Baking this Chai Spice Pecan Granola will actually make your home smell better than any fall scented candle and is guaranteed to make you want to cuddle up on the couch with a large cup of coffee with a side of granola. Not only does this homemade granola taste like the best of Fall, but it also is vegan, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free too!
Tips for baking chai granola
The first secret to this homemade spiced granola is to cook it a little bit longer than you think. I first learned this when making my Maple Almond Butter Granola and have followed the same basic steps to make this granola too!
First, you're going to add all the dry ingredients to a 9*13" pan (I prefer glass or ceramic so the granola doesn't stick ). If you are using a metal or aluminum pan, you may want to add parchment paper so the granola doesn't overcook or burn.
After the dry ingredients are mixed, add in the wet ingredients including the coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla bean paste, and lemon juice.
Other than those two steps, the only other necessary step is baking the granola. Stir the chai granola halfway through baking to guarantee that all the clusters bake evenly.
While the pecan granola will come out of the oven relatively crispy, it's best eaten after 20 minutes of cooling time to get to that absolute ideal crunchy texture.
What spices do I need for chai granola?
The biggest investment for this recipe is buying all the spices that are in the dry ingredients. Luckily I have most of these spices lying around because I'm obsessed with Chai-flavored everything (take my Vegan Brown Sugar Chai Cookies for example).
However, if you can't find all the spices the most important four spices to get for this recipe are Cardamom, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Cloves!
How to eat chai pecan granola
I personally love making this granola every other Sunday for the easiest meal prep hack! It makes quite a lot of granola (enough to feed me for about 2 weeks if eaten every morning). That's why it really is the perfect way to meal prep a healthy delicious breakfast or snack for the week.
My two favorite ways to eat this chai granola include on a smoothie bowl for breakfast or on top of a date filled with almond butter for a snack. YUM!
If you're looking for smoothie bowls to make with this granola recipe, I recommend checking out my Berry Acai Bowl or Cranberry Orange Smoothie Bowl. It would also go well sprinkled on top of any Fall-flavored smoothie recipe too.
If I'm being totally honest, I am also not above eating this chai granola straight out of the jar.
If you're ready to stop buying ridiculously expensive packaged granola and make your own HEALTHIER version at home, this recipe is definitely for you! I can't wait for you to try this delicious Chai Spice Pecan Granola for breakfast or brunch!
-TSG
More sweet Vegan Breakfast Recipes you will love:
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Chai Spice Pecan Granola
Ingredients
- 2.5 cups gluten free oats
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- â…› teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F. In a 9*13 inch glass pan (or similar non stick pan) add all your dry ingredients including the gluten-free oats, pecans, salt, and spices. Stir to evenly mix.
- Next, add your wet ingredients to the pan including the maple syrup, melted coconut oil, vanilla bean paste, and lemon juice. Mix until the oats and pecans are evenly coated.
- Smooth the granola out so it is evenly dispersed in the pan. Please note it's okay if your granola is layered!
- Add your granola to the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove, stir, and then bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until the oats are crispy and browned, but not burnt. It is important to stir half way through so the granola cooks evenly.
- Remove from the oven and let cool before serving. Eat straight out of the jar or on top of yogurt or smoothie bowls. Granola will keep in a sealed container at room temperature up to 2 weeks. Enjoy!
Notes
- Granola can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It will also keep in a sealed container in the freezer for up to 1 month.Â
ShortGirlTallOrder says
Walnuts sound like they would also be amazing- thanks for sharing!
Alexandra Collins says
This granola is officially a staple in my home - I absolutely love it! I ended up using walnuts instead of pecans and it was just as amazing, easy to make, not too sweet and lasted a good while. Highly recommend!! Yum.