Cookie Butter Granola

Crunchy cookie butter cluster granola. Add white chocolate chips into the mix and you’ve got yourself one sweet breakfast or snack ready to go!

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a great Christmas! It’s now officially 2017, let’s see how quickly this year goes. I swear 2016 went by in a flash, last year was a brilliant and memorable year for me, I’m now looking forward to see what 2017 has in store and I hope you carrying on enjoying the recipes I’m going to be sharing with you.

For my first recipe of 2017, I reviewed some of the more popular and favoured recipes from last year and I decided as you liked those I would share a few that were similar to the popular choices. The thing that surprised me most of all was that a selection of my savoury recipes have been just as liked as my sweet recipes, so I am hoping this year to branch out and share many more favourite savoury foods of mine and my family as well.

Only a few months ago I shared a delicious peanut butter granola. With big, crunchy clusters, just the right mix of salty ‘n’ sweet flavour and best of all a convenient recipe that took no time at all to bake and prepare were just a few reasons why that granola was on my list to be recreated. I’ve already had a handful of readers send me lovely emails and messages telling me they have enjoyed that recipe and frequently make it. Because that granola was a hit I’ve used the same recipe but this time I switched the peanut butter for cookie butter spread and it turned out to be a success!

The granola has the same amazing crunchy texture with a cookie butter undertone to each mouthful. I simply cannot resist eating this granola when it’s to hand but I’ve also tried it with milk and yoghurt on different occasions and it was just as good.

I chose to add white chocolate chips as I pretty much like to do with all the granola I make. But adding the chocolate is really up to you whether you want to add it or not. I wouldn’t be able to say no to the idea of chocolate and homemade cookie butter granola, could you?

Ingredients:

150g (1 and 1/2 cups) rolled oats

90g (1/4 cup) honey

65g (1/4 cup) cookie butter spread

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 170°C / 150°C Fan / 325°F / Gas Mark 3. Line a large baking tray/sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
2. Add the oats to a large mixing bowl. In a small saucepan add the honey, cookie butter spread and vanilla. Heat gently and stir until completely melted – don’t let it boil.
3. Add the melted cookie butter mixture to the oats and stir until all of the oats are well coated.
4. Spread the granola out onto the lined baking tray/sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes (stirring every 5 minutes) until golden and toasted. Watch the granola carefully as it burns easily.
5. Once the granola is baked allow it to cool, as it cools it will harden and get crisp. Store granola in an airtight container. Chocolate chips can be added at this point, see my recipe notes below for further instructions.

Recipe Notes:

• Cookie butter is a spread similar to peanut butter in consistency. It’s made from crushed speculoos biscuits which are flavoured with spices like cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
• Substitute the honey for agave nectar or maple syrup to make this granola suitable for vegans. The brand of cookie butter I used for this recipe was suitable for both vegetarians and vegans.
• Adding chocolate chips to the baked and cooled granola is optional. I don’t usually add them until I am serving the granola and I tend to add just a small handful to each serving.
• This granola will keep in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. I prefer not to keep granola any longer than this length of time because I find it tastes better when it’s fresh, therefore this smaller batch is just the right quantity for me.

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