Crockpot pumpkin granola

5 cups of rolled oats (we use certified gluten free)
3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/2 to 3/4 cup honey (start with the smaller amount)
1 cup whole almonds (or use toasted pumpkin seeds)
2/3 cup dried cranberries/raisins or mixture (add last hour)
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Use a large slow cooker -- I used a 6.5-quart. It's not a typo that I didn't add any butter or oil; I wanted to see if it would work without any, and it did! The pumpkin helped to coat the oats and provided enough moisture to keep it from burning and the honey did a good job of providing sweetness and a bit of a binder.

Stir everything but the dried fruit in. The honey will be gloppy--- just stir the best you can. Cover, and cook in a vented slow cooker (prop lid open with chopstick or wooden spoon) on high for 4 hours, stirring every 30 minutes or so. Add dried fruit the last 30-minutes to an hour. There really isn't an exact science here--- when you're happy with the texture and the consistency, it's done!

Let cool completely-- the oats will get a bit harder and crispier after cooling (you can spread it all out on layers of foil or paper towels or parchment paper on the counter to speed up the cooling process).

Store in an airtight container in either the fridge or the freezer.


Read more: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2012/08/slow-cooker-pumpkin-granola.html#ixzz3CgxUtV00

Serving Size: 12 servings

Number of Servings: 12

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user LBOLLING2.