Who of my followers loves the Nature Valley granola bars? You know the type; the crunchy bars of baked-solid oats, honey, and maybe a few spices or nuts? I used to love those bars, I’d grab one for breakfast all the time. These days I generally prefer the softer granola bars, but I still go back to the hardtack now and again.
When I came across the recipe I modified to make today’s cookies, it was another of those “just four ingredients! No flour, butter, sugar, or eggs!” recipes. I’ve written before about how less isn’t always more when baking, but these looked alright, so I figured I’d give them a try. I did, decided they needed modification to suit my tastes, and tried again to make these.
The end result is a crunchy granola cookie very reminiscent of those Nature Valley granola bars, but based on pecans and maple syrup rather than honey. Cinnamon rounds out the flavor profile for something tasty, crunchy, and easy to make.
My one word of warning if you want to make these for yourself: the dough is quite crumbly and difficult to work with when you’re putting the cookies together. You can add a little bit more coconut oil to help bind it all together, but be careful not to go overboard.
Pecan Granola Cookies
Equipment
- Cookie Sheet
- Parchment Paper Or a silicone baking mat
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- ¾ Cup Quick-Cook Oats
- ¼ Cup Pecans Chopped into small crumbs
- 1½ Tbsp Coconut Oil
- 5 Tbsp Maple Syrup
- 1 Tsp Cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350℉. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat for easy cookie removal later.
- If necessary, blitz your pecans in a food processor until they're small crumbs.
- In a bowl, combine the oats and cinnamon. Melt and add in the coconut oil and stir until coated.
- Add in the pecans and mix until combined.
- Add in the maple syrup and stir until the mixture can form clumps.
- Use a spoon or cookie scoop to measure clumps of cookie "dough" on your baking sheet. Use a spoon, the bottom of a measuring cup, or other flat surface to press each clump into a thin disc. The cookies won't spread as they bake so position them as needed.
- Bake the cookies for 15 minutes, give or take as the edges brown but not burn.
- When baked, remove from the oven and let cool while they finish setting. Enjoy once cooled for a crunchy treat.