Receta Christmas Gift #10: Trail Mix Cookies for SRC
I wish I had the time to be a part of all the linky parties, food bloggers clubs, cookbook clubs, and challenges, but time seems to be scarce, especially this time of year.
I seem to only have time for two foodie clubs: Cook the Books and Secret Recipe Club. I am committed to them both. Cook the Books is a great literary foodie club. (Check out the current book selection.) And I absolutely LOVE SRC.
With time at a minimum, it is hard to check out new sites and bloggers. SRC, hosted by Amanda, Angela, Tami, and Tina, is a great way to expand your foodie horizons and meet different bloggers. The premise is that you will be assigned a “secret pal,” you explore your new friend’s site, and then secretly bake or cook away with one of your new pal’s recipes. I have had great experiences in my previous assignments.
This month’s secret pal was no different. deli-cute-essen is hosted by Devon who is a “foodie and maker of cute things.” This blog is full of vegan delights and definitely cute things!
We are definitely not vegan, but we do eat a lot of vegetarian meals. I don’t shy away from vegan recipes, and if I have the products on hand, I will go ahead and try a “veganized” recipe. I read Devon’s posts with an eye for something that could fit into my Gifts from the Kitchen posts this month. I found the perfect recipe in her Trail Mix Cookies.
Devon’s recipe calls for Earth Balance, egg replacer, and soy milk. Having none of these on hand I swapped in creamy peanut butter, farm fresh eggs, and 2% organic milk. (Since winter is here and the farmers markets are on vacation until spring, I have tried to use organic products until I can get back to local!)
Trail Mix Cookies
- 1 c. creamy peanut butter
- 3/4 c. organic pure cane sugar
- 2 farm fresh eggs
- 1/3 c. 2% organic milk
- 1 T. pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 c. old fashioned oats
- 1 c. organic whole wheat pastry flour
- 2 t. baking powder
- ½ t. fine sea salt
- 1 T. cinnamon
- 1 c. milk chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli.)
- 4.5 oz. dried tart cherries
- 3/4 c. sliced almonds
- 3/4 c. roasted/no salt sunflower seeds
In a bowl of a stand mixer, cream together peanut butter and sugar. Add eggs, milk and vanilla and continue to mix.
In a separate bowl, whisk together oats and dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to peanut butter mixture. Carefully beat to incorporated. Add chocolate chips, cherries, almonds and sunflower seeds. The batter will be fairly dry.
Use a cookie scoop to make packed balls. Place cookies on a prepared cookie sheet. Lightly press each ball to flatten a bit. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 10-12 minutes.
Cool on cookie sheets slightly before removing to wire racks. Once cool, store in airtight container.
I also added a bit more peanut butter and one more egg to Devon’s original recipe. My batter seemed a bit too crumbly. (I only had whole wheat pastry flour on hand, but I am sure regular whole wheat flour would work fine.)
This recipe makes about three dozen medium cookies.
These cookies smell delicious while baking. Devon’s original recipe is quite versatile. She does not specify and just calls for dried fruit, nuts, and seeds. I can see this cookie with pecans and dried blueberries, walnuts and dried raisins, coconut and dried mangoes—the possibilities are endless.
Keeping with the Gift from the Kitchen theme this month, place cookies in a cellophane bag, pair cookies with a reusable water bottle, and you have the perfect gift for a fit friend (or for a friend planning on healthy New Year’s resolutions).
And, be sure to check out the rest of the SRC posts for this reveal.