Welcome to my dream cookie. Ram packed with healthy ingredients, chewy, crispy around the edges, thick and hearty, with dark chocolate sprinkled throughout. Not one who is content with a mediocre cookie, I tested these 4 times before they were deemed “in the vault”. That’s a lot of cookie eating! It’s a tough job I tell ya. Although, I secretly think Eric keeps telling me to “work on them” so he can have more cookies to eat. I’m onto you Eric, I’m onto you…
This is a clean-out-your-cupboard or hit-up-the-bulk-bins or everything-but-the-kitchen-sink kinda cookie. I threw it all in and went a bit crazy. From the sliced almonds to the three kinds of seeds to the cacao nibs, this cookie has an incredible chewy, crunchy texture that can’t be beat. I expect the mix-ins are versatile, so feel free to play around with the nuts and seeds if you’d like.
Despite the lengthy dry ingredient list, they are a breeze to throw together. Plus, how hard is it to throw seeds into a bowl? I rest my case.
We are doing this for the cookie!
Just a quick housekeeping note: I’m using a new recipe card display (below) that Eric created for the site. However, I just noticed that the recipe is not showing up in my feed. This will hopefully be fixed soon, so not to worry!
Featuring all new, protein-packed salads, hearty toppers, flavour boosters, and dressings you'll want to drink, my new cookbook will transform the way you think about salads. Oh, and be sure to flip to the back for a surprise dessert chapter!
Irresistible Chewy Trail Mix Cookies
Yield
23 small cookies
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Welcome to my dream cookie. Ram packed with healthy ingredients, chewy, crispy around the edges, thick and bite-sized, with dark chocolate sprinkled throughout. One thing to point out. I used a very "drippy" raw almond butter in this recipe. If you are using a more solid & thick and less liquid-y nut butter, you may want to add another 1/2-1 tablespoon of water into your flax egg to prevent the batter from becoming too dry. I did make a version with a traditional flax egg using 1 tbsp ground flax and 3 tbsp water, but the cookies spread out too much and were quite thin. So by reducing the flax egg to 2 tbsp water, it produced a much thicker cookie. As you can see, small changes in the consistency of the batter will produce greatly different outcomes so keep this in mind when experimenting!
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats, blended into oat flour
- 1/2 cup almond meal or almond flour
- 1/2 cup gluten-free rolled oats
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced almonds
- 1/4 cup Sucanat or coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- 3 tablespoons mini dark chocolate chips (or finely chopped chocolate)
- 2 tablespoons raw cacao nibs
- 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp fine grain sea salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
Wet Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon ground flax + 2 tablespoons water, mixed together
- 1/4 cup "drippy" raw almond butter (or other all-natural nut butter)
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (or other liquid sweetener)
- 1 tsp vanilla
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the ground flax and water in a small mug and set aside so it can gel up.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients.
- In another medium sized bowl, stir together the wet ingredients, including the flax egg until thoroughly combined.
- Add the wet mixture on top of the dry mixture and stir well until combined. This will take quite a bit of stirring until all of the dry patches of flour are gone.
- Portion small balls of dough (just smaller than golf balls) onto the baking sheet, spacing them a couple inches apart. I ended up baking two trays of cookies because I didn't know how much they were going to spread out.
- Bake cookies for 13-15 minutes (I baked for a full 15 minutes), until light golden brown on the bottom. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack until completely cool. The cookies will break apart easily until cooled, so be careful.
- Wrap up and store leftovers on the counter or in the freezer, if desired.
Tip:
Notes: 1) For a completely gluten-free cookie, be sure to use certified gluten-free rolled oats and to check all other ingredient labels. 2) To make oat flour: Add 1 cup of rolled oats into a high speed blender and process on high until a flour forms. 3) To make almond meal, add a scant 1/2 cup of almonds into a high speed blender and blend on high until a fine meal forms. Break up clumps with your fingers and measure as normal. 4) The raw almond butter I used was very drippy, so be sure to use a drippy, all-natural nut butter if possible.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
Soooooo, I’m basically looking for another excuse to make these cookies again real soon and I’m wondering if there is a demand for a totally nut-free version of this cookie? If so, let me know in the comments and I will try to come up with a nut-free version. It would be great to have the kiddos bring these to school. I think some schools are peanut-free while others are totally nut-free these days. What about sesame? Is that a no-no too? Fill me in, I’m outta the loop.
Also, you may have noticed that we have a new snazzy looking recipe display up there. That’s thanks to Eric’s handy programming work. If you notice any problems or encounter any issues with the print or email function, please let us know. We’re also hoping to get a recipe rating feature at some point too.
Loving the recipe card idea – looking good. Well done Eric! xxx
Nut free version please!
Thanks for this recipe. One query; isn’t chocolate non-vegan
Thanks
Many brands of dark chocolate are vegan – just check the label to make sure there are no dairy products added in. I buy Enjoy Life brand and Whole Foods semi sweet chips most often, but there are many others.
I’d love a nut free version as well! Coconut, almonds, sesame, and chia are all the worst for me! These are definitely deliciously “killer cookies”! Ha.
These look so good!! But I am allergic to almonds. What could I use as a substitute for the almond meal? Coconut flour? Brown rice flour?
Thanks for any help!
Ok – gotta make these! They remind me of your other Trailmix cookies which our household loves. The kids call them healthy cookies. At first I dismissed the need for a nut free version – thinking only of myself of course :) but as you point out the kids could greatly benefit from a nut free version for school. Sesame butter is fine, as are seeds and coconut – just no nuts of any sort.
what is the best way to make these sugar free?
These cookies look delicious. I love having baked goods that have a little extra substance and healthy stuff in them. Love it, thanks for the recipe.
I was so excited about these that I made them last night! They turned out great! They didn’t spread at all so I’ll tweak it for the next time. I loved that they are low sugar!
great recipe! must try!
glad it doesnt have earth balance:)
I would be interested in a nut-free version!! As long as it is still gluten free I will be making them about 5 minutes after you post the recipe :) yum
These look soo good! My husband and I love your blog–every recipe we’ve tried has been delicious! Seriously, you never steer us wrong. Thank you!!
If you’re looking for a cookie challenge, I’d love to propose a version that’s GF and oat free, too? I know, I know, daunting! But my husband and daughter are GF with an oat sensitivity . . . and we’re vegan (for the most part), too. GF vegan is sometimes difficult in baking, especially without oats, so we don’t bake a lot.
Anyway, just thought I’d throw that out there if you’re looking for another cookie challenge! :) Oh! And nuts are fine (phew! we need somethin we can eat! ;) Except our son is allergic to cashews and pistachios.
It’s nice to see a cookie with some ingredients my body can actually use! These would be great for a road trip or after-school snack.
Hi Angela!
This sounds like a great cookie. Right up my alley in cookie cravings. I do have a request: no sesame? I’ve developed an allergy and I’ve noticed a LOT of vegan recipes call for sesame seeds or sesame seed oil, which makes me sad. OR you could suggest a replacement seed (maybe flax?) let me know! :) Thank you so much!
Please pretty please make a nut-free version. All of these healthy treats are inaccessible for my tree nut allergic child. Thanks!!!
I think I remember one of your first posts having a basic chocolate chip recipe…look how far you have come. Amazingly creative recipe, gorgeous photos, beautiful blog, even yummier cookies. Love these, love the blog, love seeing everything you have created. Congratulations and thank you for creating something wonderful that you share with us daily.
What a lovely comment Lizzie, I can’t thank you enough!!
I love kitchen sink cookies – These look amazing! <3
I just made these and they turned out fantastic. I subbed peanut butter for the almond butter because that’s what I had in the house. And since I don’t go near chocolate (migraines) I subbed currants. Thanks for the recipe.
Nut free! Nut free! Nut free! Yes you little mind reader I would LOVE a nut free version!
I am making these tomorrow to take to shakespeare in the park! I just bought flax seed for the first time and am excited to use it as an egg replacer. Should I just grind some of the seeds up to make the ground flax or is that a different product altogether?
Yes you can grind the flax yourself – I usually do so in my blender :)