One New Year's goal accomplished! Hold your applause, but I've finally put a dent a big box of Raisin Bran that's about to go stale. I bought it a few months ago to make an old recipe called "Six Weeks Muffins". Unfortunately, nobody around here thought the muffins were anything special, and I haven't done anything with the Raisin Bran since. But these Raisin Bran Cookies are so good I may have to buy more Raisin Bran.
The original Raisin Bran Cookies recipe is from Food and Family Spring 2007, a magazine put out by Kraft. I'd planned to make these with some sort of healthier whole grain flour, but I didn't make it to the store and ended up using all-purpose. What I did change was the amount of coconut and the amount of vanilla. I also cut the recipe in half and added a handful of currants to part of the batter and a handful of chocolate chips to the other part. My favorites are the ones with the chocolate chips, and they do up to the "crunchy" in the title.
Raisin Bran Cookies Update
I've made these many times since posting. People like them, but they are on the sweet side. Cutting the sugar will only make the cookies chewy, so if you want to lose some sweetness but keep the crunch, you can add more nuts or sprinkle a little sea salt on top to counterbalance the sweetness.
Another Update: I'm still making these! They're very good cookies. I do think they are better made small rather than large, so I've changed the yield to 44 (rather than 24) and the bake time. You can also make them with Bran Flakes rather than Raisin Bran
Recipe
Crunchy Raisin Bran Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ cups all-purpose flour (170 grams)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup oats (40 grams)
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened (114 grams)
- ¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar (150 grams)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup Raisin Bran cereal
- ¾ cup flaked coconut -- original version used more
- ½ cup toasted walnuts chopped
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips OR ½ cup currants raisins or whatever dried fruit you have around
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Have ready a large ungreased baking sheet.
- Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and oats in a small bowl; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugars with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Gradually add flour mixture, mixing with a spoon until well blended. Add cereal, coconut, nuts, and chocolate chips (or dried fruit). Drop by heaping teaspoons spacing 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool on tray for a few minutes, then transfer to a rack to finish cooling.
- For small cookies, use a small cookie scoop (or teaspoon) to scoop out about 44 pieces of dough. Shape each dough into a neat circle. Bake immediately for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies are nicely browned. Alternatively, you can shape the dough balls, put them in a zipper bag and chill or freeze until ready to use.
Anna says
I love it when that happens!
Raisin Bro says
So I've always been a huge Raisin Bran fan and let me tell you, tonight was epic. I'm doing the dishes and my wife and sister in law are talking about making cookies. I look over and see my Raisin Bran just sitting there. What do you guys think happened? RAISIN BRAN COOKIES!!
Cookie Sleuth says
I think I might have to go get Raisin Bran to make these. I do have some Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal that I need to use up, though. I'm thinking of using those for some marshmallow cereal treats...
Adam says
I loooove Raisin Bran :)... Breakfast or Dinner I could eat a big bowl (also one of my favourite cereals as a kid :)). So these cookies are right up my alley. My parents have a box of Raisin Bran just sitting around their house. I ate most of it on the weekend but I think I left just enough for these cookies :). I might have to make a surprise visit to bake these :).
Rodzilla says
love raisin bran and cereal in cookies generally. I'll definitely have to try these.
Emily says
These look good. I admire you for trying to use up old cereal. I have a box of berry-berry kix that's been lingering for a month or two. Turns out, berry-berry kix aren't as good as I remember them being when I was a kid. So if you have any recipe suggestions.... 🙂
Martha in KS is so wise! I love Aldi. I want to start an Aldi fan club.
Martha in KS says
If you have ALDI stores in your area, their cereals are much less expensive than brand names. I buy their oatmeal, Rice Krispies & Cheerios, and I've tried the Raisin Bran. You can taste a slight difference, but for the $$ difference I'll keep buying them.
Anna says
Sue, every so often I'll buy flax cereal or granola from the bulk bin. Usually I buy name brand cereals that I have a coupon for or that are on sale.
Sue says
Nice to know they're crunchy! Does anyone purchase cereal from the bulk bins? We don't eat a lot of cereal at our house anymore. Maybe my days of making cookies with cereal add ins is over. That wouldn't be the end of the world. This looks like a good recipe though for people who do have extra cereal around!