Cinnamon Raisin Granola Cookies

I enjoy any cookie that includes oatmeal in the dough. Oatmeal is wonderfully nutty that adds an extra layer of flavor to a dough, as well as adding texture to finished cookies. These Cinnamon Raisin Granola Cookies use granola instead of oatmeal to put a twist on a traditional oatmeal raisin cookie recipe.

You’re going to need about 2 cups of granola for this recipe. I recommend having a little bit extra on hand because, if you’re like me, you’ll probably snack your way though a handful or so while you put together the cookies. There are many kinds of granola out there to choose from. While I used an easy homemade granola, you can certainly use store-bought granola in this recipe. You simply want to look for a granola that is oatmeal-based or at least features lots of oatmeal to get the texture right. I prefer one made with dried fruits and nuts, though a granola with chocolate bits in it is not a bad idea either.

Since my homemade granola includes both raisins and pecans, I added more of those in this dough. If yours includes dried cranberries, for instance, you might want to use more dried cranberries instead of raisins. The vanilla and cinnamon tie in well with just about any flavor of granola that you might happen to use, although you can spice things up a bit more with ginger, nutmeg or allspice if your granola includes extra spices.

The oatmeal will mix into the dough easily, though the dough will be stiff by the time all the granola, raisins and pecans are added to the mix! Shape the dough into generous balls and bake until golden.

The finished cookies have a beautifully buttery, crisp edge and tons of oatmeal flavor thanks to the toasted oats of the granola. The granola does add a lot of texture to the cookies – although it doesn’t remain entirely crisp after going into the cookie dough – and the resulting cookies are surprisingly light. They will soften a bit as they are stored (in an airtight container after baking), but they tend not to be quite as chewy as traditional oatmeal raisins cookies. If you like the granola you start with, you will love the results in this recipe.

Cinnamon Raisin Granola Cookies
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups granola
2/3 cup raisins
2/3 cup coarsely chopped, toasted pecans

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars until light and creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. At low speed,gradually blend in the flour mixture until it has been completely incorporated. Mix in granola, raisins and pecans until well-distributed.
Shape dough into 1 1/2-inch balls and arrange on prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until cookies are golden around the outer edges and just set in the center. Allow cookies to cool on a baking sheet for 3-5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

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