Who says you need to think outside the box for creative ideas? Sometimes great ideas come right from the box. A cereal box in this case! Yep, the inspiration for these buttery crunchy cookies came from Post Cranberry Almond Crunch cereal. As I was crunching and munching my way through my bowl of cereal on a lazy Sunday morning, it occurred to me how great it would be if I could enjoy the ruby red tartness of cranberries and buttery richness of almonds in a cookie form. And Voila! After a few experiments, I finally got it right. Give it a try guys. You will love these delicious cookies even if you aren’t in love with cranberries & almonds. But beware, you may find it hard to stop at one – they are irresistibly addictive!

What you need:
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/4 cup shredded sweetened coconut

How to make
• In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Beat in the egg.
• Stir in the flour until just blended.
• Mix in the cranberries, almonds, and coconut.
• Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap and shape into a log, about 12-inches long and 1 1/2-inches in diameter. Wrap the dough in the plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 heavy baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Cut the dough log crosswise into 1/4 to 1/2 inch-thick slices. Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets, spacing evenly apart. Bake until the cookies are golden around the edges, about 12 –15 minutes.
• Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let them completely before serving,