Recipe: Granola Cookies

A friend recently told me that she loves "granola cookies."  Puzzled, I googled the term and eventually found a recipe from Brown Eyed Baker that looked good.  I'll admit I was a little skeptical at first - granola in a cookie doesn't sound so good when you could have chocolate chips...or chocolate chunks...or chocolate anything for that matter.  However, I decided to give the recipe a try, and I was pleasantly surprised by the result.  Granola cookies are actually delicious - the granola adds a nice crunch, the raisins add sweetness, and overall you might feel a little healthier snacking on a granola cookie vs. a chocolate chip cookie.  

Some might even be so bold as to snack on one for breakfast...

Granola Cookies

Recipe adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

Ingredients:

• 3 C. granola (I used a granola with fruit and nuts already added, but you could use a plain recipe and add your favorites to the batter...coconut, almonds, wheat germ, etc.)
• 3/4 C. raisins
• 1/2 C. peanuts
• 14 Tbs. butter at room temperature
• 3/4 C. light brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 C. granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 C. all purpose flour (I used a GF all purpose baking mix and had great results.)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Put granola in a large bowl and break up any large pieces with your fingers.  Add raisins, peanuts, and any other dry ingredients you choose.  Mix together.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter at medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.  Add sugars and beat for another 3 minutes, or until creamy.  Add egg and salt and beat until well blended.  Reduce the speed to low and add the flour, mixing until just incorporated.  Steadily add granola mixture.  Stop mixing when most of the granola is incorporated into the dough.  Use a rubber spatula to finish mixing any dry ingredients that weren't incorporated via the electric mixer.
4. Scoop out about 2 tablespoons of dough and shape into mounds on the baking sheets.
5. Bake for 10-12 minutes.  The cookies will be golden brown but not firm.  Leave them on the baking sheet for 1-2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

xo,