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For an easy Christmas breakfast, make this sweet and crunchy Slow Cooker Eggnog Granola right in your crockpot. With the festive flavors of vanilla, nutmeg, and cinnamon, it’s wonderful to enjoy during the holiday season. Or package it in jars with ribbon for a lovely holiday gift!
Crockpot Eggnog Granola – an Easy Christmas Breakfast Idea!
Most of the year I’ll sprinkle my classic nutty, maple syrupy gluten free granola over my yogurt or fruit salad. But during the holiday season, even your basic weekday breakfast deserves to get a little more festive. That’s where the eggnog comes in… eggnog granola, that is!
I’m not one for drinking eggnog. But add it to Gluten Free Eggnog Crumb Cake or Gluten Free Eggnog Cupcakes or this granola, and I just can’t get enough of the rich, perfectly spiced flavor. Plus a bit of chopped white chocolate or white chocolate chips evokes the creaminess of eggnog. Not only does it taste amazing, but it makes your house smell super yummy too.
While you can easily make a batch over the weekend to munch on all week, it’s also a lovely addition to Christmas morning breakfast with those gluten free cinnamon rolls or a holiday brunch buffet. And it makes great Christmas gifts because once it’s sealed in a mason jar, it’ll stay good for a few weeks… if it lasts that long!
Christmas Granola Ingredients
Here is an overview of the ingredients, some notes about them, and possible substitutions. Note that you can make this granola gluten free, dairy, free, and vegan. The full amounts are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Old-fashioned oats. Be sure to get certified gluten free oats, if needed (see: Are Oats Gluten Free?).
- Sliced almonds. Feel free to substitute another nut like pecans, walnuts, or cashews.
- Ground flax seeds. Adds some healthy omega-3s.
- Eggnog. You can use regular or a dairy free version, like Silk Almond Nog.
- Vegetable oil. Or use canola oil, avocado oil, or your preferred neutral oil.
- Light brown sugar. It’s fine to substitute coconut sugar.
- Cinnamon
- Ground nutmeg
- Vanilla extract
- White chocolate chips or coarsely chopped white chocolate. Be sure it is gluten free. Ghirardelli white chocolate chips are not, but Nestle Toll House Morsels usually are, as is Green & Black’s White Chocolate Bar. You can also use a dairy-free brand.
How to Make Crockpot Granola
Mix it up in minutes, and then let it cook in the slow cooker. You can’t leave it completely unattended because it does require the occasional stir. But it’s still really simple to make.
Combine the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, toss the oats, almonds, and ground flax seeds together.
Combine the wet ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggnog, oil, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and salt.
Mix it together. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and toss until it is evenly distributed and moistened.
Cook in the crockpot. Transfer everything into your slow cooker, put on the lid, and prop the lid open slightly. Cook on High for 2-2 1/2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes until dried and lightly browned.
Let it cool. Spread the granola out on a sheet pan. Allow it to cool completely, then scatter the chocolate over the top. Store in an airtight container.
How to Store Granola
If you make sure that you cook it until it is nice and dry and then let it cool completely. Granola can be kept at room temperature for several weeks as long as you store it in an airtight container. If you are keeping it for yourself, plastic storage bags that seal tightly, food storage containers, or a large mason jar are great options.
But the best part is that since granola keeps so well, you can also package it to give as gifts. Store it in jars with tight-fitting lids, tie a nice bow with some ribbon, and you have a sweet gift for a party host or hostess, teachers, unexpected guests, or a special friend.
Here are some other edible gifts to give with your eggnog granola:
- Cranberry Bliss White Chocolate Bark
- Candied Spiced Nuts
- Double Chocolate Christmas Fudge
- Cherry Chocolate Pistachio Trail Mix
- Pistachio Roca from Cravings of a Lunatic
More Granola Recipes
- Maple Brown Sugar Granola Clusters
- Tropical Granola
- Cherry Vanilla Almond Granola
- Coconut Chia Granola Clusters
- Apple Cinnamon Granola
Slow Cooker Eggnog Granola
Ingredients
- 3 cups old-fashioned oats, certified gluten free if needed
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- ¼ cup ground flax seeds
- 1/2 cup eggnog regular or a dairy free version, like Silk Almond Nog
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil, canola oil, or avocado oil
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup white chocolate chips or coarsely chopped white chocolate
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the oats, almonds, and flax.
- In a small bowl, combine the eggnog, oil, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and salt.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and toss until it is evenly distributed and moistened.
- Place into your slow cooker, put on the lid and prop the lid open slightly. Cook on high for 2-2 1/2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes until dried and lightly browned.
- Spread the granola out on a sheet pan and allow it to cool completely. Once it is cool, mix in the white chocolate. Store in an airtight container.
Did you make this?
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I love soft ginger cookies.
During the holiday, we always seem to have more fruit leftover when grocery day rolls around again, so we use up those soft bananas to make some chocolate chip banana muffins.
ALways a great idea!
I love making cinnamon rolls and oddles of cookies!
Italian Christmas cookies
I like to make chocolate coal candy using marshmallow and chocolate cereal. These are dunked in creamy chocolate and sprinkled with black sugar crystals.
My favorite sweet treat to make for the holidays is Cranberry Salad.
Fudge is one of the easiest and most yummy treats.
I love all kinds of bark but my favorite is white chocolate with pistachios and cranberries or pomegranate !
Classic Sticky Toffee Pudding.
So, I’m actually a total eggnog junkie. No lie. I’d chug a carton a day if I could, except for the fact that’s there’s a zillion calories in that stuff. So a granola that lets me get my eggnog fix with a little less guilt? Heck yeah. I’m all over that.
I’m so with you on eggnog. No thank you unless it’s in your granola or coffee cake 🙂 Those sound fabulous!
Combining eggnog flavor and granola?! Brilliant! I can’t wait to try this recipe!!!
My favorite treat to make at Christmas is Hello Dolly Cookies!