Granola Cookies

These cookies are an absolutely brilliant invention – you take a relatively “plain” cookie base and then throw in chunks of granola, nuts, dried fruit and coconut. It’s one, big, cookie-sized hunk of granola that you can walk around and eat. Genius, I tell you. I have always been a huge fan of granola but didn’t start really going crazy over it until I came up with my hands-down, favorite homemade recipe earlier this year. Now I’m a certified granola junkie. (Tip: that granola recipes makes a kick-butt car trip snack. We munched away on it all the way from Pittsburgh to Florida!) So when I saw a cookie that was wholly based on granola as the main ingredient and then threw in all sorts of other delicious add-ins, I knew I was in for an amazing treat.

Dare I say you could even eat these babies for breakfast. I mean, it might be a stretch, but not by much. Loads of granola and they have a healthy dose of wheat germ in there which, hello! That totally makes these a wholesome meal, snack, whatever. In moderation, of course I think the best thing about these is how versatile the recipe is. Once you have your granola ready to go, you can switch up the other ingredients for different flavor combinations to suit your tastes. In place of raisins use your favorite dried fruit, substitute another nut for the peanuts or almonds, whatever you’d like! This is one of those “endless possibility” recipes, and those are always my favorite.

When you make these be sure to keep an eye on them, you never know when a cookie monster will move in for the grab!

One year ago: Cashew Chicken
Two years ago: Chocolate-Chocolate Chunk Muffins

Granola Cookies

Yield: 24 cookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Bake Time: 12 minutes

3 cups granola, without the fruit or nuts
¾ cup raisins (regular or golden)
½ cup peanuts
½ cup slivered almonds
½ cup sweetened shredded coconut
1/3 cup wheat germ
14 tablespoons (7 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats; set aside.

2. Put the granola in a large bowl and break up any clumps with your fingers. Add the raisins, peanuts, almonds, coconut and wheat germ and mix together.

3. With an electric mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the sugars and beat for another 3 minutes, or until creamy. Add the egg and salt and beat until well blended. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour, mixing only until it is incorporated, then steadily add the granola mixture. Stop the mixer when most of the granola mixture is blended into the batter and finish the job with a sturdy rubber spatula, making sure to get up any bits of dry ingredients left in the bottom of the bowl.

4. Scoop out about two tablespoonfuls of dough, pack the scoops between your palms and arrange the mounds on the baking sheets. Flatten the mounds lightly with your fingertips.

5. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. The cookies should be golden brown but not firm. Allow them to rest on the sheets for 1 to 2 minutes before transferring them to racks to cool to room temperature. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.

(Recipe adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan)

Email | Print

Share This Post: