Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Trail Mix Freezer Cookies

Trail Mix Cookies

I’m not going to whine and complain, but I want to let you all know what's been happening here in my little world…..it’s hot and humid here on the East coast!!

It’s the kind of humid where you can’t even walk outside without sweating beading up all over your body. Just watering the garden had John’s shirt soaked with sweat. Oppressive I tell ya. I love the Fall, so I can’t even begin to explain how much I hate this kind of weather or what a frizzy mess my hair becomes when the humidity starts to rise. It’s not pretty.

So what do I do when the 3 H’s hit? (3 H’s – Hazy, Hot, & Humid, the weathermen here likes to say it). I make a batch of cookies. Yup, that’s right. I turn on the oven and bake. Not to worry, I have A/C in the kitchen so it actually was quite comfortable. I decided to make some Trail Mix Freezer Cookies.

Let me tell ya, this recipe make some BIG cookies. Two handed cookies. It was all Evan could do to hold on to this monster cookie, but he managed. These were almost like a cross between an oatmeal and a chocolate chip cookie (with M&M’s). Ummm does it get better than that?

I adapted these to fit Evan’s taste. Instead of the 2 cups of trail mix that the recipe calls for, we filled up 2 cups with M&M’s, mini chocolate chips and some extra oats. Next time I make these I’m using some trail mix, but these were for Evan and he wouldn’t have touched them if there were nuts of any kind in them.

I baked up a dozen of these and froze the rest of the dough for later use. It’ll be nice one chilly night in the Fall to pop a dozen in the oven. Wait let me say those beautiful words again….CHILLY…..FALL.

I can’t wait.

Trail Mix Cookies 1


Trail Mix Freezer Cookies
(makes about 27 three inch cookies)

recipe from William Sonoma Family Meals
Printable recipe
¾ cup all purpose flour
½ cup white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp
1 cup (packed) light brown sugar
¾ cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
2 cups trail mix, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350.

Line 3 baking sheets with parchment. Mix the first 6 ingredients in a bowl. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and both sugars in a large bowl until fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla, mix again until fluffy (1 to 2 minutes) Reduce the speed to low and beat in the flour mixture until just combined. Fold in the oats and coconut. Stir in the trail mix.

Using a 2-inch diameter ice cream scoop, drop the dough onto the sheets spacing them about 2 inches apart.

Bake until cookies are golden brown (about 13 minutes). Transfer to racks to cool.

Do ahead: For ready to bake dough, freeze the dough on sheets until firm and then transfer to resealable plastic bags. Keep frozen until ready to make. Arrange frozen cookies on parchment lined baking sheets and bake about 16 minutes. Transfer to rack to cool.

6 comments:

Cookie baker Lynn said...

What a blessing to have AC so you can bake even when it's hot! These cookies look scrumptious! I think the addition of M&M's makes them perfect.

Bunny said...

I hear ya girlfriend, the humidity is killing me! I get out of the shower , dry off and feel like I didn't. URH!! I don't know how the girls that work in the kitchen at the restaurant do it, I'd be bawling to go home! I love the look of these cookies, my kids wouldn't eat them either if they had nuts so i'll make them the way you did!

SteamyKitchen said...

YUM! I'm starting to work out now (ugh) and I'm sure these will be totally healthy for me

Jeff said...

Insanity no freaking way I would turn on an oven when it is hot out...oh wait stupid me I have been doing that.

Go big or go home so nicely done! :-)

noble pig said...

Making these, making these, making these.

Shannon said...

Hazy, hot and humid - I hear ya, loud and [misearably] clear, girl! These cookies look delicious! I might add in some peanut butter, too! I recently blogged about a company I found that sprinkles trailmix onto chocolate molds...looks delicious and probably an easy microwavable recipe to try at home!