Looking for a delicious cookie, ideal for any time of day.   Mid-day snack or dessert and healthy enough to enjoy as a special breakfast treat.  These cookies are crispy on the outside yet chewy in the center.  Perfect combination of sweet and salty with s mixture of oats, nuts, coconut, dried cranberries and mini chocolate chips.  And they are VEGAN and GLUTEN-FREE.  Click continue for recipe!

Vegan GF OAT Trail Mix Cookies

by Carrie Paul

Yield 32 small cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups pecan halves

• 2 cups gluten-free rolled oats, divided

• 2/3 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour

• ¼ cup dried, unsweetened shredded coconut

• 2 Tbsp. hemp protein powder

• 1 tsp. baking soda

• ½ tsp. cinnamon

• ½ tsp. fine grain sea salt

• ½ cup pure maple syrup

• ¼ cup coconut oil

• 2 Tbsp. almond milk (or alternative dairy-free milk)

• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

• ¼ cup raisins or cranberries or pitted, soaked and drained diced dates

• ¼ cup mini chocolate chips (Enjoy Life brand), optional

   

 Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350F.  Toast pecans on baking sheet lined with parchment paper for 7-10 minutes, until golden and fragrant.  After roasting, remove from oven and cool.

   2. Add ½ of rolled oats and cooled pecans to food processor until coarsely chopped with some fine powder.
   3. In a large bowl, stir ground oats and pecan mixture with remaining oats, flour, shredded coconut, hemp protein powder, baking soda cinnamon, and sea salt. In a small bowl, mix maple syrup, coconut oil, almond milk and vanilla extract.
   4. Pour wet mixture over dry ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in fruit and chocolate chips.
   5. Roll or use ice cream or melon baller to place 1” balls onto parchment lined baking sheet. Press to flatten. 
   6. Bake 11 minutes until golden brown and let rest for 3-4 minutes before cooling on a rack.