August 19, 2008

TWD- Granola Grabbers

I don't consider myself a picky eater, but I'm really not a fan of oatmeal or coconut. It's a texture thing. Well that, and the fact that coconut tastes like sunblock to me (I know, I know, it's the other way around, but growing up in the valley of the Sun, it's just too strong of an association!) Nonetheless, I was determined to make these cookies since my husband LOVES oatmeal cookies.

I'm so glad I did make them! (Albeit with a *few* modifications- but whole wheat? It's all for the better!).

My little niece Lily helped me stir the granola and make sure all the ingredients were of the highest quality. While she nibbled on the nuts, she couldn't get enough of the white chocolate chips. I told her "just one" and she kept saying, "okay, just another one" over and over. It was adorable.

To suit these cookies to a few picky eater (myself apparently, though we do have someone who refuses cooked raisins and those don't bug me) I used Craisins and white chocolate chips in these. Because I didn't buy any wheat germ and I didn't want coconut, I used whole wheat flour and some extra nuts to help bulk up the dough.

This weeks choice came from Michelle and I'm so glad she picked it, since these cookies were amazing and I know I wouldn't have made them on my own. That's the beauty of Tuesdays with Dorie.

Granola Grabbers
Adapted from Baking by Dorie Greenspan

3 Cups Granola without Fruit (Traders Joe's Pecan Praline Granola)
3/4 Cup Craisins, plumped in 1/2 Cup boiling water then drained
1/2 Cup Chopped Raw Cashews
1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans
1/2 Cup White Chocolate Chips
1 3/4 Sticks (or 14 tablespoons) Butter, softened
3/4 Cup Dark Brown Sugar, packed
3/4 Cup Sugar
1 Egg
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour

Preheat the oven to 350. Line two baking sheets with parchment or Silpats.

Put the granola into a large bowl and break up any large clumps. Add nuts and chocolate and stir to combine.

In a Stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars until smooth and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and salt and beat until well blended. Reduce to low and add the craisins until just combined. Add the flour, pulse to combine, and dump in the granola mix. Blend until just mixed and then stir with a silicone spatula to make sure everything is combined.

For drop cookies:
Scoop out cookies onto sheet (about 12 per pan), flatten slightly with your palm or a large flat spatula, and bake for 10-12 minutes, until lightly browned but not too firm- be careful not to overbake! Remove from oven to a cooling rack and let rest for a couple minutes before removing from pan.

For bar cookies:
Smooth 1/2 the dough into a lightly greased 8 x 8 pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden and fragrant, being careful not to over bake. Remove pan from oven and cool for 10 minutes. Turn pan out onto a cooling rack and let block cool for a couple minutes, then carefully cut with a large chef knife.

Enjoy cookies within three days or freeze for up to 2 months.

35 comments:

  1. My husband is exactly the same - he loves oatmeal cookies. He liked these a lot, except for the peanuts. I used some whole wheat flour also - they were tasty cookies.

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  2. Omg. Did you say white chocolate chips and craisins? I am sold! Love that picture of your little helper. So adorable!
    Clara @ iheartfood4thought

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  3. Seriously yummy variation. I've already made a note to myself the add white chocolate next time. Great job and adorable pictures!

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  4. those make fabulous looking squares! and that's a very cute quality contoller you have working in your kitchen!

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  5. Your little helper IS adorable! We loved the cookies here with the few changes I made too - but we are coconut lovers! lol. Yours look great. White chocolate and cranberry seems to go together really well!

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  6. oh, the "sacrifices" we make for our families. :)

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  7. My hubby had one of these cookies and commented that they were the best oatmeal raisin cookies he ever had! I like the addition of whole wheat flour, your cookies look great and she is adorable!

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  8. I love white chocoalte in cookies! I never seem to have it on hand though:(

    Nice lookin cookies!

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  9. Pecan Praline Granola?? Yum. I think the addition of the white chocolate chips sounds delicious. Lily is adorable!! I love that she is just sitting on the counter like that.

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  10. I love the flavor of granola you used. I also don't like coconut in baked goods, but surprisingly they were still delicious with it in there. Nicely hidden by all the other goodies.

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  11. HOW CUTE IS YOUR LITTLE LILY!?

    Coconut tastes like sunblock?! Interesting! haha! I love sunblock that smells like coconut, so I guess maybe that's why I like coconut... no?

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  12. Your cookies look and sound amazing! I'll have to keep in mind your "substitutions" for the next time I make these...as there will be a next time! Great job making them into bars as well!

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  13. Ok, little Lily is too cute. I love to have a helper in the kitchen. But just one helper. Even two is too many. I'm not a big fan of coconut either, for the same reason, but I do love it in savory foods. I won't touch it in mine sweets. But I love oatmeal and I think you should give it a go in the blender. You might like it better if you blend it to flour first and then you'd get all the benefits of oats without that texture. Your cookie bars look delish-what a great idea!

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  14. How cute is Lily?? I mean, the cookies are great, but she is too sweet!!

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  15. Your daughter is so cute. I remember those days of having one sit on the counter to help. Now they are all bigger than me. (And I aint little!)
    Great job on the cookies!

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  16. Those bars look amazing! No kidding, I've got to do that next time.

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  17. they look great! i did white choc and craisins too :) what an adorable girl you've got there, that's what i'm always saying to myself... "just one more"!

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  18. Happy helpers make good cookies! I like the white chocolate chip idea.

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  19. I didn't mess with the wheat germ either.

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  20. Ahhhhhh! Your daughter is adorable in the kitchen! Love your substitutions, too.

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  21. I love white chocolate too. Great idea on the Craisens. Your little girl is so adorable and what a great helper! =D

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  22. I love the bars, and what a cute little helper you have!!

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  23. Your cookies look great! I love the addition of craisins and white chocolate chips- that's one of my favorite cookie combinations!

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  24. Oh, these look really great...I love the combination you used. And, how cute is that little helper? I need more pink around here. Definitely. More Pink.
    www.grandmaskitchentable.typepad.com

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  25. I didn't think of white chocolate chips... that sounds great!

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  26. Your adaptations sound marvelous and they look so yummy! Great job Anne! You have one cute helper there!

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  27. How cute is your little helper??! I love the white chocolate chips! That sounds delicious.

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  28. Those look so good. I love them all wrapped up in the cute bag! Nice recipe, I might just try this one this week!

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  29. I'm glad I'm not the only one who smells coconut and thinks coppertone. :) And I love your addition of white chocolate chips.

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  30. I love the bag that you used for the cookies. And pecan praline granola sounds delicious. Sometimes I'm okay with helpers in the kitchen (yours is adorable) and sometimes they totally drive me crazy. Depends on the day... =)

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  31. I'm an oatmeal and coconut fan, but my DBF despises coconut; however he didn't seem to notice them in these cookies...hahaha! ;-P

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  32. I am LOL at your coconut/sunscreen comment; YES YES YES!!! I feel like I am eating shredded sunscreen when I eat coconut. It doesn't matter that the coconut came first. Anyway, your cookies (and packaging!) look great, and your little helper is adorable! And I am very jealous of your red kitchenaid. Mine is white with red writing, but it's just not the same :-)

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  33. Your cookies turned out so good. I love white chocolate, what a great idea.

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  34. Your niece is so cute! Bless her. Lovely looking cookies! I like the idea of white chocolate chips, I will need to try that next time.

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