Last updated on April 13th, 2025
Table of contents
These Granola Cookies are hearty and packed with crunchy clusters of homemade cranberry almond granola. They are made using my oatmeal cookie as a base and easy to make if you are looking for recipes you can make with granola. This wholesome cookie is great as a quick on the go breakfast or afternoon snack with coffee.
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- butter: American butter is made from churned cream that contains 80% butterfat. European butter is churned longer and has a higher fat content (82%-85%), which is why it yields more flavor.
- brown sugar: Brown sugar is granulated sugar with molasses added, providing deep flavor and moisture to baked goods. Light brown sugar contains 3.5% molasses, while dark brown sugar has 6.5% giving a more robust flavor profile.
- sugar: Sugar is derived from sugarcane and provides sweetness to baked goods. The most common type being granulated white sugar. Cane sugar is a natural option that is less processed with a slightly courser texture.
- eggs: Eggs are important in baking because their protein provides structure, they are a natural leavener trapping air that expands during baking, and they add moisture to baked goods
- vanilla extract: Vanilla provides hints of caramel and spice, enhancing the depth of flavor to baked goods. Always use a high-quality, all-natural brand that is made from real vanilla beans containing at least 35% alcohol. MAKE YOUR OWN! Purchase Grade B vanilla beans (also called extract-grade), which have less moisture and a more concentrated flavor. Place 8 oz. of bourbon (or vodka) in glass bottle or jar. Split 5-7 vanilla beans down the middle and add to bottle. Let it sit for 3-6 months in a cool, dark place. As you use it, continue to replace the bourbon and add more beans as it keeps for many years.
Dry Ingredients
- flour: Use all-purpose unbleached flour with 10-12% protein, such as King Arthur or Sir Galahad Artisan Flour (its bulk-purchased name) which has 11.7% protein. Avoid bread flour, as its higher protein content (11-14%), develops more gluten, which results in dense baked goods.
- oats: Oats are a whole grain that is high in fiber and commonly used for cereal or baked goods. Quick oats are pre-cooked and come in smaller pieces, while whole oats remain in their natural form and take longer to cook.
- ClearJel: Add Instant ClearJel to baked goods for a light and tender texture. If ClearJel is hard to find, cornstarch is a good substitute. To swap: If the recipe calls for 1 T. cornstarch, use 1 1/2 T. ClearJel. If the recipe calls for 2 T. flour or tapioca, use 1 T. ClearJel.
- Baking soda: Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a leavening agent that, when combined with an acid (such as lemon juice, buttermilk, or vinegar) creates carbon dioxide gas, and makes baked goods rise during baking. If your recipe doesn’t include an acid, use baking powder, or a combination of both baking powder and baking soda for balanced leavening.
- salt: Use a fine-ground pink salt which adds essential minerals and nutrients to baked goods.
MIX-INS
- granola: I used my homemade Cranberry Almond Granola, however, really any granola will work in this granola cookie recipe.
Baker’s Tips
- For thick cookies: chill the batter and bake on Silpat baking mat and bake on Silpat baking mat to ensure less spread.
- For thin and crispy cookies: scoop out cookie dough and put straight into the oven and use parchment paper and scoop cookie dough and put them right into the oven as it will create more spread.
- Use semi-sweet chocolate chips to balance out the sugar, however, dark chocolate or milk chocolate chips will also work as well or other shapes like mini-chocolate chips or chocolate chunks.
- Toss chocolate chips or other mix-ins in a little bit flour before adding them to the batter to evenly distribute them in the batter. For bakery style cookies-place a few chocolate chips on top of the cookie puck.Use your favorite chocolate chips such as semi-sweet, bittersweet, white chocolate chips, toffee bits or a combination.
- Toast the nuts before adding to the cookies to incorporate more flavor. Rough chop them in mini food chopper. Place chopped nuts on a baking sheet and bake at 350° for 5 minutes.
- Use light-colored, aluminum cookie sheets to reflect even heat during the baking process. Dark cookie sheets conduct more heat off the surface, which may burn or darken on the edges before they are fully cooked through.
- For even browning, place only 2 cookie sheets in the oven at the same time. Place the cookie sheet horizontally and rotate them halfway through the baking process. To rotate, spin the cookie sheets around 180° and swap the cookie sheets from top to bottom and vice versa.
Dietary Substitutions
For the past 12+ years, I have owned an all-natural specialty bakery converting conventional recipes to gluten free, vegan, wholesome, etc. Read more about it here.
TO MAKE GLUTEN-FREE
Here are some tips for gluten free baking
- Use a premium gluten-free flour blend.
- Be sure to let the batter rest to help eliminate grittiness. Even letting the batter sit 15 minutes will yield a light and tender baked good. You can let batter sit in the fridge overnight, and up to 3 days.
- Add 1-2 tablespoons additional buttermilk to help hydrate the flour.
- Reduce the oven temperature by at least 25° to bake low and slow, since gluten-free flour is delicate and tend to burn before the center is cooked through.
- Gluten-free baked goods have a shorter shelf-life than conventional baked goods and dry out faster. Store in airtight container on counter 1-2 days, refrigerate 3-5 days, or seal in plastic and place in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months. After pulling the container from the freezer, bring to room temperature before opening the lid.
TO MAKE VEGAN/DAIRY FREE
- Swap out the butter with unsalted vegan butter sticks.
- To replace the egg, place 1 tsp. of baking soda into your baked good and pour 1 T. white vinegar on top of the baking soda.
Equipment
Recommended tools: (affiliate links)
- stand mixer
- mixing bowl
- measuring cups and spoons
- baking sheet
- Silpat baking mat OR parchment paper
- cookie scoop
- box grater
Storage
Pre-baked cookies:
- You can make the batter and store until ready to bake.
- Short-term, scoop the batter into cookie pucks/balls and place in storage container until use.
- Long-term, place all of the mixed batter into a ziploc bag or storage container and let the batter come to room temperature before scooping into cookie pucks/balls.
Baked cookies:
- Store baked cookies in airtight container on counter 1-2 days.
- Seal in in freezer safe container for up to 6 months. Place cookies in layers lined with parchment paper. You can also individually heat seal cookies and place them in a larger container.
- To thaw frozen cookies, allow them to come to room temperature before opening the container.
Related Recipes
Granola Cookies
These Granola Cookies are made using an oatmeal cookie and loaded with a homemade wholesome cranberry almond granola.
Ingredients
WET INGREDIENTS
- 1 c. butter
- ¾ c. brown sugar
- ½ c. sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 T. vanilla
DRY INGREDIENTS
- 2 c. quick oats
- 1 ¼ c. unbleached flour
- 1 T. instant ClearJel or cornstarch
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 ¼ tsp. cinnamon
MIX-INS
- 2 c. granola
Instructions
- PREP
- Place parchment paper on cookie sheets.
- Whisk together dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
MAKE BATTER
- Beat together butter, sugar, brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix.
- Add in dry ingredients, then add granola and mix until just combined.
- Scoop batter into cookie pucks and place in airtight container or if baking right away put on cookie sheets. Chill one hour or overnight (optional).
BAKE
- Place cookie pucks 1” apart on cookie sheet.
- Bake at 350° for 14-15 minutes. Let cookies cool and store in air-tight container.
Leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out for you!
This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see our full disclosure for further information.
