Ginger-Spice Cookies

Heart to Heart® cereal adds a subtle crunch to these sweet and spicy cookies. You can make them with or without rolling the balls of dough in cane juice crystals before baking the cookies. They’re delicious without it, but the coating gives them a glistening appearance and extra sweetness and crunch.

Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies

Preparation Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups Kashi® Heart to Heart® Honey Toasted Oat cereal, crushed (see Note), or scant 1 1/4 cups cereal crumbs
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) organic unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup evaporated cane juice crystals, plus more for rolling (rolling is optional)
• 1 large organic egg
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats, or grease with butter.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the cereal, flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.
3. In the bowl or a stand mixer or using a hand-held mixer, beat the butter and cane juice crystals on medium speed until the butter lightens in color and the sugar is well integrated, about 3 minutes. Add the egg, maple syrup, and vanilla and mix on medium speed until well-combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined, about 1 minute.
4. Place some extra cane juice crystals on a small plate, if using. Roll the dough by the tablespoonful into balls that are about 1 1/4 inches in diameter. Roll each ball lightly in the cane juice crystals, if using, then place on the prepared cookie sheets 1 1/2 inches apart.
5. Bake the cookies until your finger doesn’t make an imprint when you press lightly on the center, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool briefly on the pan, then place on cooling racks to cool completely.

Note: Place 2 cups of the cereal in a freezer bag and crush with a rolling pin until the cereal resembles coarse flour without any large chunks. To save time, you can place the cereal in a blender or food processor and pulse into coarse flour instead.

Nutrition Facts

Per cookie: 61 calories (29 from fat); 3 g fat (2 g saturated fat); 15 mg cholesterol; 75 mg sodium; 7 g carbohydrate; 0 fiber; 1 g protein