Easy No Bake Granola Cookies That You Make in the Dehydrator

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Cookies for breakfast? You bet! I'm not talking about a certain boxed cereal with fluffy little bits that leave you hungry an hour later, I'm talking about chewy, crunchy go anywhere granola cookies with all the stuff you want and none of the stuff you don't. These easy granola cookies can be gluten free if you use certified gluten free oats. (Oats do not naturally contain gluten, but can be cross contaminated.) They are also casein free (when the oats are soaked with vinegar) and soy free.

My husband ends up eating breakfast on the run quite a bit, and rather than having him hit the drive through on the way to work or surviving on boxed granola bars, I started hunting for a good soaked granola bar recipe. I finally settled on a recipe from Sustainable Eats. The original recipe was a crunchy granola, which Annette modified by soaking the oats overnight (to make the oats easier to digest). Her family liked to eat it as a granola cereal, but she said the soaked version turned out more like a breakfast cookie. That sounded good to me.

Easy No Bake Granola Cookies

Ingredients

• 4 cups thick cut rolled oats
• 2 tablespoons whey, buttermilk or vinegar
• 2 cups shredded unsweetened dried coconut (buy coconut online)
• 2-3 cups nuts – crispy nuts are great if you have them
• 1 cup raw sunflower seeds (optional) – I like to make crispy seeds, too, using the same method as crispy nuts
• 1 cup dried cranberries (optional)
• 1/2 cup dried cinnamon apple bits or other dried fruit (optional) (Check out “Applepaloosa” to see how I make my cinnamon apples.)
• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil – My favorite is Nutiva.
• 1/2 to 1 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
• pinch sea salt

Directions

Soak oats overnight by putting them in a bowl and adding enough water to cover, plus a couple of inches (they will expand) and two tablespoons whey, buttermilk or vinegar. In the morning, place the oats in a colander and let drain one hour before proceeding with recipe.

Mix together oats, coconut, nuts, and sunflower seeds and fruit, if desired. This batch used dried cranberries and dried pears, along with both walnuts and almonds and sunflower seeds.

Blend coconut oil, honey, molasses and salt. I usually use 1/2 cup honey, but you can use more if you like your bars a little sweeter. Pour over dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly.

Use an ice cream scoop to make little balls of dough, and then flatten slightly to make a cookie shape. You can shape them by hand, too, but the scoop makes it so much easier! Place on a well-oiled dehydrator sheet (I apply coconut oil to my sheets). (These were made in a Snackmaster Pro Dehydrator.)

Dry between 135° and 115°F, overnight or as long as needed. About halfway through, I peel them off the sheets and move them to racks only, and flip them over so the less dry part is exposed. Note: the granola will harden as it cools. Adding dried fruit will soften the granola, which is just fine for us as we prefer a chewy granola bar. Store in an airtight container for 3-4 weeks.

My first batch I did at around 135°F and they dried in around 12 hours. The second batch I dried at around 115 – 125°F and they took around 18 hours. As Annette notes, the lower the temperature the more “true” the flavors and live enzymes from the honey remain.

Recipe variations:

I added about 1/4 cup dark cocoa and a teaspoon of cinnamon to one batch to switch things up a bit.

My friend, Leigh, added 3/4 cup organic, creamy peanut butter and 1/4 cup of extra dark cocoa and substituted 1/2 cup dates, 1/2 cup sunflower seeds and 3/4 cup pepitas for the shredded coconut.

I mention crispy nuts and crispy seeds in the recipe. For those who are not familiar with these options, the nuts or seeds are soaked overnight in salt water, and then dehydrated. This helps to make them more digestible. (More on crispy walnuts here.) You can use raw or crispy – or none at all. Feel free to experiment with your favorite nuts, seeds and dried fruits. I mix and match with whatever I have in the cupboard. For longer storage, you can also place these in the freezer. They also make nice gifts for people on the run.

I hope you've enjoyed this recipe. Don't forget to Pin, Like and Share.

You may also enjoy:

• Chocolate Raspberry Granola Cookies
• Honey Sweetened No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
• Pumpkin Spice Waffles with Maple Cinnamon Whipped Cream

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Dehydrator Granola Cookies with Dried Fruit and Crispy Nuts

An easy make ahead breakfast option with fruits, nuts and seeds.

Ingredients

• 4 cups thick cut rolled oats
• 2 tablespoons whey, buttermilk or vinegar
• 2 cups shredded unsweetened dried coconut
• 2-3 cups nuts
• 1 cup raw sunflower seeds (optional)
• 1 cup dried cranberries (optional)
• 1/2 cup dried cinnamon apple bits or other dried fruit (optional)
• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
• 1/2 to 1 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
• a pinch of sea salt

Instructions

1. Soak oats overnight by putting them in a bowl and adding enough water to cover, plus a couple of inches (they will expand) and two tablespoons whey, buttermilk or vinegar.
2. In the morning, place the oats in a colander and let drain one hour before proceeding with recipe.
3. Mix together oats, coconut, nuts, and sunflower seeds and fruit, if desired.
4. Blend coconut oil, honey, molasses and salt. I usually use 1/2 cup honey, but you can use more if you like your bars a little sweeter.
5. Pour over dry ingredients.Mix thoroughly.
6. Use an ice cream scoop to make little balls of dough, and then flatten slightly to make a cookie shape.
7. Place on a well-oiled dehydrator sheet (I apply coconut oil to my sheets).
8. Dry between 135 and 115 degrees, overnight or as long as needed.
9. About halfway through, I peel them off the sheets and move them to racks only, and flip them over so the less dry part is exposed.
10. Store in an airtight container for 3-4 weeks.

Notes

• You can shape them by hand, too, but the scooper makes it so much easier.
• The granola will harden as it cools.
• Adding dried fruit will soften the granola.

Nutrition

• Calories: 7614
• Sugar: 334
• Sodium: 346
• Fat: 493
• Saturated Fat: 235
• Unsaturated Fat: 229
• Trans Fat: 0
• Carbohydrates: 774
• Protein: 144
• Cholesterol: 2

Originally published in 2013, updated in 2017.

The post Easy No Bake Granola Cookies That You Make in the Dehydrator appeared first on Common Sense Homesteading.

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