Chocolate Cherry Trail Mix Cookies
Chock-full of goodies like chocolate, dried cherries, oats, almonds and pumpkin seeds, look no further for an amazing chocolate cherry cookie you’ll feel good about eating any time of day. These chocolate cherry trail mix cookies can pass for an after-school snack since they’re filled with good-for-you ingredients, but they’re delicious enough to serve to a house full of hungry holiday guests as well.
Have you ever baked with whole wheat flour? This recipe uses regular whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose white flour and is generally easy to find at your grocery store. See this double chocolate zucchini bread recipe for more information about the difference between whole wheat pastry flour and whole wheat flour. This recipe originated from the back of Bob’s Red Mill’s whole wheat flour package. Feel free to play with the mix-ins, adding your favorite trail mix combo. Mine happens to be dark chocolate and dried cherry-based, but you could also try dried cranberries and pecans. Use whatever you love, or have in your pantry!
Chocolate Cherry Trail Mix Cookie Ingredients
- Old-fashioned rolled oats – Oats add texture and a nutty, delicious flavor, besides being full of antioxidants.
- Whole wheat flour – You’ll be surprised by the surprisingly delicate texture of these cookies despite being made with whole wheat flour.
- Cinnamon – Use ground cinnamon for these to add a punch of delicious cinnamon flavor.
- Baking soda & baking powder – Baking soda & baking powder provide the lift in the recipe.
- Salt – If you’re using salted butter, be sure to reduce the salt slightly.
- Peanut butter – I like to a natural variety unsweetened, salted kind, but use whatever you have on hand!
- Brown sugar – Use light or dark brown sugar.
- Butter – Butter adds moisture and lots of delicious flavor.
- Honey – Honey gives a little additional sweetness and helps bind the cookies together.
- Egg – This helps bind the cookie dough.
- Vanilla extract – Real vanilla extract adds a delicious flavor.
- Almonds – Almonds adds a protein hit.
- Dried cherries – Cherries adds a beautiful color and a little bite of tartness.
- Pumpkin seeds – Pumpkin seeds are both beautiful and full of healthy fats.
- Flaxseeds – You can use ground or whole flaxseeds.
How to Make Chocolate Cherry Trail Mix Cookies
- Preheat the oven.
- Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or grease them lightly.
- Mix together the dry ingredients and add all the other trail mix add-ins.
- Combine butter with peanut butter, brown sugar, egg and honey.
- Mix dry ingredients together with the wet ingredients and combine until a firm and slightly dry/crumbly dough comes together. Stir in an additional tablespoon or two of water if the dough doesn’t want to hold together. In my dry, high-altitude kitchen I often have to add the water.
- Scoop onto two baking sheets.
- Bake.
- Enjoy!
Hint
Don’t be tempted to over-bake these cookies. They’ll have the best texture if they’re still slightly underdone when you remove them from the oven as they’ll firm up when they cool.
Variations
- Make them egg-free – find a great flax egg recipe here
- Make them vegan – substitute coconut oil or avocado oil for the butter and maple syrup for the honey
- peanut-free option – substitute almond butter for the peanut butter
Storage
These cookies can be stored in an air-tight container for up to one week or frozen for up to three months. To defrost, simply thaw on the counter overnight.
More Cookies to Love
- Cardamom Cookies with Brown Butter Icing
- Fresh Ginger Cookies
- Swedish Tea Rings – Thumbprint Cookies
- To create a beautiful and festive cookie plate for your holiday gatherings, see this helpful guide.
Chocolate Cherry Trail Mix Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
- 3/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips look for 55% or darker
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/3 cup slivered almonds
- 1/3 cup dried cherries
- 2 tbsp flaxseed whole flaxseeds or ground
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or grease them lightly.
- Mix together the flour, oats, dried cherries, chocolate chips, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds, and almonds. Mix well to make sure you don’t get an unmixed bite of baking soda or baking powder.
- Combine melted butter with peanut butter, brown sugar, egg, honey and vanilla until smooth.
- Mix dry ingredients together with the wet ingredients and combine until a firm and slightly dry/crumbly dough comes together. Stir in an additional tablespoon or two of water if the dough doesn’t want to hold together. In my dry, high-altitude kitchen I often have to add the water.
- Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough into rough balls and place onto two baking sheets. Using the bottom of a measuring cup or the palm of your hand, flatten each ball slightly. Bake for about 10 minutes, until golden brown.
- Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes before removing to cooling racks to cool completely.
Notes
- Make them egg-free – find a great flax egg recipe here
- Make them vegan – substitute coconut oil or avocado oil for the butter and maple syrup for the honey
- peanut-free option – substitute almond butter for the peanut butter