I didn’t know cookies were a Christmas tradition until well into my 20s. I was raised on chocolate cake and apple crisp, ignorant of office cookie-swaps and holiday parties with sky high plates of sugary stars and trees, gingerbread men and snickerdoodles. I ate cookies, of course, just didn’t realize they were a big deal!
Last year, I started tinkering with an old favorite cookie recipe from my teen years, Trail Cookies (source unknown). Back then, I’d throw in whatever random cereal was in the kitchen cabinet along with nuts, raisins and any other dried fruit that happened to be available.
Today’s version includes a generous scoop of Granola Lab’s Cranberry Cashew Compound, chocolate chips, and extra dried cranberries for that festive element. Granola Lab sold these small-but-satisfying cookies at last winter’s Smorgasburg and other events around NYC, making addicts out of our regular customers (and fellow vendors). If you’ve been jonesing for these sweet bites, bake a batch at home!
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup Granola Lab Cranberry Cashew Compound granola
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease baking sheet(s).
- In a large bowl, cream together coconut oil and brown sugar with an electric mixer (or by hand, vigorously). Beat in egg and vanilla extract.
- In a small bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir into liquid mixture, then stir in oats, granola, cranberries, and chocolate.
- Drop dough by rounded tablespoonful onto baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until slightly brown around edges.
- Feel free to adjust the granola:cranberries:chocolate chip proportions.
- Butter may be substituted for coconut oil.