A healthy cookie recipe is hard to find these days. The search is not for the faint of heart. The real problem here is defining what a healthy cookie is. Is it the presence of good stuff? Or the absence of sugar?
I’m of the opinion that it stops being a cookie the moment you remove the sugar. Which is why sugar free cookies are not to be found on this site.
And thus, I decided to go with the presence of good stuff for my cookies.
Look for a good trail mix recipe and you will find a vast variety of combinations. It really comes down to putting all your favorite things in a bag and shaking.
One of the first times Robb and I went on a road trip with little kids, I mixed up some of my favorite kid-friendly snacks in a big ziploc bag: goldfish crackers, pretzels, peanuts, raisins, licorice nibs, and m&m’s. Robb thought it was a little weird, but I think that’s because he didn’t like cheese cracker crumbs on his licorice nibs.
It’s rough being picky.
The rest of us liked it just fine, and I made this famous “trail mix” for road trips many times over the years.
I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t make a fantastic cookie. And yes, it’s sweet, but it would still make a fabulous snack for a hike or a camping trip, or even a long day at the ball field. It has some nuts and fruits to pack a little extra energy, and some pretzels and granola to pack a little extra crunch.
This is the kind of healthy cookie recipe I like. It’s still recognizable as a cookie, but each bite has a healthy little surprise in it. And feel free to substitute any ingredients from your favorite trail mix recipe. I think these would be great with coconut, peanuts, cashews, or chocolate chips!
On a separate note, I would like to mention that I am now contributing a cookie recipe each month to my good friends at Waldron Publishing. I’d love it if you would drop by and check out what they have to offer in awesome e-books!
- 1 cup shortening
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1½ cups flour
- 1½ cups quick oats
- ⅓ cup sliced almonds
- ⅓ cup lightly crushed pretzels
- ⅓ cup granola
- ⅓ cup dates
- ⅓ cup raisins
- ⅓ cup butterscotch chips
- ⅓ cup plain m&m's candies
- Cream shortening and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla, and mix well.
- Add salt, soda, flour, and oats, and mix just until combined.
- Stir in remaining ingredients, mixing just until evenly incorporated.
- Drop spoonfuls onto a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
If you enjoy this recipe, you might also enjoy:
Pumpkin Trail Mix Cookies from This Homemade Life
No-bake Trail Mix Cookies from the Fit Cookie
Easy Oat Cookies from Almonds and Avocados
This post linked up at: I Should Be Mopping the Floor; Skip to my Lou; Between Naps on the Porch; Carolyn’s homework; Hope studios; Sugar Bee Crafts; Lady Behind the Curtain; Gingersnap Crafts; Someday Crafts; Gooseberry Patch; Tidy Mom; My Romantic Home; The Shabby Nest; Rattlebridge Farm;
These look so good!! Thanks for the recipe.
Jen these look perfect and I love your version and add-in’s in your trail mix! I almost thought you were going to say you put licorice nibs in them – which would have been fun too I think. 🙂
Haha! I’m not sure how well licorice would hold up to baking. But, do you think we could figure a way to make a red licorice cookie?! That would be so fun!
These sound fun! I’m also curious how the licorice would do in the cookies.
What a great idea to put them together. I shall have to try this.
What a great idea! Can’t wait to try!!
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