Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter*
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons nonfat milk or milk of choice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¾ cup white whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup prepared granola
  • 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries (or other dried fruit of choice: raisins or golden raisins, chopped dried cherries, chopped dried apricots)
  • 1/4 cup chopped nuts of choice: pecans (almonds, or walnuts (I used pecans))

Instruction

  • Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl, place the butter, peanut butter, and brown sugar. Beat on medium-high speed for 2 minutes, until lightened in color and smoothly combined.
  • Scrape down the bowl. Add the egg, milk, and vanilla and beat to combine. Stop the mixer to scrape down the bowl again as needed.
  • Sprinkle the cinnamon and salt over the top.
  • Sprinkle on the flour. Mix on low speed, just until the dough comes together and all bits of dry flour disappear.
  • By hand or with the mixer on low, gently stir in the granola, chocolate chips, cranberries, and nuts.
  • Portion the batter by generous ¼-cup-sized mounds onto the baking sheet, placing each cookie about 2 inches apart. With your fingers, gently flatten each cookie a little bit (they will not spread much during baking).
  • Bake the granola cookies for 10 to 13 minutes, until lightly browned and dry to the touch at the edges and still slightly soft and the centers. The cookies will look a little underdone in the middle, but do not over bake or they will be dry. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes, then gently transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. (I slide the parchment paper straight onto the rack).