Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Chocolate Chip Granola Grabbers -- Tuesdays with Dorie


It's time for Tuesdays with Dorie, yay! This week Michelle of Bad Girl Baking chose Granola Grabbers, great choice Michelle! The recipe calls for a few cups of granola and I decided that there was no better time to try to make my own. I browsed some recipes on allrecipes and came up with Cinnamon-Raisin Granola -- a Taste of Home recipe. Although I would have to change the title to Honey Coconut Granola since those were the predominant flavors for me.


Cinnamon-Raisin Granola AKA Honey Coconut Granola


4 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup raisins

In a large bowl, combine oats and coconut; set aside. In a saucepan, combine brown sugar, oil, honey and cinnamon; bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla. Pour over oat mixture; stir to coat. Spread in a large shallow baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool. Add raisins. Store in an airtight container.




So easy, so delicious! It smelled amazing, honey, cinnamon, vanilla, coconut -- a favorite of mine, all of those scents mingling together. Wish I had a candle that smelled that good.


On to the cookies, I followed the recipe almost exactly except for the wheat germ. When I went to the store they were out, and I did not have time to place an online order so I found an equal substitute, Hershey's Milk Chocolate Chips, of course. Leave it to me to omit something healthy for milk chocolate. Sorry. Honestly, the only reason I added them was because I had a little bit of a bag left from making something and it was kicking around in my cupboard so I figured why not toss them in, these cookies have just about everything else anyway. I was going to toss in some white chocolate chips as well, but after adding the milk chocolate ones I decided I didn't want to overload these cookies with chips. I will have to find another use for that 1/2ish cup of white chocolate chips left over from something that I can't even remember making...


This cookie dough was THICK! It came together nicely, I kind of shaped it a touch, then put it on my new matfer exopat cheapie version of a silpat. This was my first time using the thing. I don't even know why I bought it other than I wanted to get something to reach my 4-for-3 amazon kitchen gear promotion... Anyway, I'm not that impressed. It worked fine but I did one sheet of cookies on my reynolds release aluminum foil and they held up better, the exopat ones spread too much, and yes, my pan was cool, it was the first batch in the oven. Oh-well. I was trying to get away from using aluminum to bake on because of the negative press regarding dementia and aluminum but I'm still clinging to my tin foil. I just can't stop using it. Sorry, went off on a tangent there, back to Granola Grabbers.
These were great, just what I expected from the recipe, although I wish they were just a touch softer. I like my cookies soft, dh likes his crispy. He said these tasted like a granola bar. I was surprised he had more than one bite because these had almonds and coconut in them, two things he hates! I had a nice time making them my family enjoyed them. Plus they got me to make granola for the first time, which turned out amazing, and I love granola so I see myself making a ton of homemade granola from now on. Successful TWD :)

18 comments:

Shelby said...

Your cookies look yummy! I think its cute how you switched up the chocolate chips for the wheat germ. ;)

Lauren said...

i switched up cocolate chips for coconut. everything is better with chocolate chips, right?

Steph said...

I almost couldn't resist adding chocolate chips, but just forced myself to follow the recipe. I love how crisp the edges of your cookie looks

Lori said...

anyone who "substitutes" chocolate chips for wheat germ is ok by me!

Prudy said...

Your granola looks utterly irresisiible! Yum! So I'm already in awe before I even get to the cookies. They look wonderful!

Engineer Baker said...

Honey coconut granola sounds delicious. Your dough looks a lot less knobbly than mine - mine were practically falling apart pre-baking!

Di said...

Ah, but I did wheat germ -and- chocolate chips! =) Way to go on making your own granola. One of these days I'll find the time for that. Actually, it's granola bars I want to make (big hit with my kiddos), not just granola.

Teanna DiMicco said...

It's always better when it's homemade! Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous!

Amanda said...

YUM!! I think yours look better than mine!!!

Pamela said...

Nice job on both the granola and the cookies. Everything looks delicious. And I think the chocolate was a tasty sub. What about baking on parchment instead of the foil. I've used the quick release foil in a pinch, and it does work great. But I love my parchment paper!

Christine said...

I had to add chocolate chips. Your cookies look great!

CB said...

Mmmm... honey, vanilla, coconut granola sounds yummy! Glad you guys liked the cookies! Great job!
Clara @ iheartfood4thought

Kayte said...

Great photos of your cookies...I like the crisp edges. Very nice hearing about your flavor combinations, etc. Thanks for sharing.
www.grandmaskitchentable.typepad.com

Melissa said...

I like your granola recipe, sounds delicious. I also like my cookies a little softer, and my dh loved these more than I did too!

Eleganza Strings/ The DeLadurantey Family said...

Yummy looking good!

Rebecca of "Ezra Pound Cake" said...

I'm all for subbing chocolate chips for wheat germ any day. ;)

Jules Someone said...

Those look really good! Of course, the recipe needed chocolate chips!

April said...

I am so late commenting but how awesome that you made your own granola! And chocolate chips are always a great addition!

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