you can replace coconut sugar with cane or dark brown sugar.

What can I use instead of maple syrup?

Again I recommend to use maple syrup for its caramel flavor that goes so well with apple. Also maple syrup is well suited for cooking and making the granola crunchy. Either you can use agave, date syrup or honey.

What kind of apple do you recommend?

I recommend to use apple with a crisp, juicy and not too dense flesh. Honey crisp or Gala are perfect for this recipe as they’re genuinely crisp and crunchy. The flavor is sweet with little acidity and complexity.

Can I add mix-ins to this Apple Pie Granola?

All the magic of granola is that it is very easy to change a little the recipe depending on your envies or what you have in your kitchen cupboards! Here are a few recipe variations I suggest for this apple pie granola.

  • Nuts suggestions: replace all or a part of the almonds with pecans, walnuts or hazelnuts.
  • Adds-in: add a handful of sunflower or pumpkin seeds, dried fruits like raisins, cranberries, apricots, dates or figs.
  • Spices suggestions: add 1/2 teaspoon of ginger powder, cardamom, chaï spice or pumpkin pie spice, but be careful with the quantity as they can be very overpowering!

Apple Pie Granola serving suggestions

Maybe I’m not the right person to write this section, cause I’m SO obsessed with granola general that I can easily enjoy it straight out of the jar! And this apple pie granola is already so delicious on its own, and the big chunks make it very handy to enjoy as a snack. So I would say that the best way to enjoy cinnamon apple pie granola is the way you want!

  • As a topping over a smoothie bowl
  • With yogurt, fresh or baked seasonal fruits and a drizzle of maple syrup
  • Make a parfait by layering with yogurt, chia pudding and fruits
  • Over ice cream for a decadent dessert
  • Sprinkle on pancakes or toasts to add crunchiness
  • On top of a fruit salad or baked fruits for an express crumble

How to store homemade Apple Pie Granola

Before you store homemade apple pie granola, make sure that it is completely cooled! This is very important because the granola releases humidity while it cool down. If you put still warm granola in an airtight container, it will create moisture which will soften the granola and highly increase the risk of mold.

To store apple pie granola, add to a clean and perfectly dry airtight container. I love to use glass canning jars but you can use any other type of airtight container. Store the jar at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Before serving, smell and taste the granola to make sure it is still good and crunchy.

To freeze, wrap granola tightly in plastic wrap and place inside a freezer bag. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Looking for more homemade granola recipes? Take a look at my other granola recipes!

I love to see your creations! Don’t forget to tag me @alicepages on your photos on Instagram and share your comments in the section below if you make this recipe! Your feedback and support is my best reward!

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Cinnamon Apple Pie Granola

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  • Author: Alice Pagès
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Oven
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

Cinnamon apple pie granola is the perfect fall-inspired breakfast! It’s loaded with baked apple, crunchy almonds, spices and tastes like apple pie in chunky granola form. It’s quick and easy to make with a few staple ingredients.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup almonds
  • 1 tbsp oat flour* see notes
  • 2 tbsp coconut sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp melted coconut oil
  • 1 apple, about 150 g (I recommend Honey crisp or Gala)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 300F/150°C and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
  2. Rince the apple. If organic you can keep the skin, but peel it if you prefer. Core and chop the apple into small 1/4-inch cubes. Set aside. Roughly chop half of the almonds and keep the rest whole.
  3. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, almonds (chopped and whole), oat flour, coconut sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
  4. Add maple syrup and melted coconut oil to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly using a spatula until they are well coated. This is very important to make the granola chunky.
  5. Add the chopped apple and mix gently to incorporate into the mixture.
  6. Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Using a spatula or your hands, press down the granola together to form an even, tightly-packed layer in the center of the baking sheet.
  7. Bake for 20 minutes until lightly golden, then remove from oven and rotate the baking sheet to ensure an even baking. Don’t stir the granola at this step or during baking to keep it ultra chunky!
  8. Bake for 10 minutes more, until the granola is golden brown. Watch carefully as it can burn very quickly.
  9. Remove from oven and place the baking sheet on a cooling rack, don’t stir. Let to cool completely, for at least 1 hour, before breaking it into clusters.

Notes

  1. Store the apple pie granola in a dry and clean airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
  2. You can find oat flour in most grocery stores or make your own by mixing in a high speed blender until you get a fine flour. You can also replace oat flour with all purpose flour.
  3. If you are celiac, make sure to use certified gluten free rolled oats.
  4. I recommend to use Honey crisp or Gala apple for their sweetness, little acidity, fresh and crisp flesh. However you can use any other variety of apple to make this granola.

Recette version française

2 Comments

  1. Jeanne

    Bonjour! Merci pour la recette! Je viens de la faire, mais je ne vois pas à quel moment ajouter l’autre moitié d’amandes entières?

    • Alice Pagès

      Bonjour Jeanne,
      Effectivement l’instruction n’est pas très claire. Il faut concasser la moitié des amandes et garder l’autre moitié entières, mais toutes les ajouter au même moment à l’étape 3. En fait ce n’est pas nécessaire de concasser la moitié des amandes, mais ça donne plus de texture au granola. 🙂
      Merci d’avoir réalisé la recette, j’espère que le granola vous a plu!

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I’m the cook and photographer behind Early Brawd! Here you’ll find a mix of traditional and modern plant-based recipes to satisfy all your cravings!
 

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welcome to Early Brawd!

A place where real food is elevated to a new level!
Here you’ll find traditional and modern recipes for every occasion, from decadent desserts to nourishing breakfast and healthy treats. Everything is plant-based, mostly gluten-free and allergy friendly, so all the food lovers can find something to satisfy their sweet tooth!

MORE ABOUT ME →

Hey there! I’m Alice

welcome to Early Brawd!

A place where real food is elevated to a new level!
Here you’ll find traditional and modern recipes for every occasion, from decadent desserts to nourishing breakfast and healthy treats. Everything is plant-based, mostly gluten-free and allergy friendly, so all the food lovers can find something to satisfy their sweet tooth!

MORE ABOUT ME →

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Take your photography to the next level and transform your photos in a single click with my Lightroom presets for mobile and desktop. And if you’re still hungry, get access to exclusive recipes with my e-books!