These healthy trail mix cookies are the perfect wholesome treat made with simple, nourishing ingredients like oats, nuts, almond butter, and dark chocolate chips! They are naturally gluten free and can be made vegan. These easy cookies come together in less than 15 minutes as a chewy, satisfying snack with lots of great flavors in every bite.

WHY I MADE THESE GLUTEN FREE TRAIL MIX COOKIES

A few years ago, I shared a recipe for Healthy Granola Cookies that was part-granola, part-cookie, and 100% delicious. The base of that granola cookie recipe was a healthier caramel sauce made with almond butter, coconut oil, and splash of milk that was heated up on the stove until nice and thick, and then poured over our homemade granola mixture.

Those cookies rock. They still make it into my rotation every now and then even to this day. I am still so into the idea of fitting as many different plants into my diet as possible each week, and simple snacks that that totally count in my book. So I wanted to update that recipe a bit with something that was even more plant-y and even more delicious.

And that’s how we got here.

Let me introduce you to my new and improved Healthy Trail Mix Cookies, which are basically like taking your favorite bag of trail mix and turning them into a cookie. My husband and I crush a bag of trail mix pretty much every week, so you could say we take trail mix pretty seriously around here. It’s hard to make such an already great portable snack even better, but here we are!

These Easy Trail Mix Cookies take only about 30 minutes to make, start to finish, and they’re chockfull of great ingredients like oats, nuts, and almond butter. Make sure you use certified gluten free oats to keep this recipe gluten free, and this recipe is also deliciously vegan with a few tweaks.

I hope you give these chewy, chocolatey, crispy-edged cookies a try this week! As always, be sure to leave a review and a comment letting me know what you think. I love it when you guys share that you made one of these recipes!

MY EASY TRAIL MIX COOKIES RECIPE

The full instructions on how to make my healthy chocolate chip trail mix cookies is in the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post, but here’s a quick overview of how to make it.

Be sure to scroll down to the bottom to view the full recipe and get all of the measurements and instructions!

• Do your prep: Preheat your oven and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Mix your dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, chocolate chips, and dried fruit.
• Mix your wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix together the almond butter and condensed milk until smooth. Then, stir in the vanilla and salt.
• Combine everything together: Pour the almond butter mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until fully combined.
• Scoop and flatten: Scoop the cookie dough onto the baking sheets and lightly press the tops down. These cookies won’t spread on their own in the oven.
• Bake and cool: Bake for about 15 minutes until the edges are lightly golden.

HEALTHY FRUIT AND NUT COOKIES INGREDIENTS

The full ingredients list is in the recipe card below, so make sure to scroll all the way to the bottom to see what you need to make this recipe!

Here is a quick overview of what you need to make this healthy cookie recipe at home:

• Oats: The base of the cookie, and a key ingredient in almost all granola recipes. I like to think of this recipe as a delicious cross between trail mix and granola, and the oats are a key to achieving the proper structure and chewiness that gives these cookies their delicious texture.
• Nuts: I used a mix of peanuts, cashews, almonds, and hazelnuts for this recipe, but use whatever you have on hand! The roasted nuts add a great crunch along with healthy fats and protein. This cookie is so much more filling and satisfying thanks to the nuts!
• Dark Chocolate Chips: Makes these feel like a real treat. The chocolate melts into puddles inside the cookies which gives you sweet little bites throughout. I always use dark chocolate in my baking recipes with at least 70% chocolate. The darker the chocolate, the more antioxidants you’ll get and you’ll also reduce the overall sugar content compared to regular chocolate chips.
• Dried Fruit: Adds a chewy texture and a little tartness that balances out the sweetness of the chocolate. I used dried cherries and apricots, both which did not have any added sugar. In my opinion, they’re sweet enough without it.
• Cinnamon: Adds warmth and depth of flavor!
• Almond Butter: Acts as the binder that helps to hold everything together, along with Coconut Condensed Milk, another key ingredient that makes the cookies hold their shape.
• Vanilla: Rounds out all the other flavors in the cookie.
• Salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out the depth of flavors!

HOW LONG DO THESE HEALTHY COOKIES TAKE TO MAKE?

This easy chocolate chip granola cookie recipe has a few different components to it, but they all come together quickly and easily.

The full recipe is below, but here’s the gist of it:

• Prep time: 15 mins
• Bake time: 15 minutes

In total, this healthy cookie recipe will take about 30 minutes total to make!

HOW TO STORE THESE CHOCOLATE CHIP TRAIL MIX COOKIES?

These cookies have the best texture the day they are made. If you do have leftovers, store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Note that the cookies will harden over time the longer that they sit out.

EASY TRAIL MIX COOKIES FAQ

1. Are these cookies actually healthy?

In my opinion, yes! These cookies are made with wholesome ingredients like old fashioned oats, a combination of your favorite mixed nuts, and dried fruit. All of these ingredients provide good doses of fiber, healthy fats, and protein.

These cookies aren’t super sweet, because we use dark chocolate with at least 70% cacao which means less sugar and more antioxidants compared to regular chocolate chips!

2. Are these cookies vegan?

Yes, these cookies are easy to make vegan! There is no butter or egg used in this healthy cookie recipe at all. Just be sure the condensed milk you use is coconut condensed milk, and not traditional condensed milk. Also use chocolate chips that dairy-free.

3. Do I have to use almond butter or can I use a different nut butter?

Almond butter is my favorite, but you can certainly use peanut butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter instead. Just keep in mind that the flavor will shift slightly depending on what you use. No matter what, it’ll be delicious!

Just make sure whatever nut butter you use is well-stirred and runny, so that the cookie dough mixes together easily.

4. Do I have to include the dried cherries and apricots?

Nope, the dried fruit in this recipe is 100% optional. I used cherries and apricots, but you can use cranberries, or raisins instead. The cookies will still hold together and taste great without them, but I like to include them for that classic trail mix taste and chewy texture.

5. My cookies didn’t spread! Is that ok?

Yes, note that these cookies don’t spread at all in the oven, which is why you need to flatten them before baking. Make sure to press the tops down before putting them in. Whatever shape they are before baking will remain the same after they are baked.

6. How should I store these cookies?

These cookies have the best texture the day they are made. If you do have leftovers, store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Note that the cookies will harden over time the longer that they sit out.

7. Can I use quick oats instead of old fashioned oats?

Old fashioned oats are my favorite for this recipe and I recommended using them for the best cookie texture, but quick oats will work as well. Just know the cookies may be less chewy.

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If you love this recipe be sure to leave a review! And feel free to reach out to me with any questions or comments via my Contact page. You’ll hear back from me soon!

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