Who can resist a healthy cookie?  Not me!  Sure, these have the traditional butter and flour, however, the main ingredient is granola.  I make my own, so that makes these cookies even more healthy.  My prior post details my granola recipe,  you can find it in the right hand column under Recent Posts.

This recipe is adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s Granola Grabbers.  I have made several changes to the recipe.  First, I make my own granola instead of using store bought.  In my granola I already have almonds and coconut, so they did not need to be added.  I use other nuts in my granola, so now these cookies have walnuts and pecans in them.  I omitted the peanuts and added chocolate and cranberries.  In my opinion, a cookie should not be without chocolate!  Particularly one with this many ingredients in it.  Also, I cut back slightly on the butter using 13 tablespoons instead of 14.  I noticed zero difference from the first time I made these using all 14 tablespoons.  Next time I make them I will try it with 12, any less than that I think could be a problem.

These cookies came out delicious.  I was apprehensive about bringing them to my parents house for everyone to try, thinking they would be adverse to a ‘healthy cookie’ and not like the oatmeal/granola taste.  Oh, how wrong I was!  They LOVED them.  Even my ever-critical brother (that doesn’t even cook!)…he had six of them.   My co-workers also loved them, they were a big hit.

Here’s my version of this healthy cookie…

Recipe

3 cups granola without fruit

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate, cut into chunks

1/3 cup wheat germ

13 tablespoons butter, room temperature

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 sugar

1 large egg

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup flour

Method

Make homemade granola (see recipe in right hand column under Recent Posts).  Allow granola to cool.  Put it in a large bowl and add the cranberries, raisins and wheat germ.  Mix together.

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 speed to low and add the flour in three additions (not all at once).  Mix until just incorporated, then steadily add most of the granola mixture. Once that is just blended turn off the mixer and add the remaining granola and all the chocolate, mixing by hand with a sturdy spatula.

Scoop out rounded tablespoons of dough.  I use an ice-cream scoop.  Pack the scoops between your palms and arrange the mounds on the baking sheet, lined with parchment paper.  Flatten the mounds slightly with your fingers.

Bake for 12 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back midway.  Cookies should be golden brown, but not firm.  Allow to rest for 2 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.