Easy Christmas granola recipe made healthy with no added sugar. Conjure up the Christmas spirit with its gingerbread warm spices for breakfast with orange, cranberries, crunchy pecans, seeds and toasted oats. One of our favourite holiday recipes and also makes the best DIY Christmas gifts.
Is Granola Healthy?
Granola can be healthy but not all granolas are good for you - particularly as supermarket granolas receive some pretty bad publicity in the news. Not only have many commercial granolas been found to contain too many pesticides but they also contain far too much sugar.
This healthy granola recipe contains no added sugar whatsoever. For the maple syrup, oats, seeds etc, please use organic ingredients if possible.
Coconut oil is good to use but use sparingly, as it contains saturated fat (hence why it solidifies when cold). Use in one batch and for the next, switch to sunflower or olive oil.
Another reason why granola has a reputation of being bad for you is on the calorie count with the amount of nuts it contains. Moderation is key. Just follow the quantities I give below in the recipe.
In any case, after a bowl in the morning, you'll probably find that it's pretty filling to set you up until lunchtime. This crunchy granola also makes a healthy dessert around Christmas time.
Healthy Christmas Granola - Sugar Free
With all my recipes, I always taste-test until I've reduced the sugar to a minimum. As with my homemade maple granola, no brown sugar - or any sugar is needed at all. The natural sugars from the maple syrup and dried fruits (cranberries and apples) are sweet enough.
It's also vegan as it doesn't contain honey.
Healthy Gingerbread Granola
Although the accompanying recipe video is for chocolate granola, the recipe base is the same for this holiday granola, whether with or without chocolate.
To conjure up holiday spices and flavours, add warming gingerbread spice, orange zest and special nuts. Add pistachios or pecan nuts - or Brazil nuts, high in selenium - plus walnuts, which are great for helping to lower cholesterol.
The orange zest is what adds the extra Christmas flavour. The amount of zest may seem a lot, but the flavour reduces as it toasts in the oven. The result leaves just the right amount for a cosy, Christmas hint at breakfast time. If you prefer more orange, then add more zest after baking.
In France, classic French gingerbread (pain d'épices) is particularly popular at Christmas. The spices used for it is actually just called pain d'épices or gingerbread spice, which is best to use in this gingerbread granola. If you can't find it, use apple spice which is closest or make your own.
For more on gingerbread in France, see my article on one of the major gingerbread capitals, Dijon plus in Alsace - my post on Strasbourg.
Add some Christmassy Red and Green
For festive red and green colours, add dried cranberries or goji berries, to add a touch of festive natural red, along with the green pepitas (pumpkin seeds).
How to Make your Own Gingerbread Spice
If you can't find gingerbread spice (in French: pain d'épices), it's easy to make your own gingerbread spice - just combine the following:
- 1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
How to Package Christmas Granola as Gifts
This Christmas granola makes the best edible DIY gifts, as well as this spiced plum jam (use frozen plums if out of season) and festive orange curd. Not only is it delicious but it's sharing something healthy.
Either pour into cellophane bags (easily found in specialist baking shops) or into clean sealed jam jars or a mason jar. Tie them up with ribbons or pretty string.
Alternatively, cut out jam jar tops from festive coloured material. I find mine cheaply at a popular large Swedish store and also from local material shops who sell off material scraps at the end of season. Cut out larger circles than the lids using serrated scissors for special effect.
How Long Does it Keep?
This granola keeps well in a cool, dry place for up to a month. Store in a dry, sealed container such as a cookie jar or tin box.
What's more, you can enjoy this at ANY time of year!
How to Serve Christmas Granola
Serve Christmas granola with clementine oranges or berries: fresh raspberries, blueberries, strawberries or other available berries. Great also owith the milk of your choice, fromage blanc, yogurt or Greek yogurt.
So enjoy with the season's apple compote. We also love to serve this with rhubarb compote - it is easily adaptable using berries (even frozen during winter) instead of rhubarb.
Also delicious with roasted spiced plums (see the recipe on the plum page). Made in advance and frozen, serve defrosted for an extra special Christmas treat.
Easy Christmas Granola
Equipment
Ingredients
- 300 g (11oz/3 ¾ cups) medium porridge oats (or quick oats)
- 100 g (3.5oz/¾ cup) pepitas (unsalted pumpkin seeds)
- 50 g (1.75oz/ ⅓ cup) sunflower seeds
- 100 g (3.5oz/¾ cup) pecans & brazil nuts (or hazelnuts, walnuts, pistachios) roughly chopped
- good pinch good quality salt (fleur de sel, Maldon or Celtic salt)
- 2 teaspoon gingerbread spice (pain d'épices) SEE NOTES*
- 1 unwaxed orange grated zest only
- 3 tablespoon olive oil (or coconut oil)
- 5 tablespoon maple syrup
- 80 g (3oz/½ cup) dried cranberries
- 30 g (1oz/2 tbsp) dried goji berries (or dried apple slices)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170°C/340°F (150°C fan/Gas 3).
- Measure all the ingredients (except the dried fruits) and grate the zest of the orange in a large bowl. Stir to mix all the dry ingredients well together then bind with the oil and maple syrup.
- Line a baking tray with baking paper (or a silicone mat). Spread out the granola mixture evenly.
- Bake in the oven for about 10-15 minutes, to about halfway point, then turn over the mixture to ensure the mixture is toasted evenly. Bake for a further 10 minutes or until lightly toasted and golden brown.
- Leave to cool completely for about 30 minutes then add the dried fruits. Tip easily using the paper or silicone mat directly into a cookie jar or airtight tin or into Christmas gift bags tied with ribbons.
Video
Notes
This recipe was first published 9 December 2017 but is now completely updated.
June S
I have enjoyed this Christmas Granola now for a whole week for breakfast and sometimes brunch. It’s extra special with fruit compote. I will remember to make it myself next year but I don’t think I will be able to wait till then.
Jill Colonna
Well I sincerely hope you make this as well as the maple granola, Mum as it's a little bit more luxurious over the festive season.
Linda
Will definitely make this for Christmas breakfasts. My daughter and I don't eat commercial breakfast cereals - even Weetabix is too sweet for us, and as for chocolate-coated/stuffed bizarre things.... Husband and son have slightly greater tolerance, but are at the natural end of the spectrum. Overnight cold-soaked oats/home made Bircher muesli for daughter and me. But as a treat I will definitely make this luxury mix - and will enjoy using my Dad's former company's product. In fact in the past he would have personally selected some of the oats. I have fond memories of going round farms with him in the summer holidays, as the harvest approached, standing in fields of oats or barley as he took samples and discussed the crop with the farmer. The barley of course was destined for whisky distilling!
Jill Colonna
Linda, what an honour to have you comment here, with your Dad having been at Hamlyn's from the start. What precious memories to have of him personally selecting your oats. Pleased as punch (or whisky?) that you'll be making this too!
Liz
Much as I love granola, I can't eat sugary foods in the morning. Your recipe is perfect! xo
Jill Colonna
We are exactly the same in the morning, Liz!
Christina | Christina's Cucina
I just shared this on Facebook, Jill! You are so right about the sugar, and it's a lesson most of this country (USA) could really use! There is sugar in things that I can't even imagine putting sugar in (sugar added to beetroot, which are actually used to MAKE sugar because they are so sweet)! It's crazy because it's not an ingredient that we should be increasing in our diets.
If I'm making a US recipe I've never made before, I always cut the sugar. I usually end up cutting it even more if I make it again. This recipe would be perfect as it does have a lot of sweet fruit which adds the sweetness that's needed, instead of starting the day with a bowl full of sugar! Would make a lovely gift just as you've presented it in your photo! Nice job!
Jill Colonna
Well I'm glad we still think the same, Christina. Spot on. I'm amazed at the number of British celebrity chefs who put way too much sugar in their recipes, too. That's one of the main reasons why I love to bake at home, because we can control the sugar content!