Mini Trail Mix Cookies (Vegan GF)

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I'm Amy

sweets & snacks

Deliciously oaty cookies packed with dried fruits and nuts and melting chocolate chips. These cookies are best served miniature and are naturally vegan, gluten-free and made with wholesome ingredients.

Why is everything so much cuter in miniature form? Babies, puppies, kittens… everything small just makes your heart skip a little beat. I think the same can be said for mini versions of our favourite foods. First there was mini breakfast cookies i.e. cookie crisp cereal then there was pancake cereal aka mini pancakes and now I want us all to get on board the mini cookie train.

These Mini Trail Mix Cookies are:

Deliciously oaty and nutty
Bursting with dried fruits and melting chocolate
Made from good-for-you wholefoods
Naturally vegan and gluten-free
Ready in a few minutes
Easy to make in one bowl
Require no chilling
Great for little ones, snacking, desserts and more

Everyone loves a trail mix cookie. While they can be loaded with sugar and butter (definitely a time and place for that!), I kept these ones more wholesome using plant-based simple ingredients. Yes, these are healthy, but no, they don’t taste “healthy” like cardboard. They are still sweet, chewy, chocolatey and bursting with textures, but you’ll find all these ingredients are good for you.

What goes into these Mini Trail Mix Cookies?

Runny almond butter: runny smooth almond butter is best here for mixing purposes but also another nut butter like peanut or cashew works so well or try tahini or sunflower seed butter for a nut-free option.
Maple syrup: for a little bit of sticky sweetness to bind the cookies. You can also use another sticky syrup like agave, date syrup or vegan honey.
Coconut oil: just a little bit for binding the cookies and adding a “buttery” element. You can use vegan butter or margarine, in it’s place.
Coconut sugar: this is an unrefined sugar and I love the sweet caramel taste, but any sugar will work like light brown, golden caster or even date sugar which I have been loving.
Oats: these add the bulk of the cookies and make sure they are GF-certified if needed. If you are avoiding oats, I think buckwheat flakes would work well.
Oat flour: don’t worry about buying oat flour as you can make your own. Simply add oats to a blender and process until a fine meal forms. You can swap this for regular flour, or GF flour, if needed.
Chia seeds: or flax seeds. I always prefer to bake with ground chia or flax seeds. You can buy them whole and then blitz them in a blender to a powder. I tend to blitz up a small pot at a time and it will last for a few months in a sealed container. This binds the cookies together so I don’t recommend skipping this.
Cinnamon: for the classic cookie taste!
Salt: to bring out all the flavour.
Dried fruits and nuts: these are essential for any trail mix cookie and these Mini Trail Mix Cookies are no different. I use a blend of dried blueberries, gojis, cashews, almonds and brazil nuts, but anything will do. Skip the nuts and opt for seeds, if you are nut-free.
Chocolate chips: no cookie is complete without melting chocolate chips. As these are mini cookies, make sure you use small chocolate chips or chop your chocolate quite small.

The method for these Mini Trail Mix Cookies could not be simpler! Whisk together the wet ingredients to a sticky mix and then add in all the dry ingredients followed by the nuts, dried fruits and chocolate. Now roll them into balls, press down lightly onto a baking tray and bake for 8-10 minutes until golden brown and crisping at the edges.

Do these Mini Trail Mix Cookies spread?

No, these do not spread much, but do leave a little room around them. These are chunky, chewy cookies with crisp edges and a tender middle rather than being flatter cookies.

Can I make these into regular sized cookies?

If you are not fully convinced by the miniature cookies, you can roll these into 10-12 regular sized cookies and bake for a little longer, 12-15 minutes or until golden and crisping at the edges.

How to store these Mini Trail Mix Cookies?

If you have any cookies left, pop them in an airtight container and they will last at room temperature for 5-7 days. Or you can freeze in sealed containers, too, for up to 1 month. They are great to make ahead of time for taking on walks, hikes, day trips or for when the cookie cravings hit.

If you are looking for more cookie and biscuit ideas, how about my: