Trail Mix Cookies are a fun and unique twist on oatmeal cookies -- add a generous scoop of your favorite trail mix to the batter and be prepared to have a new favorite cookie recipe!
BUTTER AND SUGARS: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or use a large bowl and a hand mixer), add the room temperature butter (not melted, not softened) and dark brown sugar. Beat at medium speed until light in color, about 1-2 minutes. Add in the egg and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 more minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
BAKINGAGENTS: Add in the baking soda and fine sea salt. Mix until just combined, about 20 seconds.
FLOUR, OATS, AND COCONUT: Add in the oats, flour, and coconut. Mix until just combined, about 30 seconds.
TRAIL MIX: Add in the trail mix and mix until ingredients are JUST combined. Do not overmix or overbeat. Overworking the dough will result in dense cookies. Cover the bowl of dough tightly and chill for 30 minutes.
SHAPE TALL COOKIE BALLS: Shape the cookie dough into balls -- a packed 2 tablespoons in size (if you have a food scale: 40 grams). Roll the balls taller rather than wider (see picture). Place them on a plate lined with parchment paper and cover gently with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for another 30-45 minutes. Don't refrigerate for too long. If you're in a rush, freeze the dough balls for about 20-25 minutes.
BAKE: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 half-sheet pans with Silpat liners (very important that the trays are lined, so the cookies don't burn on the bottom). Place 6 cookie dough balls per sheet pan (they can spread a good deal!), spacing them with plenty of room. Bake for 9 to 14 minutes (mine always take around 11-12 minutes), remembering they're best slightly underbaked. They should look ever-so-slightly gooey in the center (they harden a bit as they cool) and should be lightly browned around the edges. Remove from the oven (See Note 6 for troubleshooting) and if they're too puffy, bang the sheet pan a few times on the counter to get them to flatten more. Let stand on the cookie sheet for 5-10 more minutes to firm up enough to remove to a wire cooling rack. Right out of the oven you can press a few more chocolate chips or pieces of trail mix in the tops of the cookies if desired.
COOL AND ENJOY: Let cookies fully cool and set up before eating; they firm up a lot as they cool! Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Cookies are best when eaten within 2-3 days.
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Notes
Note 1: Brown sugar: We like dark brown sugar best, but light brown works too. Make sure the sugar is very fresh and very soft! Hard brown sugar won't cream properly.Note 2: Baking soda: See if the baking soda is fresh by using this quick test! If baking soda is at all clumpy, press through a fine-mesh sieve first.Note 3: Old-fashioned oats: Quick or steel-cut oats won't work. Only old-fashioned for this recipe!Note 4: Coconut: Use sweetened coconut flakes (not desiccated coconut).Note 5: Trail mix: We've tested these trail mix cookies with a few different varieties of trail mix. "Indulgent Trail Mix" was hands down the favorite with "Mountain Trail Mix" in second place. Feel free to pick out the raisins before measuring out 1 cup if you don't want them in the cookies! Additionally, if the candy pieces are too large, pick those out as well.Note 6: Trouble-shooting: If the cookies aren't spreading at all, it's likely there was too much flour added, or the dough was overchilled. Pull out of the oven and press down the tops of the cookies with the back of a metal spatula then return to the oven for another 1-3 minutes or until cooked through. If cookies are spreading too much, it's likely too little flour, old baking agents, or dough was not properly chilled. Right out of the oven and working quickly, press the edges inwards with a metal spatula.