(Note: this post was originally published on October 11, 2020. It has since been updated with a few tweaks.)
Love the flavor of apple pie but not necessarily the ingredients? Me too. That's why I started making this unique applesauce granola years ago and continue making it every single fall. It's loaded with warming spices like vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice, giving it that classic apple pie taste and aroma. Unlike apple pie, however, there's no butter, refined flour, or refined sugar; this crunchy granola is made with simple whole food ingredients.
This vegan apple pie granola is easy to make too. All of the ingredients are pantry staples and the hands-on time is minimal. That means you can have this cozy granola done in only an hour. It has become a favorite fall snack in our house, and I hope you love it as much as we do.
If you've made granola before (or looked at the ingredients in store-bought granola), you'll know that many recipes use a large amount of both oil and sugar. Those ingredients help the granola to crisp up as it bakes, but unfortunately they also mean that most granolas are basically cake in disguise.
This unique vegan apple pie granola ditches all the refined sugar and uses just a small amount of coconut oil thanks to a secret ingredient: applesauce. The applesauce provides natural sweetness to this granola, and the moisture helps it to clump together and eventually get crispy while baking. There's only a quarter cup each of maple syrup and coconut oil in the whole batch (which gives you 12-16 servings), and no other sweeteners or oils.
Curious about omitting the oil completely? Personally, when I've tried to omit the oil from this recipe, I've found that the granola feels a little bit heavier and softer; it's ok but not as good as when I use just a little bit of coconut oil to help with the crisping. Feel free to give it a try though and leave a comment below to let everyone know what you think.
This granola recipe is very easy to make: just toss all of the ingredients together and bake. You'll add the pecans toward the end of the baking time so they don't burn. Then, after baking, you'll add in two additional flavor powerhouses: dried (or freeze-dried) apples and crystallized ginger.
If you've made a traditional granola recipe before that uses lots of oil, this one is going to be different. Because the applesauce has a higher water content, the granola takes longer to dry out and eventually crisp up. You'll see that the mixture seems wetter than what you're used to. Just like how apples cook down for an hour or more to make a flavorful pie, you need to give the applesauce time to cook down in the oven and become delicious. Don't rush it, otherwise your granola could end up soggy.
Here's what you'll need for this applesauce granola recipe, as well as some thoughts, tips, and possible substitutions. If you make any substitutions, I'd love to hear about it in the comments section below.
What would you do with this applesauce granola? The possibilities are endless. It's wonderful as a simple breakfast with your preferred milk or yogurt. It's fun to pack as a snack on a chilly fall day. We've even been having it for dessert with some vanilla yogurt or a drizzle of almond butter. It would make for a really special Thanksgiving morning breakfast, particularly if you have visitors.
However you enjoy this vegan apple pie granola, I hope it brings you as much joy as a freshly-baked apple pie (but in a delightfully crunchy and much healthier package).
It makes me so happy to hear from you and see your creations! Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think about this recipe. If you post a photo on Instagram, hashtag #TheRogueBrusselSprout and tag me (@TheRogueBrusselSprout) in the post text so that I'm sure to see it.
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Bursting with warming fall spices and cozy vibes, this vegan apple pie granola tastes just like the classic dessert but in a crunchy format. You'll never believe that it gets most of its sweetness from applesauce.
Did you make this recipe? Did you make substitutions? How did you serve it? Any helpful tips? Please share your thoughts, since these insights are really useful to both me and to other readers.
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