Many people think of trail mix as a dry, chewy form of nourishment nibbled on during hiking or camping. Let me say that I think of trail mix as a highly customizable luxurious snack. That’s because I love to make my own delicious, personalized trail mixes by choosing my favorite additions. No hate to raisins and peanuts, but gorp is not allowed here. Chocolate covered nuts and fruit, step forward. Almonds, pecans, macadamias, pistachios, and cashews, please enter. Dried cherries and blueberries, welcome friends. White chocolate chips and caramel chips, you made it. Chocolate espresso beans, we’ve been waiting for you.
I took my love of personalized trail mixes to the next level by creating these Chocolate Trail Mix Cookies. Everything I love about those wonderful add-ins is combined in cookie form, then dunked in melted chocolate. They become beautiful when you decorate the tops with the add-ins. I used freeze-dried raspberries for my cookie tops because of the tartness and vibrant red color. Feel free to choose your favorite combination of add-ins and get creative when decorating the tops. Your additions combined, minus the oats, should be about two cups.
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Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups (7 7/8 ounces) all purpose flour, sifted
- 1/3 cup (3/4 ounce) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (2 3/4 ounces) quick oats (not instant)
- 1/2 cup (2 ounces) coarsely chopped almonds, preferably toasted
- 1/2 cup (1 ounce) unsweetened coconut chips
- 1/2 cup (2 ounces) dried cranberries or cherries
- 1/4 cup (1 ounce) pistachios, preferably toasted
- 1/4 cup (1 ounce) shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 8 ounces melted semisweet or dark chocolate
- 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil or vegetable shortening
- A few handfuls of freeze-dried raspberries, whole almonds, pistachios, coconut and pumpkin seeds to decorate tops
Ingredients
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
- In a large bowl, cream butter, brown sugar, and sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
- Beat in eggs and vanilla in three separate additions until well combined.
- On low speed, beat in flour mixture just until combined.
- Fold in oats, almonds, coconut, cranberries, pistachios and pumpkin seeds.
- Place 1 1/4 ounce round portions (about 2 tablespoons) three inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
- Bake until tops are set and no longer shiny, about 10-12 minutes.
- Transfer cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Combine melted chocolate and coconut oil in a small deep container, wide enough to fit the width of your widest cookie. Dunk cookies about halfway into chocolate. Top with nuts and seeds.