Gluten-Free Gingerbread Granola

What could be better than gingerbread cookies at the holidays? Gluten-Free Gingerbread Granola! Packed with tons of gingerbread flavor, this healthier alternative is the perfect holiday treat.

Another season, another [delicious] granola.

Ok: in our house it’s really like another WEEK another granola, but Anthony has warned me that I have to pace myself with how many granola recipes I share in any given month, or I might have to change my blog name to Granola Changer or something. Which, now that I think about it,  might not be a bad idea….. 😉

And this season’s granola? It might be my favorite of all! Why? Because it represents one of the best flavors of the best holidays: GINGERBREAD!

While my other granolas (Cinnamon Nut, Strawberry Honey, and Pumpkin Spice) are all pretty bangin’, this one in particular has me clicking my heels and FA LA LA-ing non-stop.

Mostly because it’s FESTIVE, and you all know how much I looooooooove festive, right? But also because I just can’t get enough gingerbread spice in my life this year. I know I’m not alone considering that Gingerbread cookies have basically broken the internet this holiday season.

But you guys! This is GRANOLA and therefore HEALTHY(ish) meaning you can basically have your gingerbread and eat it [almost guilt-free] too! I mean, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, molasses all mixed with good-for-you oats, pecans, HAZELNUTS, and honey — how can you go wrong with that?

Hint: you can’t.

Speaking of hazelnuts, can we just take a moment to talk about how incredible they are?

While hazelnut flavor is no stranger to me – I might be a self-proclaimed Nutella addict (seriously, there are few things I wouldn’t slather it on) and hazelnut coffee is just about the only thing that got me through college – I haven’t had straight-up hazelnuts in, well, maybe ever. Until recently. And wooooo boy my whole world just flipped upside down.

So when you add hazelnuts 😍 to gingerbread 😍😍 : mind blown. Seriously, people should say gingerbread and hazelnuts instead of bacon and eggs or peanut butter and jelly. Bold statement, I know, but true.

So when I dug into my nut bin (yes, I have a whole big bin full for nuts just for granola purposes) for this gingerbread granola, hazelnuts were the only choice. (Ok – hazelnuts and pecans because: pecans. But you catch my drift).

For this granola, I break a few of my cardinal granola rules – similar to my pumpkin spice granola, I use a little more oats than “normal,” and stir at every 15 minute increment during baking time.

Why? Because of the extra spices and the addition of molasses, the extra oats provide more surface area to carry all of those amazing flavors to your mouth. YASSS.

And as far as stirring, the molasses adds a little more moisture and stickiness, requiring a stir or two to avoid a thin film forming on the bottom of the granola. Of course, this isn’t absolutely necessary – the granola will still be magnifique without the extra stirring, but might not be as pretty and evenly coated with all of the good stuff.

As for me? I’ll take a little bit of extra work if it means more gingerbread flavor in every single morsel of gingerbread granola. Worth it. Trust me.

Can we just keep looping December on repeat? Because I need as much time with this gingerbread granola in my life as possible. It certainly is the most wonderful time of the year!