trail mix cookies 

Not too long ago made these trail mix oat bites, derived from a recipe for granola bars at Smitten Kitchen. Well, I wasn’t done with them yet. I have yet another version adapted from my adaptation. This time, I turned them into cookies. Pretty gosh darn healthy cookies, too, so I don’t know that they should really be called “cookies.” these oat and trail mix cookies are only mildly sweet, so I kind of figured them more for a guilt-free, grown-up energy snack. But then a couple of kids I know (not my own, the daughter I have with teeth runs screaming at the sight of a dried cranberry or a piece of walnut) wanted to try them. I warned them they probably wouldn’t like them. No, I was sure they wouldn’t like them. I was wrong. They loved them. I tried to keep the healthy bit quiet, lest they change their minds.

There is a bit of sugar and maple syrup in these. If you want to make your cookies more treat-like than healthy-snack-like, add some more. Or, to really make these uber-delicious and desserty, frost them with your favorite frosting. Yeah, do that. I had to try it and they were, indeed, uber-delicious. Of course, the frosting makes them decidedly less healthy. But if you want to make some easy maple frosting to top just a few, I included that recipe below, too.

healthy oat n’ trail mix cookies

• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup nut butter (any preferred)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 cup coconut flour (I found some in the natural food section of Giant)
• 1/4 cup wheat germ (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 2/3 cup quick rolled oats
• 2 cups coarsely chopped trail mix*

*I used a cranberry nut trail mix. You can also add some chocolate chips to the mix. Or just mix up some sesame seeds, dried cranberries or raisins, some of your favorite nuts, whatever.

Preheat oven to 350. In a standing mixer fitted with the flat beater (a handheld mixer or mixing by hand should be fine, too), cream together the butter and sugar. Blend in the egg. Blend in the nut butter, maple syrup, vanilla and water. In a separate bowl, briefly stir together with a whisk the coconut flour, wheat germ, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Mix in to the wet mixture. Add the oats and trail mix and blend at low speed. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Scoop a generous tablespoon of the mixture and form a ball with your hands, place on the tray, and flatten to form a patty about 1/2 inch thick and 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Fill the tray and bake until the top starts to brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Makes about 20 cookies.

Quick and easy maple frosting:

Blend together: 2 tablespoons butter (softened), 2 cups confectioner’s sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, 1 tablespoon maple syrup and a pinch of salt. Add more milk if you want a thinner consistency.

oat and trail mix cookies

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Delicious, better-for-you cookies with rolled oats and trail mix.

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup nut butter (any preferred)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 cup coconut flour (I found some in the natural food section of Giant)
• 1/4 cup wheat germ (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 2/3 cup quick rolled oats
• 2 cups coarsely chopped trail mix*

Instructions

*I used a cranberry nut trail mix. You can also add some chocolate chips to the mix. Or just mix up some sesame seeds, dried cranberries or raisins, some of your favorite nuts, whatever.

Preheat oven to 350. In a standing mixer fitted with the flat beater (a handheld mixer or mixing by hand should be fine, too), cream together the butter and sugar. Blend in the egg. Blend in the nut butter, maple syrup, vanilla and water. In a separate bowl, briefly stir together with a whisk the coconut flour, wheat germ, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Mix in to the wet mixture. Add the oats and trail mix and blend at low speed. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Scoop a generous tablespoon of the mixture and form a ball with your hands, place on the tray, and flatten to form a patty about 1/2 inch thick and 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Fill the tray and bake until the top starts to brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Makes about 20 cookies.

Quick and easy maple frosting:

Blend together: 2 tablespoons butter (softened), 2 cups confectioner's sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, 1 tablespoon maple syrup and a pinch of salt. Add more milk if you want a thinner consistency.

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