BAKE: Peanut Butter Oatmeal Trail Mix Cookies
There’s not much better than a sweet and salty handful of trail mix when you’re out on a hike… except for these peanut butter oatmeal trail mix cookies. Take these crunchy cookies on the road or enjoy them for a snack or quick breakfast at home.
Packed with peanut butter, whole-grain oats, dried fruit, and trail mix, they’re a sweet treat that will keep you going! These monster cookies are big enough to be a meal, although you can make smaller bite size snack cookies as well. This is one snack that’s guaranteed not to get left in your lunch box (or your little monster’s).
Trail Mix Cookie Ingredients
Storing your Trail Mix Cookies
Assuming you don’t eat these all right away… you can keep them in an airtight container for a week or two before they get stale, or freeze them for up to several months. You can also freeze the unbaked dough for warm homemade cookies whenever you want them… just scoop them onto a cookie sheet (close together is fine) and freeze. Once they’re frozen, transfer them to freezer bags. You can bake them from frozen, but will need to add some extra baking time.
Your homemade trail mix cookies are better snacks than a boring granola bar and you can use your own reusable packaging on the go or fill your cookie jar at home to cut down on single-use plastic waste. Or triple-wrap them in saran, a baggie, and a ziplock, because I’m not the boss of you. Or maybe you’re afraid of bears. Or ants. Anyway. Cookies. Let’s make some!
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Trail Mix Cookies
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats can substitute quick oats
- 1 ¼ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 ½ sticks butter, softened 12 oz
- ⅔ cup peanut butter
- ¼ cup peanut or canola oil
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Mix-ins
- 1¼ cup trail mix (Kirkland or similar, M&M's, peanuts, almond, cashews, and raisins)
- ½ cup dried cranberries or other small dried fruit pieces
Instructions
- Assemble all ingredients. Mix the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Sift the baking powder and soda into the other ingredients and whisk or mix well.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line two cookie sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment (or use non-stick sheets).
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter with the oil, peanut butter, and brown and powdered sugars. Whip until well incorporated, light, and creamy. If using a stand mixer, stop and scrape down the paddle, sides, and horn of the bowl.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing and scraping the bowl between additions, and then the vanilla.
- When the creamed mixture is well incorporated, add the dry ingredients in three additions, mixing just slightly between additions and stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl.
- Add the trail mix and dried fruit all at once, and mix again just enough to incorporate. Finish mixing by hand to evenly distribute.
- Use a large cookie scoop or ⅓-½ cup measuring cup to portion out dough for jumbo trail mix cookies. You can also make smaller bite-sized cookies, but reduce the baking time. Leave room for the cookies to spread a little, especially until baking the first batch.
- Bake the jumbo cookies in the 350℉ oven for 16-20 minutes (less for small cookies). Remove from the oven when the cookies are set and lightly golden brown on the bottom.
- Cool on wire racks or trays, and store in a closed container after they are completely cool. Best within 5-7 days, or freeze for 3-6 months.
