Chewy Muesli Cookies

My 86 year old mom, Dorothy, is very creative and at times not very organized.  I think I got that gene from her, at least a little of it.   Or maybe that’s just my excuse? I am constantly crafting or cooking and keeping my supplies in order doesn’t come naturally.  But, I am proud to say, I organized my baking supplies this past week and it looks pretty great!

First, I bought extra large canning jars.

Then I filled them with my flours and sugars.

I labeled the top of the jars so I could easily find what I needed. I know popcorn doesn’t really fit the group but it needed some organizing too! 

And it looks pretty tidy, right?

When my house is clean and organized it always makes me want to cook.  It’s like a painter looking at a clean canvas.  So…I made muesli cookies.

The first time I had muesli cereal, a mixture of oats and fruits I was in London.  I went  to  visit England with my mom, sister, Dee and brother, Rick and his wife, Hele. We stayed at a bed and breakfast in Wandsworth Common, a London borough.  The inn keepers provided muesli every morning along with other great breakfast fare, but I was hooked on the muesli cereal.  I had never had it before!  So yum.

I like the concept of adding fruit and nuts to cookies to boost the flavor and of course the nutritional content.  Whole oats are great a great way to increase heart healthy soluble fiber.  I also use oat flour and whole wheat pastry flour to sneak in a few more whole grains.  And…the cookies still taste really great, really!

Here are  the cookies ready for the oven…

And here, they are ready for munching!

Perhaps you can try my muesli cookies too?

Muesli Cookies

(Makes a big batch so be sure to freeze some dough for later use, I did!)

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

¾ c brown sugar

½ c granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. almond extract

½ c whole-wheat pastry flour

½ c oat flour

½ c all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

3 cups old-fashioned oats

¼ cup sweetened coconut

¼ cup sliced almonds

½ cup chopped dried fruit of choice {raisins, cranberries, cherries, apricots} chopped  I used dried cherries

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• In medium-large mixing bowl, blend butter and sugars.  Blend in eggs and extracts until smooth.  (Use a wooden spoon to  blend or an electric beater).
• Gradually add in flours and baking soda and stir to blend.  Add oats and incorporate into mixture.
• Fold in coconut, almonds and fruits.
• Drop rounded teaspoons of cookie dough about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.
• Bake for 6 minutes or until lightly brown.