Over the years we’ve gotten a lot of requests for this cookie. It’s apparently a beloved childhood memory for vegans all over the US and Canada but I admit I haven’t been in a rush to veganize it because to be perfectly honest – this cookie – while chewy and yummy and absolutely wonderful – is not all that healthy*. I mean even for a cookie these guys are pushing it. The original recipe called 1/2 cup of vegetable shortening and 1 cup of butter. Oh and then there’s the peanut butter. Don’t even get me started on the sugar. Yeah. It’s like that.
When we veganized we replaced the shortening with a smaller amount of coconut oil to chill this cookie out a little and tinkered around actually a lot. But we really wanted to keep the flavor and texture of the original cookie so please keep in mind that for a cookie that sounds all crunchy granola girly… well it’s really a chewy, yummy, chocolate chipped, peanut buttery, dried fruit be-speckled, wonder cookie. So enjoy with friends and maybe a light salad!
Peanut Butter Trail Mix Cookies
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Peanut Butter
1/2 Cup Margarine
3 Tablespoons of Room Temperature Coconut Oil
2 teaspoons Vanilla
3 Tablespoons Applesauce
1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 Cups Old Fashioned Oats
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Cup Vegan Chocolate Chips
1 Cup Trail Mix (we used the Pumpkin Seed, Sunflower Seed, Peanut, Cranberry & Golden Raisin Trail Mix from Trader Joes)
Heat oven to 375.
In a large mixing bowl, blend Sugars, Peanut Butter, Margarine, Coconut Oil, Vanilla and Applesauce with an electric hand held mixer until fluffy and creamy.
In a separate bowl, mix the remaining ingredients except Chocolate Chips and Trail Mix with a large spoon. Then pour your Flour mix into your Sugar mix a little at a time and blend with your hand held mixer. Once all your Flour mix is blended into your Sugar mix, fold in the Chocolate Chips and Trail Mix with your large spoon. Once everything is evenly mixed throughout the batter.
Use your hands to roll your batter into small balls about the size of your palm and slightly flatten them into well a round fat cookie shape. Be careful not to flatten too much. Put your raw cookies onto a foiled cookie sheet and bake for 10-20 minutes. How long you bake them depends on how big your cookies are. Take them out of the oven when they’re a little darker than the color of peanut butter. They might seem a little too soft when you pull them out but when they cool they’ll be chewy. If you want a crispy cookie – pull them out when they have a slightly golden edge around the edge.
*Seriously, please don’t send me emails hating on these delicious cookies. They’re really good and chewy and deserve a chance.
Pretty simple... Come with us if you want to live. 
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I just made up a batch of this dough, with a few changes. I was low on brown sugar, so I subbed with 2 Tbs. of molasses and 1/4 C. Maple syrup. I also added a sprinkle of cinnamon, and a tsp. each of almond and maple extract.
I’ll be baking them tomorrow morning, and mailing them off to my son in Baltimore, and my granddaughter and her husband in Rome, Italy. The batter tastes amazing, and the texture of the dough is lovely. They’re going to love them!