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Salted Maple Granola Cookies

I started making my own granola because nothing on the grocery shelf was salty enough for me. Then one Sunday I had leftover granola and a batch of cookie dough at the same time, and the rest is delicious history. These cookies fold a generous cup of toasty maple granola right into the dough, so every bite has chewy oat clusters, toasted nuts, dried cherries, and that perfect salty-sweet bite at the back of your mouth.

Why this works

• The granola does double duty. It's already toasted, so the nuts, oats, and coconut have deep flavor baked in before they ever hit the cookie dough. You don't get that from raw oats.
• Maple syrup in the granola, brown sugar in the cookie. Two different caramels working together, one floral and woodsy, one molasses-y.
• A real pinch of salt. Two and a half teaspoons of kosher salt across the granola sounds like a lot. It isn't. The salt is what makes everything pop and keeps the cookie from being cloying.

Pro tips

• Make the granola first and let it cool fully. Hot granola will melt your butter and ruin the dough texture.
• Underbake by 1 to 2 minutes. These finish setting on the hot pan. Pulling them while the centers still look soft gives you that chewy bakery-style middle.
• Press a few extra granola clusters on top right after you scoop the dough. They bake into a pretty, craggy crust.
• Use parchment, not silicone. Parchment helps the bottoms crisp slightly without overbaking the centers.

FAQ

Can I use store-bought granola?
You can, but the cookies will only be as good as the granola you choose. Look for a granola that's chunky, has visible nuts, and isn't full of added sugar. Bear Naked, Purely Elizabeth, and Michele's all work.

Why do you bake the granola separately first?
Toasting the oats and nuts before they go into the dough gives the cookie a depth of flavor you cannot get any other way. Raw oats taste flat in a baked cookie.

Can I sub the dried cherries?
Yes. Dried cranberries, golden raisins, dried blueberries, or chopped dried apricots all work. Chocolate chips also pair beautifully with the salted maple base.

Are these gluten-free?
Not as written, but if you use certified gluten-free oats and swap the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 GF baking flour, they hold up nicely.

Storage and freezing

Cookies keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days. They get a little softer over time, which I personally love. To freeze baked cookies, layer them between parchment in a zipper bag for up to 2 months and thaw at room temp. You can also freeze raw cookie dough balls and bake straight from frozen, adding 2 extra minutes.

If you make a batch, let me know which mix-ins you tried. For more cookie inspiration, head to Sweets.