Thanksgiving Favors: Spiced Pumpkin Granola

One of my favorite things about having people over is the excuse to make party favors. I'm not sure why, but there is something about packaging up little-somethings that makes me super happy.

For my party this past weekend, I decided to make a big batch of homemade Spiced Pumpkin Granola and send each guest home with a bag of it.

Homemade granola makes a great favor because it's very easy to make, can be made in huge batches, and keeps well over long periods of time, so you can prepare it in advance.

This granola starts off with plain rolled oats (I used good ol' Quaker Oats for this), mixed with spices like cinnamon and ginger, brown sugar, olive oil, and real pumpkin puree.

It toasts up in the oven until crunchy, and then you can toss it with your favorite granola mix-ins. I chose toasted pecans, shaved coconut, and white chocolate chips.

I was low on time so instead of making individual tags for each baggie, I just displayed a little "Thank You" card near the basket of favors and called it a day.

A simple and sweet favor that will leave your guests with a little bit of extra fun to enjoy after the party ends.

More Homemade Granola Recipes:

• S'Mores Granola 
• Triple Chocolate Quinoa Granola 
• Chewy Hazelnut & Chocolate Granola Bars 

****
Love Always Order Dessert? Let's connect! Follow me on Twitter or Pinterest, become a fan on Facebook, or sign up to receive my once-a-week e-mail updates. And if you ever need any entertaining or cooking advice, please don't hesitate to e-mail me. Thanks for reading!   

Spiced Pumpkin Granola
This makes a huge batch meant for favors, and makes about 10 party favor-sized bags of granola. Feel free to divide in half for a smaller amount.

Ingredients
8 cups rolled oats
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree
1/2 cup olive oil or melted butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups pecans, toasted
1 cup dried shaved coconut (unsweetened)
2 cups your choice: white chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, or dried cranberries (or use a mix!)

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease two large baking sheets (I use baking spray) and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix oats and spices. In a second large bowl, mix sugar, pumpkin, oil, maple syrup, and vanilla. Combine with oats and toss until evenly and completely coated.

Divide into two baking pans and spread out into a single layer. Bake for 15 minutes, then stir and return to oven for about 20 more minutes, or until golden (will still be soft, but will get crunchy as it cools). Let cool completely, then stir in pecans, coconut, and chocolate or dried fruit.

For favors: Divide into cellophane bags and seal with a twist-tie.

To store, divide into gallon sized zipped bags and store in a cool dry place.