Last week was the week of the granola bar in my kitchen.
It was also, unfortunately, the week of sticky fingers, sticky cupboards, sticky floors, sticky handles, and sticky clothing.
Actually, it still is. I should do something about that..
I’ve been testing oodles of baked and no-bake granola bars for the cookbook, working hard to get the perfect flavour, texture, and combination of healthy ingredients for each one. Granola bars are one of my all-time favourite things to bake and eat, but they can be tricky to get just right! One day, I’d like to write a cookbook devoted to granola bars, squares, and other snacks. That would be right up my alley.
I planned this week of granola bar testing to coincide with our upcoming trip to Calgary (we leave tomorrow morning). We’re having a family reunion of sorts (Grandpa and Diane are also coming from Ontario…yay!!) so I will have lots of eager testers, most importantly my nephews. Kids are the best critics of all..they are just so honest.
I’m just hoping the 60+ bars and two huge super soaker water guns (best aunt ever) don’t put my suitcase over the weight limit. I may be forced to eat all of the granola bars at the check-in counter (worst aunt ever). I’m willing to do whatever is necessary. That includes baking more and turning my mom’s kitchen into a sticky mess. Sorry mom.
After last week’s granola-bar-athon, I decided it was time to move on. For now, at least. Next up: a portable hiking cookie to bring during our weekend hiking adventures.
I had a vision in mind:
1) Crispy around the edges
2) Chewy in the middle
3) Loaded with healthy ingredients
4) Fold in nuts, seeds, and dried fruit
5) A touch of chocolate, never hurts either (Enjoy Life mini chips are amazing and vegan too)
6) Props for being a bit homely looking! Ok, I added that in after the fact. ;)
Here’s another great thing about the cookies – they are free of any added oil. The secret lies in a base of toasted pecans.
You simply toast pecans in the oven and process or chop them until they are smaller than peas, like so:
This toasted pecan base creates a lovely “buttery” flavour without having to add a drop of oil. I’m sure you could also use walnuts here, but I love the sweetness of pecans. A mixture of the two might work well also. To round out these cookies I added dried sweetened cranberries, pepita seeds, and mini chocolate chips.
The batter is very sticky so I had to dip my hands into a bowl of water, lightly shake them off, and then roll the dough into balls that way. Every 4 cookies or so, I re-dipped my hands into the water. This method worked really well. Be sure to pack the dough together firmly as this will help them stick together.
After 11-12 minutes at 350F, we have a winner!
Happy Trails Adventure Cookies
Print, Email, or Text this recipe
Yield: 13-14 cookies
Dry ingredients:
- 1 cup pecans, toasted
- 1 cup + 1 tbsp oat flour (I made my own flour in the blender using 1 cup rolled oats)*
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp rolled oats*
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 scant tsp fine grain sea salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp ground flax seed
Wet ingredients:
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 3 tbsp brown rice syrup*
- 1/2 tbsp pure vanilla extract
Mix-ins:
- 1/3 cup dried sweetened cranberries
- 3 tbsp pepita seeds
- 3-4 tbsp mini chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life brand)
1. Preheat oven to 325F and toast pecans for 8-10 minutes, watching closely. Remove and set aside to cool. Turn oven temp to 350F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment or grease with oil. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. In a separate smaller bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.
3. In a mini processor (or by hand) process/chop the pecans into small crumbs, just smaller than the size of peas. Stir into the dry ingredients.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir well until combined. The dough will be very sticky, but not to worry. Fold in the mix-ins.
5. With lightly wet hands, grab about 2 tbsp dough and shape into a ball, packing firmly. Place on prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Repeat for the rest, wetting hands every 4 cookies or so.
6. Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes (I baked for 11.5 mins). Cool on baking sheet for at least 10 minutes. When completely cooled, store in a glass jar or freeze for maximum freshness.
Note: 1) To make these gluten-free, using certified GF oats and check all other ingredients. 2) If you eat honey, you can probably use it as a sub for brown rice syrup. I do think the cookies need either brown rice syrup or honey for the cookies to hold together and retain that nice chewy texture. I don’t recommend subbing it for more maple syrup.
Enjoy the cookies with a cold glass of almond milk or simply as fuel for all your outdoor summer adventures.
happy trails to you!
Let's get social! Follow Angela on Instagram @ohsheglows, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Snapchat, and Google+
{ 207 comments… read them below or add one }
These look wonderful!!!! Love the water dipping trick, I do it all the time. :) Thanks for an oil-free cookie recipe!
YUM! These look somewhat similar to Dreena Burton’s ‘Super Charge Me’ Cookies (which I LOVE.) Can’t wait to try these, and thanks for the tip about dipping your hands in water!
I agree, these DO look delicious. I need to try them out to see if the texture hits the mark. As a side, I google your Spelt Pancakes for one recipe every couple of weeks. Why don’t I just print it out? Who knows, but I love them. I’m their biggest fan, but not in a creepy Stephen King way! Keep the recipes coming, please!
haha that made me laugh. Glad you are enjoying them!
Wow, these look great! You are the best Aunt ever – super soakers and granola bars? Awesome! Have fun in Calgary this week. Hopefully the weather will cooperate. It’s been so rainy and gross these last couple of weeks. Bring the sunshine with you, kay?
hah I’ve had the weather report from the parents every day for the past week. I guess you never really know for sure until that day. We’ll be going from a high of 34-35C today, so I’m actually looking forward to a cooler visit.
Oh of course you have! Kevin’s Mom is the same way when we’re expected for a visit with her in Victoria. Weather reports daily! Kevin’s in Ottawa right now and says it’s pretty darn hot and humid. You’ll definitely get the cooler/dry temp while you’re visiting I’m sure of it. Safe travels :)
Can’t wait to try these! I love trail mix anything and the fact that they can be gfree even better. I love the idea of a cookbook of just granola bars. I’m always looking for “the perfect” recipe. My only request is to include some gfree or gfree options :).
Glad you like the idea Joanna. Yes I would definitely include GF options and nut-free options too. The more people that can enjoy them, the better.
Granola bar cookies? Pure genius! My husband would love some of these…I think I might have to surprise him with a batch of these. :)
You are right, they are a lot like granola bars…I guess my week of granola bar baking rubbed off on them.
Oooh these look like fun! I can see myself making several batches for the hikes I plan to do this summer. I hope you have a fantastic trip! I can’t wait to hear about it and I’m sure your nephews will think that whatever you bring is fantastic. You might need that super soaker to stop them from eating all your granola bars! ;)
Yumm! Look great! Question…. Do you pat them down with the back of a spoon to make them round? Or just keep them in ball and the flatten on their own?
Can’t wait to try.
Thanks!
Sarah
they flatten on their own :)
Oh my gosh the cookies look amazing and so do the granola bars! I just love granola so much! I can’t wait to make these cookies! Thanks Angela!!
Can’t wait to try these! Also, will the elusive Glo Bar recipe be in the cookbook?
Oh my goodness…these look amazing! I tried grabbing one through the screen but no dice. (Weren’t we fooled into believing that could be possible by now after Mike TeeVee on Willy Wonka? I have to believe it would’ve applied to laptops/tablets as well!)
MMMM! Deliciousness. I was looking for a cookie/ bar today that I could send my husbands grandma. She hasn’t been eating lately (but I know she loves sweets) so I want to send her something that is nutritionally dense, yet make her think it’s a cookie. PERFECT option here! Thanks Angela! :)
would Agave nectar sub for the brown rice syrup? These look so good! Thank you…
I was thinking the same thing. I have all the ingredients in my cupboard now, so when I get home from work today… these will be created!! Thanks again Angela for another tempting treat.
YUMMY cookies! Get in my belly for sure!
Can Agave be a sub for Brown Rice Syrup?
Im not sure…BRS has really great binding powers! thats why I used it in this cookie as there wasnt much to make it all stick.
These look delicious!
I can think of the perfect cookie you need to try. The Supersonic Gypsy cookie from Bunner’s Bakery in Toronto. It’s a Gluten-Free vegan bakery in the Junction area and are the BEST baked goods I’ve ever had. GF or not! From what it sounded like you were looking for, you would love these cookies. Check it out: www.bunners.ca
Cheers!
oooh, i love the pepitas in here! these sound incredible – i probably won’t even need to hike to devour them :)
They sound delicious – and props to you for ensuring there was some chocolate in there!
Ahhh I was on pins and needles after you said in your post yesterday you’d share this recipe – can’t wait to try it! As soon as the weather cools down here in Florida and we can hike again these cookies will definitely accompany us!
I would love a granola bar cookbook from you! I will definitely be trying these soon. My kids are little and super picky but they always seem to love your recipes – and I love that I know exactly what goes in their food and that it’s good for them. (They are currently obsessed with some of your carrot muffin recipes!). And as a side note I just found Enjoy Life mini chips yesterday and am SO excited that they taste so good.
these look awesome! i love any cookie with lots of nuts, dried fruit, and chocolate chips involved! ;)
If you need another taste tester in Calgary, I live a stone’s throw away (literally) from The Coup :) Have a safe trip, I agree with Leanne @ Healthful Pursuit, please bring warmth with you!
These cookies are SO up my alley, they look fabulous!
Lucky girl, I love the Coup! Not sure I will have time to get there this trip, but hopefully soon!
These look delicious! If they are anything like your Oh mega carrot cake cookies, I will love them!
Great bonus is that it’s all healthy ingredients!
Thank you again!!
Well first off, these cookies look delish! Second off, you are coming to Calgary?! Any chance you want to host a seminar on “how to come up with kick ass recipes and blog entries” for your Calgary followers?!
YES YES YES!! I would be there in a heartbeat :)
you are sweet! I would love to do a meet up but not sure I will have the chance on this trip given that I’ll be with family most of the time. They are always so busy, but hopefully another time! Would love to meet you guys. :)
Hahahahaha! I loved the “best aunt ever” and “worst aunt ever” part!!
Enjoy your trip to Calgary!!
I wanna go hiking just to have an excuse to eat these!! They look so wholesome and delicious! Wish I could be a long-lost neice on your trip so I could sample all the granola bars! I’m sure your family will looovee them (and I can’t wait for your cookbook so I can make them too).
I need homemade bars like this! I get into my bar phases when I’m not eating real food- this would make it much better!
I’m going kayaking this weekend with my brother & I’ve been thinking about something compact & energy dense I could take with me. These’ll be perfect!
These look like an even better version of oatmeal cookies! I love reading about your process as you think of and bake a new recipe. Great addition of pepitas, too!
Those pictures of all those granola bars are making me excited for your cookbook! If any of those bars happen to be nut-free (other than almonds), I’d be happy to be a tester for you too. ;)
I hope you have a fun time in Chicago!
PS. How was the running group on Sunday morning? Sorry I couldn’t make it this week!
Yummm! These sound incredible! And I just adore those first two photos!
those look so delicious! the perfect little energy bite! and i love a good granola bar! sounds like you’ve had your fill this week! haha thanks for sharing!
YUMMMEEEEE!!!! These cookies look wonderful!
Safe travels!
They look and sound amazing and ironically, I was in the hunt for ‘the perfect granola bar’ about 2 weeks ago. I had so much agave, honey, rice syrup and sticky stuff everywhere but finally came upon “my” recipe and can rest happy now. Lol
That is…until I try yours. It looks awesome!
Printed the recipe and now I’m off to check the pantry for ingredients! Baking cookies! My kids are going to think we celebrating something :) Super soakers and granola bars. Cool!
Off to see if I missed a granola bar recipe or I have to wait for the book.
[Fitness, Health and Happiness]
I know you recommend brown rice syrup but I find using (*gasp*) corn syrup gives the same textures. Yes it’s bad for you but it’s much more economical and easier to find than brown rice syrup.
This reminds me of a “trail mix” type cookie I made a few years ago and took on a hike around our local canyon! Basically it was an oatmeal cookie recipe I vegan-ized and loaded with pecans, craisins, and a little bit of dark chocolate chips. So good!
Hi Angela
Do you think Agave will work just as well as rice syrup ?
really looking forward to you book!
Im not sure it has the same binding powers? I find the BRS does a great job at making it all stick together.
Thanks Angela for the recipe!! I used agave and honey and it did not bind properly. It still turned out to be a good granola though!
Thanks for letting me know, I’ll add that to the recipe notes. Glad it was ok for granola at least!
Hi,
I am sitting here eating one of these delicious cookies right from the oven! I used honey flavoured agave syrup instead of maple syrup, and 2 tbs of honey with one heaping tbsp of peanut butter and they stuck together (and taste wonderful). I also used 1/4 cup walnuts (in place of some of the pecans) to change things up a bit. YUM, YUM, YUM!!!!
These look so inviting!
I think I may use date paste instead of maple syrup (fingers crossed)
Hope you have an amazing time with the family!
Best of luck
Lisa X
It looks like those cookies turned out just how you wanted them – score! And that sounds like quite a week of granola! I need to do something similar, because I always seem to fail at making chewy granola bars… either they fall apart, or they turn rock hard. Definitely something I need to master. I look forward to any advice you might have on the matter!
These are the type of cookies you could never get sick of. :) I absolutely love them Angela! I can’t wait to try em, thank you so much. Cute name too!
Fabulousness. I love your recipes, photos, and philosophy. I plan on cooking my way through your blog this summer!
Yay! Thank you! Road trip fuel!!
These cookies look so great! Thanks for the post! I have been waiting for it since I saw your picture teaser yesterday :)
Check out my latest recipe @ bakingblissful.blogspot.com
Hi
Bring on the granola bar cookbook. I also love keeping a stash of homemade bars in the freezer for kids’ after school snack and on the go in the car.
They just came out of the oven and smell so good! Can’t wait to try one! Do you think apple would work in this recipe (not dried)? :)
Those cookies sound yummy and I love the idea of a granola bar cookbook!
I hope this isn’t obvious, because I searched around your blog, but what ever happened to Glo Bakery? Do you still run it and accept orders?
I closed it last year so I could pursue my cookbook. Who knows someday I might reopen it again in some shape or form. Maybe a store front someday! We’ll see :)
Well that makes sense! I can only imagine blogging, running a bakery, AND creating a cookbook on top of that! Best of luck with the book! I know I’ll be buying copy when it’s out!
I don’t have any summer hikes planned yet but I think I’ll have to make these cookies anyway! They look delicious. As do the granola bars–can’t wait to see which recipes you end up using in your book!
Trail mix is my favorite part of hiking and trail mix cookies sound even better!
These look delicious! I can always count on you for amazing baked treats. My favourite are your peanut butter chocolate crispies- to die for! xx
I’m so happy you posted the recipe for these! They look so good and perfect for a hiking trip (or a long day of traveling or just because). Hope you are enjoying the summer, Angela, it looks like you are having a lot of fun!
These look delicious! The granola bars remind me of your OSG bars..speaking of, are you still selling/making them? Happy travels :)
Hey Nicole, I closed the bakery last fall, but I still make the bars on occasion. I hope to include a couple glo bar recipes in my upcoming cookbook :) As for the bakery, I may open it at another time in the future…we’ll see
I myself am on a granola kick. Lately it’s not bars, just granola cereal. These cookies sound tasty and filling!
Get some food handling gloves! The powder-free vinyl ones are great. Nothing sticks to them. They are brilliant for even the most sticky stuff.
YUM. I WANT.
Crispy on the edges and soft in the middle sounds spectacular..my fav kind of trail mix cookie!
These look wonderful!!! I can’t help but chuckle at the name after reading “50 Shades of Grey”
“Happy Trail” has a whole new connotation :)
I’ve really been wanting to make cookies that aren’t the typical chocolate chip or snickerdoodle (although I love those and they have their place). I’m excited for more granola bar recipes in your cookbook and these cookies look great! My goal for the summer is to do a lot of no-bake recipes and things that can be frozen because it is ridiculously hot where I am.
Oh my goodness these look DIVINE!! I may have to make some this weekend :)
These are just what the doctor ordered! I just learned that I am allergic to cane sugar, so successfully substituted the chocolate chips for a mix of unsweetened carob chips and cacao nibs, and the sugar-sweetened cranberries for a mix of fruit juice-sweetened ones and black currants. Happy to have a nutritious and energy-giving sweet snack – thanks!
These look delicious! And I would gladly come clean up all the stickiness in exchange for being your taste-tester! Haha! :) Have a beautiful day and a fun trip to see your family!
Hope you have a great time in Calgary! Come visit us if you need to get a quick workout in :). In the meantime… those granola bars look amazing- going to go look for the recipes in your earlier posts!
Just looked- no granola bar recipes? Suppose we’ll have to wait for the cookbook! :)
Granola bars are one of m y favorites too. It’s so fun to come up with recipes, and eat the trials in the process :) I’m sure that all your family will love them. Super soakers too?! Definitely the best aunt ever. Great idea to use pecans as a base in the cookies! Have a great trip.
These look super yummy Angela, thank you!! Any chance you might start posting nutrition info for your recipes? Either online or in the book? I’m looking for a good granola recipe too… not bars though so I’ll wait to you get to that category ;)
My son just went “YUM!” when he saw the recipe!! :) As part of PE lessons, he and his class are going swimming every morning, from next week for the next two weeks. These cookies will make a perfect “after-swim” snack – so I’d better get baking then! :D Thanks for the recipe Angela xx
your granola bars look amazing! As do the cookies. I’ve been working with breakfast cookies recipes recently because I love the idea of cookies for breakfast!
All of the pictures look so yummy! Can’t wait to read your cookbook!
Will the airport security think your two super soaker water guns are real and take them away? :)
Random question since you recently went to Arizona. When you fly to the States, do you opt out of the scanners that emit the radiation (backscatter = 2 blue walls) Thankfully, Canada does not use the ones with radiation.
Thank you! Thankfully they didnt take the water guns :)
I have been through the body scanners a couple times…even though I didnt have a good feeling about it. :\ Can you just say you dont want to go through? Do they give you a pat down instead?
I think you can opt out of the scanners in the US and just take a pat down. I prefer less radiation, esp. if it’s concentrated on the top layers of my skin and exposing areas not normally xrayed (you usually get a lead shield to wear at the dentist and most people don’t get their eyes xrayed).
Can’t wait for your cookbook!!!!!!!
Wow! These look so chewy and delicious, perfect for an after-hike snack! I love the fact that there’s no added oil– the pecans are an inspired choice. Can’t wait to give these babies a try!
Yum, yum, yum! These looks awesome. I also couldn’t agree with you more. Granola bars are really difficult to nail. Sometimes they are so right, but sometimes they are oh so wrong! PS. I dreamed about your endurance crackers last night. Weird.
Is it just me or do the posts seem to be taking up less space and the ads more space? I might just be crazy!
Wow, these look so good! Especially the large chunks of chocolate!!!
Wow, these look good. I just read Scott Jurek’s “Eat and Run” (or “Run and Eat,” can’t remember, but it’s pretty much the same either way) in which he includes a bunch of tasty vegan recipes, this comes, so my mind is much more open to these kinds of recipes than it has been in the past. Will definitely try it out!
delicious…
These look unreal! Can’t wait to try them! :)
I really enjoyed these! I subbed honey for the brown rice syrup (worked just fine!), and mixed in raisins instead of cranberries/pepitas/chocolate chips, so I had more of an oatmeal raisin cookie. My boyfriend, who usually does not enjoy my “healthy” cookies, really liked them too. The flavor of the toasted pecans really made these cookies. Thanks for the great recipe!
Yum, bars and cookies are the best!
These cookies look amazing! I’m going to buy the ingredients this weekend:)
This is such a good idea as I have been hiking more this summer. This would be the perfect snack and the perfect way to lure my friends to come with me more often!
Also, I think I would miss the oil a bit. Isn’t it a good source of fat? I guess pecans are too though.
Yes, in this recipe the pecans provide a healthy source of fat.
I always struggle with cookies bc I cant stop at one. Then I always feel guilty. These look guilt free and no OIL! How awesome!
So far any healthy cookie from you that I’ve tried, I have LOVED. and I agree that kids ARE the best food critics!! That’s why I always get really happy if they devour them…;)
Do you think there would be a way to make this grain free and use a different flour? If so, what flour would you think would be equivalent – almond flour and chopped almonds instead of the oats or some chia seeds to help soak up some of the liquid like the oats would?
I’m always on the lookout for homemade granola bars/healthier treats! Thanks! :)
Yum! These look so delicious, anything with oats in cookie form is my favorite. Can’t wait to try this recipe!
I should have known better and doubled the recipe batch cuz these were a hit all across the board! My two year old pretty much tried ramming a whole one into his mouth, haha! These are soooo scrumptious. I didn’t have cranberries so subbed for dried plump cherries. Ahmazing! I would be all over your granola cookbook. Who doesn’t love anything granola!
Have a great time in Calgary and hope all your goodies made it there too:-)
I just made these and they are delicious! Mmmmmm
So I made these the other day and they were very good! A nice hearty and healthy cookie but still sweet. I was wondering though…mine did not spread out on their own. After 8-9 min in the oven I flattened them because they were still round. Any ideas? The only thing I changed was using honey and quick oats not rolled. Thanks for sharing!
Hey Andrea, Hmm my guess is that it was the quick oats? I think honey is usually a 1:1 sub for brown rice syrup so I cant imagine that was the issue. Im glad you enjoyed them anyways!
I just made these tonight and had the same spreading issue, I used regular oats. Hmmm…
yum, i love granola-esque cookies like this. i usually just throw together whatever i have. a mashed banana here, a handful of fruit and nuts there.
These look SOOOO good :) I am definitely making these soon! But I have one question…Can I substitute a different type of nut for the pecans??
you probably can…I can’t see why not :) The flavour will change of course, but most nuts are pretty darn tasty. I think walnuts would also work.
I made these this morning for hubby and my impromptu trip to the Silver Dollar City theme park in Branson Mo. Amazing!!!!!! I used raw sunflower seeds instead of pepita just because i had them on hand. They kept us fueled and satisfied throughout the day…a big task when the smell of fried treats are all around you (a slight weakness of ours…funnel cake). These may become our traditional theme park snack!!!!
Angela,
You have changed my life. I have never cooked until I discovered your website. Your recipes are delicious and non-intimidating. I have been moving towards this plant based diet and you are an inspiration. I ran my 11th marathon as a “no meat athlete” and it was one of my best performances. I thought of you during that race and how you recognize your fears and anxiety and then move through them. You find beauty seemingly everywhere and I am trying to do the same. I just have to say thank you for enriching my life and making such yummy food!
Hey Suzanne, Thank you so much for your lovely comment. That means so much to me! Congrats to you for all of the healthy changes you are making in your life. 11 marathons?? Wow!! What an accomplishment. So glad you are enjoying the recipes too.
I made these this afternoon with walnuts as I was out of pecans, and they turned out absolutely delicious! Next time I’m going to use pecans – they are my fav! :)
These were so delicious Angela! Just made them…hard to wait the 10 mins needed but so worth it! YUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey Sarah, So glad to hear that you enjoyed the cookies! I have some waiting for me at home in the freezer :) yum
Sounds like heaven! You have inspired me to invest in my first REAL camera (a Nikon D3100). It’s seriously my baby – I take it everywhere! Too bad all those buttons still terrify me…automatic mode all the way…need to get a little bit more adventurous in that department. Hope you are having a wonderful weekend! :)
Enjoy your camera…don’t worry the manual settings will come. It took me a long time to get used to it too.
These look delicious – perfect for a summer road trip :) I love that they’re oil-free and sugar-free too – can’t wait to make them! Thank you!
These are delicious! I didn’t have the brown rice syrup on hand and I don’t eat honey, so I subbed agave nectar. They held together pretty well overall. I can’t wait to eat these this week!
Mmm these cookies look great! I love cookies with lots of add-ins, especially if there’s no oil to deal with either :)
Made these tonight for my boot campers! They are delicious. I had to wrap them asap to keep myself from eating them up.
Oh.my.goodness. These cookies were so fantastic! I made them the day before our whole family came in to town before leaving on a trip. I told them that I made them to have on the plane and also so I would have some vegan snacks in case there was a non veganish area :) They devoured them. My cousin had 4, then begged for more, uncle had 3, dad had 2. Put it this way…I had to stop them because I only had 2 left for the trip! Wow, what an amazing recipe. I got to have the last 2, and thank goodness! They are delicious. Chewy, full of texture, slightly sweet, and you would never know that this was a healthy oatmeal cookie.
Made these as a post-hiking snack yesterday. even my non-vegan boyfriend (who balked at the idea of using pumpkin seeds in cookies) thought they were awesome! You’re right, the dough is sticky, but the water trick works wonders.
Glad to hear that Lindsey!
Any ideas as to how I could make these without tree nuts? They look amazing!
Well, I made these. They look NOTHING like yours. Mine look like little piles of oatmeal and didn’t really stick together. The flavor is good, but they aren’t anything you could call cookies. I am an experience baker/cook, and I couldn’t tell you the last time I had a recipe fail! We were very disappointed. Did you by chance leave an ingredient out? I followed the directions exactly as written.
Hey Melissa, I’m surprised to hear that. I’ve tested these cookies 3 times now and had no issues. Did you make any changes to the recipe? Also keep in mind that they need to be cooled on the sheet before touching as they are delicate.
Nope. No changes. I left them on the pan to cool, too.
The only thing I can think of might be humidity differences. I will try again! They did taste great, but they weren’t pretty!
Angela!!! I made these last night and my family (myself include) can’t stop raving about them! YUM, thanks!!
Thanks for the recipe Angela! They look yummy. I love healthy treats, and your cookies are perfect for my family cookbook.
These are my new favorite cookies, and my husband says they are the best cookies he has ever had! Made a batch last week and last night a made a double batch :) Thanks so much for this wonderful recipe!
Is the flax seed powder necessary to bind/rise (egg replacement) or could I sub with sprouted chia powder?
These are delicious! I just made them for a rafting trip this weekend, and my “test” cookie was amazing! Shocking they don’t have any real sugar or oil. Thanks for sharing!
I just made these cookies and I have to tell you that I LOVE them!
Thank you SO much for this recipe!
I had a happy accident with them. I was lazy and skipped the step about letting the pecans cool. I tossed them into the batter while they were still piping hot. They melted my chocolate chips enough to make the whole bowl of batter chocolatey. I’m now eating the most delicious chocolate cookies and I’ll bet even my kids will go for them like this!!
I too thought about letting the chips melt…glad to hear it was a success for you!
I crumbled on over a bowl of sliced bananas and greek yogurt… heaven :)
These cookies are fantastic!
They made one 8 year old and one 5 year old very happy (as well as a health conscious mom).
Thank you for the recipe.
So glad to hear that Kara, thanks for letting me know! Im glad the kids enjoyed them too :)
These are delicious! My husband keeps asking when I am going to make again. Did not have mini chocolate chips so chopped up regular ones.
I am just looking at your blog for the first time and I love it! I have recently become intolerant to gluten so I’m very interested in ways of avoiding it in cookie recipes. Have you tried any cookie recipes with quinoa flakes/flour? Do you suppose it would substitute well into this recipe?
I am so excited to explore all your other recipes!
I havent tried cooking with them in cookies yet. My experience is that they are much softer and mushier than rolled oats so Im really not sure how they would hold up in these cookies. Let me know if you try it!
Oh my goodness, I brought a double batch of these out to a family gathering for July long weekend and they disappeared in no time. Every time I looked over, people were sneaking them until the very last one was gone. My kids are crazy about them and asking me when I am going to make them again. The recipe is perfect just the way it is! Thank you for sharing this one with us.
Hey Karen, that is great to hear!!! Thank you for letting me know. :) That makes my heart happy.
I made these cookies the other day and I just had to come back and say that they are INCREDIBLE!! My entire family loved them and we demolished the entire batch in an embarrassingly short amount of time :) I’ll be making these again and again!
awww that makes me smile, thank you!
I made a double batch of these (that’s how much trust I have in the deliciousness of your recipes) and they were an absolute hit with all my family and friends! They gobbled them all up and had rave reviews! Thanks so much for this recipe! They were simple to make and a real crowd pleaser! This is one I will continue to use for years to come! Thanks, Angela!
these are incredible – my new favorite cookie; i will definately make these again and again and again… :)
instead of using my fingers I used a cookie scoop – just pack in the dough and push the button to release – no sticky mess
Yum! I made a batch of these this morning and I’ll just say between the kids and I, the batch is gone.
These “Adventure Cookies” are incredible! Just finished my first batch. They are definitely being added to my favorite recipes. Thanks for posting!
Angela, I have just made these and I am COMPELLED to post and thank-you so much! They are AWESOME!!! Now if I can only stop eating them to be able to actually store some…. ha ha ;)
These are THE BEST cookies I’ve ever had. No joke! I made them and my family ate them all and asked for a 2nd batch! Thanks so much! mmmmm
Wow Im so happy to hear that Janna!!!
I made these cookies for a camping/hiking trip and they were delicious! My batch yielded 10 cookies and 3-4 kind of them fell apart during baking but they still tasted delicious (good for mixing into yogurt). I think I needed a tablespoon or so more of flour. I got engaged on my trip so these cookies will always be in my memories of that weekend!
These look delicious! I’m allergic to pecans and walnuts :( Any chance another nut could work? So excited for your book! :)
These are tasty and satisfying. I ‘ve made these twice in the last month. I substituted Sunburst Sunflower Seeds (SSS) for the chocolate chips hoping that they were less likely to melt and be messy in outdoor activities. (SSS are found in the bulk section of Whole Foods, Spouts & HEB. They’re like teeny peanut M&Ms, but with sunflower seeds instead of peanuts.) These were great for our trip to the Texas Coast in a baggie in the ice chest, but they melted to yummy oatmeal goo if not refrigerated. Then it occurred to me: I’m in South Texas (104 degrees yesterday), and Angela is in Canada (probably not 100 degrees). The Happy Trails Cookies may just get me over the 3pm slump at work. I’ll make these again, and experiment with the mix-ins. These will be a fall/winter treat for outdoor activities. Good stuff!
Hey Melissa, Thanks for letting me know about the heat factor with these! I wonder what I could modify in the recipe so they dont melt? Hmm. I’ll have to think about that one.
These are so good!,,,even my 10 year old son eats them ( and he will not eat anything healthy) thank you!:)
I added honey and and an extra tablespoon for extra binding powers. I also licked all of my fingers clean of the batter before they even hit the oven to bake;) Thank you for the delicious,heavenly,aromatic cookies!!
Amazing! I used honey instead of brown rice syrup and mine stuck together just fine. I also used a cup of oat flour plus 2T almond flour because when I ground my oats i ended up shy the of the amount listed and the almond flour was there and already ground.
Hi Angela,
They look divine!! I am curious to know if I could sub the brown rice syrup for Agave Nectar?
Happy Eating!!
Hey Shannon,
Brown rice syrup tends to bind things – and I suspect they do that in this recipe too. So I’m not too sure. I know honey would be an easy sub, but of course that depends on whether you eat it or not. If you do try it with agave, let me know!
I just made these cookies tonight and they are so delicious! Unfortunately I didn’t have pecans in the house so I used almonds instead but they still turned out fabulous. Thank you, Angela, for yet another great recipe :)
Thank uou, thank you for all your delicious gf recipes!
Love the granola cookies! I used honey instead of the brown rice syrup. I also used my cookie scooper so I didn’t have to use my fingers. I really don’t eat sugar anymore but every once in awhile I treat myself, so these will be on the top of my lst!
Hi Angela! I’ve been a huge fan of your blog for a while! I am living in Hawaii for the time being, and last night I made your chia jam wih guava and then made the oat squares!! So tasty! I want to make your happy trails adventure cookies and I’m wondering if you think it will work with macadamia nuts instead of pecans?
Thanks so much for writing an awesome blog and being an everyday inspiration!
Diane
Hey Diane, Thank you so much for your kind words! So glad you enjoy the blog.
I’m sorry but Im not sure if the mac nuts would work. It might be worth a shot though! Let me know if you do try it out.
I am making these cookies right now. They are so amazing. I added some different add in’s to mine. I add chia seeds, goji berries in place of cranberries, and unsweetened coconut. They look like a granola ball cookie. This is at the top of my list.
These are amazing!! Even the dough is to die for :)
I added almonds, raisins and chocolate chips and used gluten-free oats. I left them in the oven for a little longer because they seemed super spongey and not quite done. But they hardened up quite a bit so the suggested time could have been just fine.
Made these with a friend who hasn’t really been exposed much vegan food. (…well, besides a horrid date to an unflavourful vegan restaurant– and this was in England, the land of bland food, so it must have been horrible! Such a shame because vegan food can play up so many fun flavours… But anyways, she was very impressed that something vegan could taste so delicious! These may have changed one mind about vegan food :) Hurray!
I’m so glad to hear that Katherine! Thanks for the feedback. And yes I agree it’s a bit tough when determining that they are ready to come out of the oven.
I made these cookies last night using walnuts instead of pecans and (other than over-baking them), they turned out fine. I’m making my second batch tomorrow morning because I can’t stand to end on a bad note and I’m determined not to over-bake them this time. :)
The second batch turned out great! I used honey instead of maple syrup (only because I didn’t have any maple syrup) and walnuts instead of pecans. They were delicious and they had all been eaten by the night that I made them.
Just made these for the first time tonight, and I have to say … YUMMM! I think I have a new fav cookie … I couldn’t even keep my paws off the dough! Lol
OMG! I thought your raspberry and almond thumbprints were my favourites, but now that I’ve made these I can’t pick one favourite. Delicious, chewy, and healthy. I love that they are so nourishing, full of protein and sugar- free. (Love maple-sweetened treats.) Thank you for your delicious gluten-free options!
These are incredible! My criteria for a good cookie requires that the dough taste as good as the finished product. These exceeded my expectation. Delicious….another Oh She Glows winner!
Everyone always loves these when I make them. Great recipe!
Angela you nailed it with these cookies. They are delicious, and I love the texture. This batch won’t be making it to the trail or out of the house for that matter. My family loves them. I will have to make multiple batches next time.
Thank you for all of your delicious recipes. I have made a variety of them and have enjoyed all of them with my family. Looking forward to your cook book.
I substituted non-dairy milk for the brown rice syrup and they were perfect. Thanks for this awesome recipe.
I’ve always loved your site and I just stumbled upon it again tonight while searching for the perfect trail bar. I will have to try these! They look absolutely amazing. Great job!
Im now making my second batch. My office friends used some crazy superlatives to tell me how much they liked them. Now making them for my family. this is now my go-to treat for guests, for hostess gifts and my own house parties. Love love love them! And, by the way, reading previous posts. I don’t have brown rice syrup, I used agave. I was concerned that honey would be too sweet. Love your site. Thanks so much for making me meal selection and choices so much easier.
Hey Devra, I’m so happy you enjoyed them! Thanks for letting me know about the sweetener swap :)
We love these cookies! I never have dried cranberries so I always use medjool dates instead. I process them in a food processor until they form a ball and then incorporate them into the dry ingredients. SO GOOD! I never have pecans either, so I use walnuts. I always use the honey instead of rice syrup too….hmmm I wonder if they’re the same cookie? :D
Oh my. These cookies are soooo good! Too good in fact – I can’t stop eating them! :s
I barely pulled these out of the oven before they were GONE! My hubby and brother are demanding a another batch – better make it double this time! Soooo tasty!
This recipe is definitely my favorite cookie recipe. I probably make it more than any other recipe on your blog. :) I made these cookies once when some friends were over and they loved them. They told me that they made the recipe when they got home.
Hi! These biscuits are so so delicious! I love them!
But whenever I seem to make its a real struggle for them to stick
(I do the water hand thing too) and they don’t turn out like the look
of biscuits more so granola bunched together (but they’re still really
yum). I sub honey for brown rice syrup but I don’t know if that’s the reason why?
Hey Anna, Honey isn’t as sticky as brown rice syrup, so my guess is that is why. Glad you still enjoy them though!
Can regular flour be used instead of oat flour?
Everyone thinks I’m a great baker because of you, Angela, and I’m trying to keep it a secret for as long as I can. The Itty Bitty Carrot Cake and Chewy Trail Mix Cookie recipes are so good that I just keep making them over and over again. But I’m determined to try a new recipe, and this one will be it. I have the ingredients on my shopping list!
Can you please point me in the direction to find the recipe for the granola bars below the top picture. Have the mini chocolate chips. Thanks!
Awesome! This is the first homemade granola bar that didn’t disintegrate with the first bite! I used Bark Thins snackable chocolate “crisps” as my add in (the blueberry agave one); I pulsed the thins in my food processor until it was a very coarse powder (cous-cous sized). I also didn’t have any rice syrup so I just used more maple syrup. OMG. So. Good. Thanks for the great recipe!
These are WAY too addicting and just healthy enough. I make a variation of them almost every day! Holy moly.
Just made these – they are soooo delicious!!!! Thx :)
I made these cookies the other day and they’re already devoured:) They are unbelievably good, the pecans really heighten the flavor, while the maple syrup is the perfect amount of sweetness and really compliments the whole cookie.
I don’t know why it has taken me nearly three years to make these… They are AWESOME! I was craving a heartier cookie and these were right up my alley! Nutty, crunchy, chocolatey… I can see these being a staple snack for a long hike – and maybe I could make them ahead and take them camping! But for now, I just have to find a way to hide these from my fiance… ;)
PS I used half pecans, half walnuts. Just delicious!
I’m allergic to walnuts and pecans (all other nuts are ok). Do you think I could substitute with almonds or another nut?
These cookies are so good! I’ve even shared the recipe with some friends. Just spreading the love. :)
Do you know how long these cookies are good for?
I am not GF/DF but I have made these in the past following the instructions as is and they turned out great. Last night I made a double batch, but I used mostly white flour mixed with a bit of oat flour I had lying around, and I used 1 egg in place of the flax. They look different from the posted photos, they are more round and pale, but they are delicious! These are my favorites to take hiking or camping and my family loves them. Thank you!
Do you think Bee Free Honee would make a good substitute for the brown rice syrup? It’s a honey substitute made from apples.
Hey Lyn, Oh thanks for reminding me about the Bee Free Honee (I have some in my pantry to use up!) The consistency of the BF honee isn’t as binding or sticky as brown rice syrup, so my guess is that if you used it in place of the brown rice syrup the cookies may turn out a bit crumbly. But I’m not positive. I think I recall that these cookies are already on the delicate side, but it’s been a while since I made them. If you try anything out please let me know how it goes!
Just made these for a long long plane trip for a super pregnant lady and a toddler – they are perfect. Filling, wholesome, easy and not too sticky. Thanks!
Hey Catherine, So glad these were so travel-friendly for you! Thanks for letting me know :)