Chewy Maple Granola

On my last visit to DC, I discovered Hippie Crack from Baked and Wired and fell in love.  Their granola stayed chunky, a little chewy, but still had some crunch.  I’ve been trying to make a similar version. The maple syrup, honey, and molasses in this recipe help the oats stick together in chunky, chewy clusters.  The cinnamon and nutmeg taste and smell like fall without being overpowering. Oh…and don’t forget the brown sugar that almost caramelizes!  This is the kind of granola that if you pinch it, it sticks together and I LOVE it!

This recipe is very versatile.  Use the dried fruits and nuts of your choosing.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line your baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper.

In a large bowl, add the maple syrup, honey, coconut oil…

brown sugar…

cinnamon, molasses, vanilla, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. (The salt forgot to show up for the picture…oops.)

Whisk together.  Then, add the oats, almonds, cashews

and coconut.

Toss to evenly coat.

Pour the mixture onto your lined baking sheet.  Smooth with a spatula, but don’t press too firmly.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.  It’s done when the edges start to caramelize.

Take the dried fruits of your choosing…

and measure 2 cups.

Sprinkle over the baked granola while it’s warm; just out of the oven.  DO NOT STIR.  Add the optional chocolate chips now if you want.

Allow to cool for at least 1 hour.  The longer it’s exposed to air, the crunchier it will become.  I put mine into tupperware after 1 hour so it would stay chewy.  Just look at that granola cluster!!!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup honey/agave/brown rice syrup (I used honey)

1/4 cup liquid-state coconut oil (canola or vegetable oil may be substituted)

1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

2 tablespoons cinnamon (reduce to 1 tablespoon if sensitive to cinnamon, or to taste)

1 tablespoon molasses (not blackstrap, too pungent)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

pinch salt, optional and to taste

2 1/2 cups old-fashioned whole-rolled oats (not quick-cook or instant; use certified GF if necessary)

1/2 cup almonds (I used sliced)

1/2 cup unsalted cashews (use any combination of nuts equal to 1 cup)

1 cup shredded sweetened coconut

2 cups dried fruit (I used dried apricots (cut into strips), pineapple, and cranberries; use your favorite dried fruit)

Optional: 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350F, line a baking sheet with a Silpat or line with parchment paper. This granola is messy, sticky, and I recommend either a Silpat or parchment rather than just spraying a baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together first 9 ingredients, through optional salt.

Add oats, nuts, and coconut and toss to coat evenly.

Turn mixture out onto prepared baking sheet, keeping mixture lightly piled. Smoothing lightly with a spatula is okay, but don’t pack down too much. You want air to be able to flow without it being tightly packed.

Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until the sauce that pools slightly at the edge of the baking sheet begins to barely caramelize. Watch your granola closely to make sure it’s not burning since ingredients and ovens vary. Remove baking sheet from oven and don’t stir.

Evenly sprinkle with dried fruit and chocolate chips.

Do not stir granola and allow it to cool, for at least 1 hour. The longer it’s exposed to air, the crispier and crunchier it becomes.

Break granola apart and store in airtight containers with lids or in Ziplocks. Granola will keep airtight for at least 2 weeks.

Enjoy!

I packaged mine up for some host gifts:)

Pillowy Pumpkin Spice & Honey Cookies

If you are excited about the fall weather, you need to bake these cookies!  I love that this recipe uses brown sugar and cornstarch.  It guarantees a super soft, puffy, and chewy cookie!  The honey makes them melt in your mouth, and the pumpkin pie spice is perfect for fall.

You have to chill this dough for at least 3 hours before baking.  No exceptions.  Warm dough won’t make thick puffy cookies.  Make sure you have plenty of time before starting the recipe.

That said…let’s bake!

Combine your butter, sugar, egg and cream.  It takes about 5 minutes, so a stand mixer makes life a little easier.  A handheld will work just as well.

Add the pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and…

the honey.  This was my first time using honey in a cookie recipe and it works so beautifully!

Mix until smooth.

Add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and mix for a minute until combined.

Use a cookie scoop to make mounds.

Fill a small bowl with sugar.  I used white sparkling sugar.  It gives a nice crunch to the cookie and it looks pretty.

Roll into a dough into a ball and then coat with sugar.

Place the rolled dough on a large plate.  Lightly flatten the mounds with the palm of your hand, cover with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.  Do not bake with warm dough.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line your cookie sheet with a Silpat or spray with non-stick spray.

Bake for 8-9 minutes until the edges have set.  The middle will still look a little undercooked.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to a rack to finish cooling.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1/4 cup honey
2 Tablespoons pumpkin pie spice (yes Tablespoons, not teaspoons)
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons corn starch
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt, optional and to taste

***Optional: Sugar to coat the outside of the cookie dough mounds.  I used White Sparkling Sugar Sprinkles.

This recipe yielded 18 medium cookies for me.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.  To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, sugar, egg, and beat on medium-high speed until well-creamed, light and fluffy, about 5 minutes (or use a hand mixer and beat for at least 7 minutes). Do not shortcut the creaming process; make sure dough is very light in color and fluffy, stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

2.  Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the honey, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed until combined and smooth, about 2 minutes.

3.  Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, optional salt, and mix until just combined, about 1 minute.

4.  Using a medium 2-inch cookie scoop, form heaping two tablespoon mounds (I made 17). Put the Sparkling Sugar in a small bow.  Using your hands, roll the dough into balls.  Then roll the dough in the sugar to coat.   Place dough on a large plate, flatten mounds very slightly with your palm, cover with plasticwrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or up to 5 days, before baking. Do not bake with warm dough because cookies will spread and bake thinner and flatter.

5.  Preheat oven to 350F, line baking sheets with Silpats, or spray with cooking spray. Place mounds on baking sheets, spaced at least 2 inches apart. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes, or until edges have set and tops are just beginning to set, even if undercooked, pale, and glossy in the center. Do not bake longer than 9 minutes for soft cookies because they firm up as they cool; bake for 9-10 minutes if you like firmer cookies.  Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before removing and transferring to a rack to finish cooling.

6.  Store cookies airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 4 months. Alternatively, unbaked cookie dough can be stored airtight in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, so consider baking only as many cookies as desired and save the remaining dough to be baked in the future when desired.

One accidentally broke and I had to eat it.

I boxed up the rest for my Gran’s birthday and made a little gift for a friend:)

#choosejoy

Recipe from Averie Cooks.