cookie dough granola.

So following the success of my previous batch of granola, I embarked on a new idea - cookie dough granola, essentially brown sugar granola with chocolate chip cookie drops.

The first time I made it, I ended up with no clusters at all. I mean, what's the point of granola without the clusters really. So I tried again, this time adding egg whites to help bind the mixture together more cohesively, and it worked!

I know that granola isn't the most visually-enticing thing but I urge you to try this recipe (and especially the previous one - that one is even better in my opinion!). But as delicious as it is, I am unfortunately granola-ed out.

Cake coming soon.

Cookie Dough Granola

Note: The cookie dough makes more cookies than needed.

1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup walnuts
6 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
salt
2 large egg whites
1 1/2 cup chocolate chip cookies (see recipe below)

Preheat oven to 160C. Prepare baking sheets.

Combine the oats and walnuts together in a bowl.

Combine the brown sugar, oil and butter together in a saucepan and place over medium heat until the butter has melted. Cook for about a minute more, stirring constantly. Stir in the vanilla and salt. Pour the butter mixture and egg whites over the oats mixture and stir until evenly coated. Turn mixture out onto the baking sheets.

Bake for about 30 minutes, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes.

After the granola has cooled, toss in the chocolate chip cookies until evenly distributed. Cool completely before storing.

For the cookies:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 egg
1 cup flour
3/8 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
about 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare a baking sheet.

Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together.

Cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla extract and egg until just combined. Stir in the flour mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed. Refrigerate dough until firm.

Take tiny pinches of the dough and roll them into balls. You should only need to use half the amount of dough in this recipe but feel free to add more cookies to the mix.

Bake for about 3 minutes.