Vanilla Almond Granola Cookies

when i am planning on baking a batch of cookies, i get so excited. i'm not one of those people who can make a simple batch of sugar cookies. my cookies are complicated, decadent. i like to experiment and i love standing in front of the chocolate chip section in the grocery store deliberating what type of chip i want to use. i am a natural food freak...vegetarian since 1987, member of a co-op, i shop organic...but there are a few foods in life that do not translate well into 'natural'. i've tried the many different types of cane sugar sweetened, malted chips and they are, i must admit, fairly good. they make a great cookie--if you want your cookies to be healthy (if a cookie can really be healthy). for me, however, cookies are supposed to be a treat...and supposed to be shared. So...as i was saying...i love standing in front of the chocolate chip section in the 'regular' grocery store. there are always new chips to try out...chips with swirls, chips with chocolate and mint, chips that are mini reeses cups (ummmm...reeses cups), mini chips, jumbo chips, cheap chips and gourmet chips. i could stand there for fifteen or twenty minutes thinking about all the cookies i could make with the different chips.
yesterday, i choose the special dark chocolate chips that hershey has recently put out ( i know, i'm bad for buying hershey products). i used them in an absolutely incredible granola cookie that are not only mouth-wateringly tasty, but look fabulous also. they make a great presentation cookie if you need to share them with someone.

Vanilla-Almond Granola Cookies
2 sticks organic, unsalted butter
2 cups organic turbinado sugar
1 T molasses
2 free-range organic eggs
...ok, i know you think i am harping on the whole organic thing...but it is important and your cookies will taste better. really.
1 t vanilla (or more)
2 1/4 cups flour
2 1/4 cups vanilla almond granola...a light and fluffy granola works best
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 pkg chocolate chips of your choice
8 oz sliced almonds

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Let butter come to room temperature...if you unwrap the butter and let it soften in the mixing bowl, it is so much easier and you don't lose any butter. Whip the butter with the mixer until it is lighter, scraping the sides of the bowl. Add the sugar and molasses, mixing well. Add eggs and vanilla...mix really well until this half of the batter is really light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Add them to the wet and mix thoroughly, but don't over mix. You can use a spoon if you want the granola to stay in large chunks. If you can wait, it helps to refrigerate the batter for half an hour or so, but you don't have to. Typically I can't wait and i make one batch and then refrigerate the rest of the batter while the first batch is cooking. Scoop the batter in large spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet covered in parchament paper. Bake for 12-14 minutes, depending on your oven and how large you made the cookie. Slide the parchament off the cookie sheet, cookies intact, and place another sheet of parchament on the sheet. By the time your next batch is done cooking, your first batch will be cool enough to transfer and you can use the paper again.
You can double this batch if your mixer is big enough.