maple granola cookies

Oatmeal cookies are good, but what’s better than oatmeal? Granola. By bronzing and caramelizing the oats first, you get a deeper flavor and a crisp, chewy bite. This batch of granola makes a lot more than you’ll need for the cookies, but that’s a good thing; you get 2 recipes in 1. And the delicious warm smell that will fill your kitchen as it bakes makes it worth the extra step. If you really can’t be bothered, I’m sure it would work with store-bought granola too. (Can’t guarantee it would be as delicious though)

The flavor of these cookies is a complex matrix of brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and maple, toasty from the brown butter, sweet and salty. Raisins are notoriously divisive, but they add yet another layer of chewy sweetness and tartness that works really well, but you can omit them. 

The cookies will seem a little soft in the middle as you first take them out of the oven, but will firm up as they cool down.

A note on the maple syrup: real maple syrup is wonderful, but sadly the flavor doesn’t hold up as well when baked, so for a more punchy maple flavor, don’t be afraid of using the cheap stuff. I’ve also added an option of using maple extract but it’s harder to find.

Makes 12 cookies 

Granola

510g rolled oats (not instant) 

2 tsp cinnamon 

1 tsp salt

200g maple syrup (a generous 3/4 cup) its ok to use fake maple syrup.

100g oil (a little under 1/2 cup)

2 tsp vanilla (preferably artificial)

1 tsp maple extract (optional)

100g sugar (1/2 cup)

Mix everything together by hand really well to coat all the oats, then tip on a baking tray lined with a baking mat or parchment paper. Bake in a 325F oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until dry and golden brown. (It might take more or less time depending on your oven)

While the granola is baking, you can get started on the cookie dough.

Cookies 

114g butter (1 stick)

2 tablespoons water

60g dark brown sugar (heaping 1/4 cup)

40g powdered sugar (heaping 1/3 cup) (or 3 tablespoons granulated)

3g salt (1 teaspoon diamond crystal kosher salt)

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla (preferably artificial)

145g flour (1 cup)

100g granola (1 cup) recipe above

60g raisins (1/2 cup)

Turn up the temperature for 350F

Melt the butter in a small saucepan or skillet on medium heat and continue cooking it while stirring constantly so it doesn’t splatter. Once all the water has evaporated, the milk solids will start browning. when its a deep golden brown, take it off the heat and pour it in a mixing bowl (you can reuse the granola one if you made that) add the water, sugars, vanilla, salt, cinnamon and baking soda and stir well to combine. Add flour and stir until no dry flour remains. Mix in the granola and raisins, breaking up any clumps that might have formed.

This dough doesn’t expand as much as normal oatmeal cookies, so shape and flatten them with your hands into your desired shape.

Bake at 350F for 15 minutes until golden brown around the edges.