Loose Granola Cookies are my updated take on the older cookies I used to make with ground granola. I originally ground my granola because the brand I kept on hand tended to be chunky; grinding it into a fine meal made the texture more consistent in the dough. Lately I’ve been buying and keeping loose, sprinkle-style granola, and it works beautifully in this recipe without any grinding. That makes the cookies quicker to prepare and gives them a pleasant, rustic texture.
When you use loose granola, the cookies bake up slightly thick with a crisp, crumbly exterior and a soft, tender center. The overall mouthfeel is hearty and satisfying—somewhere in the neighborhood of what are sometimes called “Grabbers,” though these turn out a touch softer and more yielding in the middle. The granola adds chew and a toasty note, while larger chocolate pieces or chips create satisfying pockets of melty chocolate.
You can shape these cookies by scoop size: use a medium cookie scoop for roughly 24 cookies, or make larger scoops for about 18 larger cookies. Bake time will vary with size, so watch the edges: the cookies are done when edges are lightly golden but centers remain slightly soft.
Recipes Involving Granola
- Maple Brown Sugar Granola Chocolate Chip Cookies — similar flavors with a maple note; these tend to be a bit thinner and crunchier than the cookies on this page.
- Granola Chocolate Chip Cookies — another granola-forward cookie with slightly different ratios for a distinct texture.
- Great Granola — a classic granola recipe often praised for its balance of oats, sweetener, and mix-ins.
- Maple & Honey (Morey Girls Granola) — a reliable, basic granola blend if you want to make your own loose granola for cookies and toppings.
Recipe
Loose Granola Cookies
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature (170 grams)
- ½ cup brown sugar (100 grams)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (260 grams)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 ⅓ cups loose granola (not chunky) (140 grams)
- 1 ½ cups extra dark chocolate chips or 6 to 9 ounces chocolate chunks
- ½ cup toasted and chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment or a silicone mat.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the butter with both sugars until creamy using an electric mixer. Add the egg and beat just until incorporated, then beat in the vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the sugar-butter mixture and stir until just combined.
- Fold in the loose granola, chocolate chips or chunks, and toasted pecans. The dough will be thick and slightly coarse from the granola.
- Using a medium cookie scoop, portion about 24 dough balls onto prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. If you prefer larger or smaller cookies, adjust the scoop size and baking time accordingly.
- Bake at 350°F for about 12–14 minutes (start checking at 10 minutes) or until the edges are lightly browned and the centers look set but still slightly soft. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 3 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
For chocolate chunks, chop your favorite chocolate bar into irregular pieces for a homemade, bakery-style look and texture. The aroma and texture from whole chopped chocolate often outshine uniform chips.
If your granola includes larger clusters, break them up slightly so they distribute evenly through the dough. Avoid overly large, hard clusters that can prevent the dough from holding together well.
Variations: swap pecans for walnuts, or omit nuts for a nut-free version. You can substitute milk or semisweet chocolate if extra-dark is not preferred.
Storage: store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for several days. To refresh a cookie that has softened, warm it briefly in a low oven or microwave for a few seconds to revive texture and melt chocolate slightly.
Baking tip: these cookies hold up well to slightly underbaking if you prefer a very soft center; remove them when the edges are set and the center still looks a touch glossy. They will finish setting as they cool.