Merry Christmas Granola

There is nothing like homemade Merry Christmas Granola during the holiday season. It’s delicious, easy to make, and makes your home literally smell like the holidays. This gluten-free, vegan, and refined-sugar-free granola recipe is the perfect Christmas snack morning, noon, and night. It’s packed with oats, warm spices, and rich molasses, sweetened with honey, and brimming with almonds, walnuts, and dried cranberries. Storing Merry Christmas Granola in a mason jar is the perfect way to keep it fresh. It’s also a wonderful way to gift this special treat to family and friends this holiday season.

Find the full recipe and all the details at the end of this post.

Sugar, Spice, and Everything Nice

There is something about warm spices, vanilla, and sugar during the holiday season. They truly make Sugar Plum Fairies dance in your head. Of course, we’d all love to have Christmas cookies for breakfast and munch on them throughout the day. However, we all know it’s not the ideal way to start your day, nor is it the healthiest way to snack. That’s why this Merry Christmas Granola is the perfect solution to this holiday craving. You get the same wonderful flavors and aromas without all the refined ingredients.

Preparing this holiday granola is not only easy but a tremendous time saver during the holiday season. It’s perfect to have some Greek yogurt on those busy mornings and snack on throughout those busy days. Granola is also a great addition to a Christmas morning breakfast or brunch menu.  

Best of all, Merry Christmas Granola makes a lovely and thoughtful homemade gift idea to give to friends, family, hosts, hostesses, and neighbors… to name a few. Don’t forget to save a jar for yourself too. You deserve it!

Ingredients in Merry Christmas Granola

The ingredients in this delicious holiday granola are pretty much pantry staples. Here is what you need:

• Rolled oats – Gluten-free rolled oats also work. Try to stay away from quick oats.
• Almonds and walnuts – Nuts are a great source of protein. Pecans and cashews can also be used in this recipe. I prefer to keep the almonds whole, but you can chop them or use slivered or sliced almonds too. Due to the large size of the walnuts,  I recommend giving them a rough chop to make them a little smaller. 
• Warm spices – Also known as “holiday spices.” These include ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
• Salt
• Coconut oil – It’s delicious. However, you can also use olive oil.
• Honey – Maple syrup is another great sweetener substitute for this delicious granola. 
• Molasses – Adds a sweet, almost smoky flavor, plus it pairs perfectly with winter spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
• Vanilla extract – Homemade is always better. If you’ve never baked with homemade vanilla extract, you’re not going to believe what you’ve been missing. You can find my recipe for it here. Out of homemade vanilla extract? You can also use store-bought vanilla extract or vanilla paste.
• Dried cranberries – Add the perfect combination of tart and sweet to Merry Christmas Granola.
• Orange zest – Orange zest is strong in fragrance and flavor. Even a small amount can deliver fantastic flavor and freshness, especially in this granola.

How to Make Delicious Merry Christmas Granola

In a large bowl combine rolled oats, nuts, spices, and salt. In another bowl combine the coconut oil, honey (or maple syrup), molasses, and vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir to combine until fully incorporated.

Spread the granola mixture onto a large parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, tossing the granola once at the halfway point.

Remove the granola from the oven and let it cool for about 10 minutes. Then, mix in the dried cranberries and orange zest. Toss them to combine.

Store the granola in an airtight container for up to two weeks at room temperature. 

Serving, Storage, and Gifting Suggestions

Merry Christmas Granola is so delicious and it can be enjoyed in so many ways. Of course, you can eat it on its own by the handful for a snack. It’s also simply delicious on yogurt or in a bowl with milk for breakfast. Enjoy this granola in an açaí bowl, a yogurt parfait, or in baked goods. It makes a delicious topping on muffins! However, my favorite way to enjoy Merry Christmas Granola is sprinkled on top of some cool creamy vanilla ice cream with some Christmas cookies on the side.

Granola can be stored in an airtight container for up to two weeks. I like to store mine in mason jars. Mason jars are also a wonderful way to gift Merry Christmas Granola to friends and family this holiday season. Tie a seasonal ribbon around the jar and add some holiday cheer with little bells, dried orange slices, sweet ornaments, little cookie cutters, or Christmas greenery… Just to name a few ideas.

I hope you enjoy this granola recipe as much as we do here on the farm! If you are looking for more delicious recipes, farmhouse inspiration, easy and beautiful DIYs, home decor styling tips, and sources, I hope you will join me on Instagram and Pinterest too. I’d love to see you there! 

Yield: 12 Servings

Merry Christmas Granola

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Additional Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

There is nothing like homemade Merry Christmas Granola during the holiday season. It’s delicious, easy to make, and makes your home literally smell like the holidays. This gluten-free, vegan, and refined-sugar free granola recipe is the perfect Christmas snack morning, noon, and night. It’s packed with oats, warm spices, rich molasses, sweetened with honey and is brimming with almonds, walnuts, and dried cranberries. Storing Merry Christmas Granola in a mason jar is the perfect way to keep it fresh. It’s also a wonderful way to gift this special treat to family and friends this holiday season.

Print

Ingredients

• 3 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup almonds, unsalted and unroasted
• 1 cup walnuts, loosely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1 tablespoon orange zest

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. In a large bowl combine rolled oats, nuts, spices, and salt. In another bowl combine the coconut oil, honey (or maple syrup), molasses, and vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir to combine until fully incorporated.
3. Spread the granola mixture onto a large parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, tossing the granola once at the halfway point.
4. Remove the granola from the oven and let it cool for about 10 minutes. Then, mix in the dried cranberries and orange zest. Toss them to combine. Store the granola in an airtight container for up to two weeks at room temperature.

Notes

Equipment used: measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowls, baking pans.