Easy granola spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves and bursting with apple flavor. A must-have fall treat!
I’m obsessed with homemade granola. It began last year with a soft-baked carrot cake granola and continued through summer with an Almond Joy version. This fall I wanted something that celebrated apple season—so I made apple quinoa granola, and I’m so glad I did.
After a trial batch that taught me a few lessons, I landed on a recipe that delivers bold apple flavor in every cluster, warm spices, and a satisfying texture—crisp on the outside with tender, well-coated pieces inside.
To get apple flavor integrated into the granola itself (not only from dried apple chips), I use unsweetened applesauce in the wet mixture. Applesauce brings moisture and apple taste without making the granola overly sweet. I balance it with packed brown sugar for deep, caramel-like sweetness and pure maple syrup for a rich finish—maple complements apple beautifully. You could use honey, but the flavor will be different.
I include slivered almonds instead of whole almonds because they slice through the mix more gently and get coated better, giving great texture without overwhelming crunch. To preserve a bit of crispness despite the applesauce, I add dry quinoa for tiny crunchy bites throughout the granola; both white and red quinoa work well.
The final ingredient added right before baking is melted coconut oil. Added last, it helps seal moisture into the clusters while allowing the exterior to crisp up. Coconut oil is key to getting a desirable granola crunch when the wet ingredients include applesauce and maple syrup.
COCONUT OIL GIVES HOMEMADE GRANOLA ITS CRUNCH
Because this recipe has some moisture from applesauce and maple syrup, the coconut oil helps the granola form crisp edges and a pleasing texture. The result is not ultra-crispy like some granolas and not soft-baked either—it’s a balanced, cluster-forward texture that holds up well with all the apple flavor.
We enjoy this granola on its own as a snack, stirred into plain Greek yogurt, or poured over milk for breakfast. With fruit from the apples and a nutritious boost from quinoa, it feels like a wholesome treat you can enjoy often.
When cool, the granola is tossed with broken dried apple chips for extra apple texture and chew. Store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks, though the applesauce will gradually soften the crunch over time.
Try this apple quinoa granola if you want a seasonal, warmly spiced granola with real apple presence in every bite. It’s versatile, comforting, and ideal for fall mornings or anytime you need a crunchy apple-scented snack.
Love apples and quinoa? Try these other recipes featuring one or both: apple, quinoa, and almond kale salad; apple pie; gluten free apple crisp; Jennifer Aniston salad; enchilada quinoa casserole; quinoa patties.
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Apple Quinoa Granola
Ingredients
- 2 and ½ cups (200g) old fashioned oats do not use quick oats
- ½ cup (43g) slivered almonds whole are fine too
- ½ cup (89g) dry quinoa
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (191g) unsweetened applesauce*
- ¼ cup (50g) packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup (60mL) pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 Tablespoons (70g) coconut oil melted
- 2 ounces dried apple chips
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 250ºF (121ºC). Line a large baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper and set aside.
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In a large bowl, toss together the oats, slivered almonds, dry quinoa, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
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In a separate bowl, whisk the applesauce, brown sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla until smooth. Pour this mixture over the oat mixture and stir until everything is evenly coated.
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Pour the melted coconut oil over the coated mixture and distribute evenly. Spread the granola on the prepared sheet and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes except after the final interval. Let the granola cool on the baking sheet.
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When completely cool, break up the dried apple chips and toss them with the granola. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Note that the applesauce will soften the crunch over time.
Notes
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided as a courtesy. Changing ingredients or quantities will change the estimated nutrition.