Cookies and Cream Granola

I am so excited to share this recipe with you. 

This granola turned out so well that I had a hard time not eating it all before snapping some pictures.  But I knew I couldn’t do that to my readers.  I had to share!

If you do one thing today, you must make this granola.  Can you promise me that?  Pretty please?

Okay, I promise to stop begging.  It must be all the chocolate I consumed.  It’s making me do crazy things.  Like daydream about what this would taste like sprinkled over vanilla bean ice cream, or in a bowl with a little bit of milk, or just poured into my mouth straight.  I’m serious.  It’s that good.

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised because when there is chocolate involved you usually can’t go wrong.  But this recipe far surpassed my expectations.  The granola tastes like it was baked in chocolate pudding.  Some pieces turned out slightly chewy, some had a little bit more crunch.  My favorite pieces were the large clumps of chocolatey granola goodness.  Oh and the cookie pieces.  I can’t forget to mention the cookie pieces.

I used the vanilla bean sandwich cookies from Late July.  I’d never tried them before but the nutrition stats and ingredient list couldn’t be beat.  You know, because, when mixing crumbled cookies into chocolate granola, nutrition is of the utmost importance 🙂 

By including organic cookies in this decadent granola, I was able to rationalize the five two bowls I ate last night.  Whatever allows me to consume more chocolate, am I right?

Cookies and Cream Granola

Ingredients:
(loosely adapted from Jessica’s Chocolate Gingerbread Granola)

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/4 cup wheat germ
• 2 Tbsp flaxmeal
• 2 Tbsp chia seeds
• dash of salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 Tbsp melted butter
• 1/3 cup applesauce
• 1/3 cup brown rice syrup
• 2 Tbsp dark cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate
• 1/2 cup crushed cookies

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine rolled oats, wheat germ, flaxmeal, chia seeds and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, combine vanilla, butter, applesauce, brown rice syrup, and cocoa powder.
4. Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients and stir until just mixed.  Fold in chocolate.
5. Spread onto a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.  Bake for about 20 minutes stirring every few minutes to make sure the granola doesn’t burn.
6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.  Once granola is cooled, add crushed cookies.

Have you ever made homemade granola?  If so, what flavor(s)?