Thick Chewy Energy Cookies with Toasted Oats and Cranberries
By Emma Collins
Prep
15 min
Cook
15 min
Total
30 min
Servings
12
Level
Easy
Old-fashioned rolled oats are included in these energy cookies. Toasted oats and roughly chopped almonds add nutty flavor to soft cookies. Dried cranberries add tart flavor contrast with the maple and almond butter flavors. Oats stay chewy in baked and cooled cookies.
Toasted oatmeal and almonds are added to a bowl, along with seeds and other dried fruits. A heated binder is mixed in to evenly coat the other ingredients. Without this step, the ingredients might stick together and not bake properly into cookie bars. A large spoon is used to scoop the dough for the cookie bars, but you can also shape them by hand. The uneven edges are appealing. Baked and cooled bars are chewy and thick.
Press the cookies firmly into the pan, especially around the edges. Make them thick. Finished cookies will have light-brown edges and soft middles. I take cookies out of the oven and let them cool completely in the pan to prevent them from crumbling when moved. Soft middles are fine.
Eat one as a snack or with other leftovers from a Chicken Sweet Potato Bowl for a no-effort dessert option. Other serving ideas include pairing with a slice of Cottage Cheese Toast. Another idea for a snack tray is to serve Vanilla Coconut Protein Bars along with this recipe.
Why this recipe works
- Toasting enhances the nutty flavor of oats and almonds. You can smell the toasting in the final product as it bakes.
- Dried cranberries provide contrast in flavor and texture to the sweet maple taste.
- Pumpkin and sunflower seeds are added to the surface of the cookies without additional decoration to give them a rustic look.
- A half-cup serving of almond butter can bind an entire cookie recipe without using flour.
- The edges brown before the centers, which are soft when they come out of the oven and firm up as they cool on the baking sheet.
- Use chopped apricots or raisins instead of cranberries when you can't find cranberries.
Ingredients
- •1 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats (135g)
- •½ cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas) (65g)
- •½ cup raw sunflower seeds (shelled, 70g)
- •¾ cup raw almonds (roughly chopped, 85g)
- •¾ cup dried cranberries (105g)
- •½ cup creamy almond butter (128g)
- •½ cup maple syrup (120ml)
- •2 tbsp coconut oil (melted, 30ml)
- •1 tsp vanilla extract (5ml)
- •¼ tsp fine sea salt
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 2
Spread the rolled oats and chopped almonds in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- 3
Toast for 6-8 minutes, until the oats are fragrant and the almonds are lightly golden.
- 4
Transfer the toasted oats and almonds to a large mixing bowl.
- 5
Add the pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and dried cranberries, then stir to combine.
- 6
Combine the almond butter, maple syrup, and coconut oil in a smaller microwave-safe bowl.
- 7
Microwave for 30-45 seconds, until the coconut oil is melted and the mixture is warm.
- 8
Whisk the warm mixture until smooth, then stir in the vanilla extract and sea salt.
- 9
Pour the warm binder over the dry mixture.
- 10
Mix with a spatula until every oat, nut, and seed is coated.
- 11
Portion about 1/4 cup of mixture per cookie onto the prepared baking sheet and press each portion firmly into a thick cookie shape.
- 12
Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the edges are golden-brown and crisp.
- 13
Cool the cookies completely on the baking sheet for at least 15-20 minutes before moving them.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
215
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