Soft Granola Bar Cookies

This cookie recipe is one of my favorites--soft, chewy, and a fantastic blend of flavors. Enjoy!

Soft Granola Bar Cookies (makes approx. 3 1/2 dozen large cookies)

• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 5 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/4 cups butter (softened)
• 2/3 cup orange juice
• 2 eggs
• splash vanilla
• 1 cup quick oats
• 2 cups granola cereal
• 1 cup chopped raisins or dried cranberries
• handful chocolate chips, if desired

1. Preheat oven to 350*
2. In a large bowl, combine first seven ingredients.
3. In an even larger bowl, use electric mixer to blend wet ingredients (butter, OJ, eggs, and vanilla).
4. Slowly mix in the dry ingredients from #2 until well blended.
5. Mix in oats, granola, raisins/cranberries, and chocolate chips. Unless you have a stand mixer, you may have to roll up your sleeves and mix these ingredients in by hand to make sure they are well incorporated.
6. Form dough into approximately 1" balls and place on cookie sheets.
7. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until light golden brown.
8. Leave cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes after removing them from the oven.

Note: I almost always use dried cranberries instead of raisins. You could also use dried apricots, cherries, etc...just make sure they're cut up small!