Hot Cross Bun Granola

Happy Easter! You may have already eaten quite a few hot cross buns, but you can never have too many, wouldn’t you agree? The warming aroma of sweet spices and the tender soft dough always remind me of springtime in the UK, with the sun shining and daffodils blooming… but perhaps after all the actual hot cross buns you fancy something a little different?

Although if you are a fan, like me, then have a look at my Vegan Hot Cross Buns recipe to get your fix!

This was recipe was inspired by a little scroll through Pinterest where I saw a few hot cross bun recipes alongside breakfast granolas and I wanted to create something a little special to snack on throughout the week. I love making my own granola and it really is so easy, so with a spare half an hour, I whipped this up one evening and munched away all night!

This Hot Cross Bun Granola really does taste, smell and feel like the real deal, although it means you don’t have to have another toasted bun if you fancy cereal for breakfast or for a snack. The warming spices are really similar to those in my Hot Cross Bun recipe: cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and ground clove sweetened with a little apricot jam. The jam has to be the secret ingredient of this granola recipe (and what makes the sticky sweet glaze on my buns) as it adds a gorgeous orange tinge to the oats as well as adding a fresh and zingy flavour.

The jam also helps to bind the granola into crunchy clumps along with the coconut oil and that’s all there is to it! As for dried fruit, I’ve used raw goldenberries in my Hot Cross Bun Granola as I love the slight tartness to them and they are packed with flavour. I’ve also added pumpkin seeds for crunch (both of which are from Natures Heart Superfoods who I love working with) but feel free to swap your own dried fruits and nuts/seeds in the same quantities.

This Hot Cross Bun Granola takes less than 30 minutes, requires 9 ingredients, minimal washing up and maximum flavour and crunch. Enjoy this as part of your breakfast with yoghurt and fresh fruit or as a snack with milk or even sprinkled onto ice cream for a tasty dessert! If you’re looking for more granola inspiration, how about my Cacao and Maca Raw Nola, my Chai Spiced Walnut Granola or my Roasted Nut Granola Bars.

I hope you’ll love this just as much as I do, it’s delicious, nutritious, naturally gluten-free, refined sugar free (depending on the jam you use), full of sweet and warming spices and tastes and smells like hot cross buns!

Hot Cross Bun Granola

• Servings: 1 jar
• Time: 30 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Cinnamon, cardamom and apricot jam infused granola that tastes just like a hot cross bun! Perfect for enjoying with cold milk, serving with yoghurt and fruit or eating from the jar.

Ingredients

• 130g oats
• 50g pumpkin seeds
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/2 tsp ground clove
• 50g coconut oil
• 2 tbsp apricot jam
• 100g goldenberries or other dried fruit

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180 Fan/200*C and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
2. Stir together the oats, pumpkin seeds, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and clove. Melt the coconut oil and apricot jam together and add to the oats. Stir until coated.
3. Bake on the tray for 20 minutes, turning over half way through.
4. Add the goldenberries and allow to cool in the switched off oven for a couple of hours then store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

I can’t wait to hear what you think of my Hot Cross Bun Granola so please do leave a comment below and tag me in your creations, I love seeing them!  I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest  – please say hello!

With granola love x