These vegan and gluten-free trail mix cookies combine two of my favorite snacks; trail mix and warm chocolate chip cookies. Loaded with raw nuts, seeds, and naturally sweetened with maple syrup and dried cranberries.
The key to happiness is cookies for breakfast, right?
These vegan trail mix cookies have a crisp exterior and a chewy interior *chefs kiss*. Loaded with nutrient-dense goodies that can be enjoyed for breakfast or as a snack anytime of day. Take them on the go or crumble over a yogurt parfait or a smoothie bowl and enjoy!
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Trail mix cookie ingredients and substitutions
The ingredients for these cookies are easy to customize based on your favorite nuts and seeds. Bonus points that they also come together quickly in one bowl. Here is what you will need:
- Blanched almond flour (substitute with cashew flour)
- Hemp seeds (chia seeds and flax seeds also work, but are more absorbent than hemp seeds so additional liquids are needed to help the cookie stay together)
- Pumpkin seeds (omit, or substitute with sesame or sunflower seeds)
- Raw peanuts (omit for peanut allergy and sub with pecans)
- Raw walnuts (pecans, almonds or cashews work great too)
- Unsweetened cranberries (sub with dried raisins, chopped dates or dried cherries)
- Dairy-free chocolate chips or chunks (I prefer Enjoy Life mega-chunks in this recipe, but any chocolate will work great. Use regular chocolate chips, mini chips, or chop your favorite chocolate bar)
- Pure maple syrup
- Avocado oil
- Baking soda
- Salt
How to make trail mix cookies
- First, add all dry ingredients to a mixing bowl and stir to combine.
- Next, add maple syrup and oil and stir again to combine.
- Then, grab a cookie scoop and scoop 10-12 cookies onto a lined baking sheet. I like to press them down slightly to ensure a crisp cookie exterior.
- Finally, bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Enjoy!
Tips and tricks
- Scoop. Use a small or medium sized cookie scoop (2 inch or smaller) to help get cookies in similar sizes and ensure even baking.
- Gently press. With all of the add-ins, the cookies can crumble slightly as you are scooping them. Shape and press them with your fingers as needed to help them stay together. They won't expand much in the oven, so the shape you put them in as is pretty much the shape they come out as.
- Customize. Swap or omit ingredients as needed. I prefer a loaded cookie (which is how the recipe is written) but if you want more chocolate chip cookie vibes take out the pumpkin seeds and/or a nut.
- Top (optional). I love adding a few additional chocolate chunks and a sprinkle of sea salt flakes to the top of each before baking.
Variations of trail mix cookies
- Decadent dessert style trail mix cookie: add the ingredients from this vegan monster trail mix (swap popcorn for GF pretzels or potato chips).
- Add white chocolate chips and/or peanut butter
Storage and serving ideas
Vegan trail mix cookies are best fresh out of the oven (what cookie isn't?!) but here are options for storing:
- Room temperature: store in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
- Fridge: store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: once the cookies have cooled completely, store in a freezer safe container for 2-3 months. Separate cookies with unbleached parchment paper to ensure the cookies do not stick together.
My top tip for enjoying stored cookies: warm the cookies on a dry skillet! Warm a cast iron skillet over medium-low heat and add the cookie with half a teaspoon of water (on the pan, not on the cookie) and cover for about a minute or two. The chocolate will melt perfectly and the taste is just as good as it fresh out of the oven. The microwave is also a solid option if you're in a rush, it just doesn't melt the chocolate the same way and can dry the cookie out. If it's too dry, add a touch of vegan butter or dunk in a glass of vanilla almond milk and enjoy!
📋 Recipe
Vegan Trail Mix Cookies (GF)
Equipment
- measuring cups and spoons
- mixing bowl + spatula
- baking sheet + unbleached parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups blanched almond flour, tightly packed
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon iodized salt * (sub sea salt)
- 3 tablespoons EACH of hemp seeds and unsalted pumpkin seeds
- ¼ cup EACH of crushed peanuts and walnuts (unsalted)
- ¼ cup dried unsweetened cranberries
- ⅓ cup dairy-free chocolate chunks (or sub chips, I used Enjoy Life)
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉ and line a 13x18 baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper.
- Combine dry ingredients: Add all ingredients (except the maple syrup and oil) into a mixing bowl and stir to combine.
- Add wet ingredients to dry: Pour in maple syrup and oil and stir until combined.
- Scoop: Use a small-medium sized cookie scoop and scoop the batter onto the lined cookie sheet. Gently press down on each scoop and shape as needed. With all of the add-ins, the cookies can crumble slightly as you are scooping them. Shape and press them with your fingers as needed to help them stay together. They won't expand much in the oven, so the shape you put them in as is pretty much the shape they come out as.
- Top (optional): add a few chocolate chunks to the top of each and a pinch of sea salt flakes.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cookie tops are golden. Remove and let cool for 5-10 minutes before enjoying.
Notes
- Room temperature: store in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
- Fridge: store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: once the cookies have cooled completely, store in a freezer safe container for 2-3 months. Separate cookies with unbleached parchment paper to ensure the cookies do not stick together.
Thomas says
The perfect on the go snack 10/10, looking forward to trying more recipes 😊
Morgan says
Thank you, Thomas! I highly recommend checking out my overnight oats or chia seed puddings for an easy breakfast on the go too. Enjoy!