First granola, then cookies

I've never made granola so this was a first.  Granola is my topping of choice when I go out for frozen yogurt but at home, I opt for nuts alone to top on my yogurt or to snack on.  I eat a ton of oats in the form of oatmeal so, in a way, I eat a lot of granola without all the binders.  

I was reluctant to make granola since recipes typically make a heaping mound (and you might as well when you go to the trouble) and I was a little afraid of overindulging in the face of abundance. Well, the plan was to share and to make good use of my first batch.

I made maple-almond granola.  The recipe is heavily Smitten Kitchen but minus the big clusters. Well, it's also minus the coconut, wheat germ, and dried fruit.  Oh, and I use almonds instead of walnuts.  I like my granola bare and simple - oats, almonds, and barely a hint of spice (I like seeds, too, and maybe I'll add it next time).  Big chunks and clusters are not a requirement for me (since I use it more as a topper than as a snack) but I do like the use of the egg white in this recipe. It acts as a binder and reduces the amount of oil you need to use.  

It's a good thing I wasn't going for clusters because mine really didn't bake up that way.  I fussed with it a bit more than necessary during the initial flip since I actually wanted to break them up a bit and I suppose that did the trick.  I ended up with wonderful toasted bits of crunchy granola - lightly sweetened with maple syrup, softly scented with cinnamon, and altogether fresh and delicious.  All I can say is fresh, homemade granola is a really good thing.  

I shared some of this batch with my sister.  At our house, I paired it with yogurt, using it to make mango yogurt parfaits as well as mixing it with some fruit.  I was on a Greek yogurt kick for a while but maybe it was too much of a good thing because I grew tired of it.  This batch of homemade granola has helped rekindle my interest in yogurt again.

Granola can be stored in an airtight container on the counter for about 2 weeks and it's great to know that it freezes well too.  I didn't need to freeze any this time around.  Besides enjoying it with my yogurt, I moved on to...cookies!  I made granola chocolate chip cookies with a cup of this granola.

I always figured I'd do this if I ever got around to making some granola.  As far as chocolate chip cookies go, these are your classic: soft-in-the-middle, crisp-around-the-edges, and oozing with bits of chocolate, kind.  

I used a mix of all-purpose and white whole wheat flour here - I think it blends together nicely.  The toasted oats and almonds in the form of the ready-made granola adds a bit of crunchiness, a little chew, and maybe even a hint of maple flavor if you savor it hard enough.

So if you ask me, definitely make some cookies with your granola.  The way I look at it...you may have some extra granola on your hands but you can never have too many cookies.


Recipes:

Maple-Almond Granola
Adapted from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook, via Serious Eats

3 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups almonds (I used 1 cup sliced and 1/2 cup whole almonds, mainly for some chunks in my cookies - recipe below)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, or to taste (I used a scant 1/4 teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg white

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Toss oats, almonds, cinnamon, and salt together in a large bowl.  In a measuring cup, combine maple syrup, olive oil, and vanilla together.  Pour into the dry mixture and toss to coat evenly.  Whisk egg white in a small bowl until frothy.  Stir it into the granola mixture until evenly combined.  Spread mixture out onto a a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer.  

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes.  About halfway through the baking time, use a large spatula to flip over sections of the granola.  Disturb the granola as little as possible, particularly if you are after large clusters of granola.  Keep a close eye on the granola near the end of the baking time and rotate the pan if the granola is browning unevenly.  When granola is browned and dry to the touch, remove from the oven and let cool completely on a cooling rack.  It will continue to crisp up as it dries.  Once cooled, break up granola into desired size clusters.

Granola keeps at room temperature, in an airtight container, for 2 weeks. It can also be frozen; leave out at room temperature overnight before using.

Now on to the cookies! 

I actually went a little heavy on the almonds and decided to mix some whole almonds - along with sliced - in my granola with these cookies in mind.  I wanted a few chunks of almonds in the cookies for a bit more texture.  Otherwise, I would stick with the more subtle crunch of the sliced almonds for granola alone.  I coarsely chopped the whole almonds up, and if you have large clusters, you'll want to give that a chop as well.

Granola Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from epicurious.com

- Approximately 18 cookies - 

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour (or use more all-purpose)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg
1 cup granola, with large clusters/nuts coarsely chopped
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Set racks on upper and lower thirds of the oven.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon mats.

Whisk flours, baking soda, and salt together in a small bowl.  Beat butter, sugars, and vanilla together in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Beat in egg until combined.  On low speed, gradually add dry ingredients until just incorporated.  Stir in the granola and chocolates with a rubber spatula.

Drop 2-tablespoon rounds of dough onto the lined baking sheets, leaving 2 inches of space between the cookies.  Lightly flatten the cookies with your fingers.

Bake for about 12-13 minutes, until cookies are lightly golden, rotating the baking sheets midway through.  Remove the baking sheets from the oven, let cool for a minute or so, then transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.