pumpkin granola 2

Ok, so it was another 2 breakfast morning.  What can I say.  I figured I should use the oven while I already had it on right?  Anyway, I decided to try the  pumpkin granola from baking bites.  It was the link on the site I tried the granola from  the other day.  I liked this granola more than the other.  I had DH buy some regular oats at the store, and I added the rice puffs.  I also added some coconut and pecans.  Very tasty.  I may still toss in a craisin or 2.  Still undecided about that.
I'm slow in posting and I have not tried it with  craisins yet, but it is very good with the pecans and coconuts.  I loved adding them for the last 15-20 minutes of toasting time.  Gave them a wonderful flavor.

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 2 1/2 cups puffed rice cereal
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice mix (see below)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup plain pureed pumpkin
• 1/4 cup plain applesauce
• 1/4 cup maple syrup (I used light)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup coconut

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325.   Line a large cookie sheet with non-stick foil or parchment.  
2. In a large bowl, combine oats and puffed rice.  In a medium bowl, whisk together pumpkin pie spice, salt, sugar, applesauce, pumpkin puree, maple syrup and vanilla.  Whisk until very smooth.
3. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients.  Stir until evenly covered.  Spread on prepared pan in 1 even layer.
4. Bake for 30 minutes, then add nuts and coconut.  Stir, and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes.  (This didn't seem very crisp so I added another 5 minutes.  It still didn't seem very crisp, but it crisped a lot as it cooled.)

Pumpkin pie spice (also from baking bites)

• 1/2 cup cinnamon
• 2 Tablespoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom(optional) -I added a pinch

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients and mix well.  Store in an airtight container.

I saw another pumpkin pie spice recipe that included mace.  I never have that on hand.  I did have some cardamom so I added a pinch to my mix.  I was happy to find this because I had used up the last of my pumpkin pie spice mix just this past week.