Strawberry cookie granola

Tastes like an almond cookie mixed with strawberry pie

This granola tastes exactly like an almond cookie crossed with strawberry pie. Crumbly and buttery, with toasty edges and bright tart pockets of fruit, it has all the texture and charm of a bakery treat—except it’s granola, which means you can eat it at 7 a.m. and still feel vaguely virtuous.

I developed this recipe after one of those dispiriting laps around the cereal aisle, squinting at a small $15 (!!) bag of granola promising ancient grains, adaptogens, and eternal youth, I stood there, momentarily tempted, then came to my senses. Instead, I went home and created this better, cheaper, alternative and it made the whole house smell like cookies.

The ingredient list begins with the usual suspects—oats, brown sugar, a glug of maple syrup. But then it takes a more interesting turn: toasted hazelnuts, bronzed until they taste almost like praline; crushed freeze-dried strawberries - sharp and sweet, almond extract which gives the whole thing an unmistakable whisper of cookie dough; and then the best bit—Dulcey chocolate.

Valrhona recently sent me over eight kilos (!!) of chocolate— an act equal parts generous and dangerous—and I’ve been finding ways to sneak chocolate into everything, which is hardly a challenging task.

In the UK, there was a creamy, toasty, sweet candy bar my father used to buy as a weekend treat—Caramac. Smoother and more complex, Dulcey 35% Cacao is that memory, grown up. So, for a dash of nostalgia, I’ve folded in a generous handful of Valrhona’s golden, caramelly couverture—that rare, perfect middle ground between butterscotch and white chocolate, without a hint of cloying sweetness. If you can’t source this product you can always caramelize white chocolate at home by simply spreading it on a baking sheet and roasting low and slow—stirring often—until it turns golden and toasty. The result isn’t quite Dulcey, but it gets you wonderfully close.

For a rather luxurious breakfast, I serve this with strained thick yoghurt, topped with juicy ripe market strawberries tossed in a little champagne vinegar, sugar, and mint—plus a glug of extra-virgin olive oil. Occasionally, I’ll add a spoonful of zucchini jam on the side (yes, zucchini jam,—it’s very good) and then top with my strawberry cookie granola.

Alternatively, the other day I found myself with a little leftover cream cheese cinnamon frosting from a cake test. I spooned it over some strawberries, scattered over a little granola—and there it was, the perfect dessert.

For this strawberry granola, I fold in freeze-dried strawberries and chocolate after the granola comes out of the oven—this ingredient adds a lovely, sweet-tart, jammy brightness. But that’s just one path.

Think of the recipe as a framework—pliable, forgiving, and open to interpretation. Use it as a starting point to experiment with different flavor pairings and textures: try other chocolates, swap in different nuts or spices, or fold in dried fruits, seeds, or citrus zest. The balance of sweet, salty, crunchy, and creamy is yours to play with—let it evolve with the seasons or whatever’s in your pantry.

Fruit Swaps

• Freeze-dried raspberries (sharper, more assertive than strawberries)

• Freeze-dried mango or pineapple

• Freeze-dried blueberries

• Chopped dried cherries, cranberries, or apricots (chewy, deeper fruit notes)

• Candied citrus zest

Nuts & Seeds

• Almonds (sliced, toasted, or whole)

• Pecans

• Walnuts (slightly bitter, excellent with maple syrup)

• Pistachios

• Pumpkin or sunflower seeds (for a nut-free crunch)

Chocolate Twists

• Swap Dulcey for dark, milk, or white chocolate

• Ruby chocolate, for something berry-bright and unusual

• Or skip it entirely—the granola can stand on its own

Flavor Boosts

• A pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg or cardamom

• Toasted coconut flakes

• A spoonful of tahini

• Cashew butter

• Peanut butter