Trail Mix Cookies

These Trail Mix Cookies are loaded with nuts, seeds, dried fruit, whole grains, and dark chocolate, which makes it easy to justify having them for breakfast, or anytime of the day.

These trail mix cookies are loaded with lots of delicious and nutritious ingredients, including dried cherries, toasted sunflower seeds, and toasted walnuts. Just like trail mix, there are just enough chocolate chips to make you want to keep having more.

There are lots of oats, a bit of whole wheat flour, and just a small amount of all purpose flour to hold the cookies together.

These trail mix cookies are great for a quick energy boost, a mid afternoon snack, and even for a grab-and-go breakfast when you are racing out the door. You can substitute raisins or cranberries for the dried cherries, but I loved the tartness of the cherries in contrast to the chocolate chips.

Note: One of the tricks to making these cookies is to bake them until they just come together. The centers might even seem a little raw when you pull them out of the oven, but don't be tempted to cook them any longer. Once they set, they will be the perfect texture.

My husband, kids, and grandkids are not big fans of nuts, so I took the entire batch of these cookies (after stealing a few for myself) to work, and they quickly disappeared.

P.S. If you are looking for another excuse to have cookies for breakfast, definitely check out these Triple Oatmeal Blueberry Cookies.

After the recipe, be sure to check out the rest of the breakfast cookies from the #CreativeCookieExchange bakers.

Yield: 24 cookiesAuthor: Karen's Kitchen Stories

Trail Mix Cookies

ingredients:

• 3 ounces (1 cup) rolled (old-fashioned) oats
• 2 3/4 ounces (1/2 cup) whole wheat flour
• 1 1/4 ounces (1/4 cup) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 7 ounces (1 cup packed) light or dark brown sugar (I used half and half)
• 1/2 cup dried cherries
• 1/2 cup unsalted sunflower seeds, toasted
• 1/4 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips

instructions:

1. With a rack in the middle, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. 
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda. 
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted and cooled butter, egg, and vanilla. Add the sugar and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Add the cherries, sunflower seeds, walnuts, and chocolate chips, and stir until just combined. 
4. Divide the dough into 24 even pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Place them on the two baking sheets, two inches apart, 12 balls per baking sheet. Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, for 12 to 16 minutes (mine took 12 minutes), until edges begin to brown but the middle still looks a bit raw. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes, and them move them to a wire rack. 
5. You can serve these cookies warm or at room temperature. Store in an air tight container after cooling. 

http://www.karenskitchenstories.com/2018/02/trail-mix-cookies-creativecookieexchange.html

Created using The Recipes Generator

This recipe was adapted from the amazing book, The Perfect Cookie: Your Ultimate Guide to Foolproof Cookies, Brownies, and Bars. I've been really happy with everything I've baked from the book.

Remember as a kid asking if you could have cookies for breakfast? Well the Creative Cookie Exchange is giving you permission to go ahead and indulge in a cookie or two to get your day started. Whether you are looking for a cookie that can be dunked, a cookie a little more on the healthy side, or like the cookie monster you just want cookies we have you covered. You can also use us as a great resource for cookie recipes. Be sure to check out our Pinterest Board and our monthly posts (you can find all of them here at The Spiced Life). You will be able to find them the first Tuesday after the 15th of each month! If you are a blogger and want to join in the fun, contact Laura at thespicedlife AT gmail DOT com and she will get you added to our Facebook group, where we discuss our cookies and share links.

If you are looking for inspiration to get in the kitchen and start baking, check out what all of the hosting bloggers have made:

• Italian Breakfast Cookies by All That's Left Are The Crumbs
• Brown Sugar Almond Biscotti by Queen Bee Baker
• Trail Mix Cookies by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Ricotta Lemon Cookies by Cream and Butter
• Peanut Butter Oatmeal Muffin Top Cookies by Food Lust People Love