Happy Trails Cookies are the most delicious cookies with all kinds of goodies in them that you might also find in Trail Mix.
These cookies have a little bit of everything in them. They’re a bit like Monster Cookies, but they have pretzels added in and an (optional) sprinkle of sea salt on top. They’re quite the hearty and filling cookie. And they’re big cookies too, so one cookie is the perfect indulgent splurge.
This totally delicious cookie recipe comes from a cookbook by Lindsey Johnson: Wild Sugar- Seasonal Sweet Treats Inspired by the Mountain West. This gorgeous book is full of baked good recipes. The author is passionate about baking. Home is Jackson, Wyoming, and she caters weddings there too. The cakes in the book are fabulous, but Johnson has several other sweet treats in the book too. She even includes a bit about high altitude baking.
Here are a few recipes in the book that I’d like to make:
- Apricot and Raspberry Pie
- Coffee Break Brownies
- Fluffy Yellow Sheet Cake with Milk Chocolate Frosting
- Dark Red Velvet Cake with Chocolate Ganache and Cream Cheese Frosting
- Lemon Drop Cupcakes
- Homemade Salted Caramel Marshmallows
- Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Spiced Eggnog Cake
Ingredients Needed:
- all purpose flour
- old fashioned rolled oats
- baking soda and kosher salt
- unsalted butter
- brown sugar
- granulated white sugar
- egg
- vanilla extract
- peanut butter
- pretzels
- M&M’s
- chocolate chips
- sea salt (optional)
How to make Happy Trails Cookies:
The complete, printable recipe is at the end of this post.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium-speed to beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix to combine. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Beat in the peanut butter. On low speed, add the dry ingredients until just combined. Stir in the pretzels, M&M’s and chocolate chips. Cover the bowl, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (or overnight).
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat mats.
- Using an ice cream scoop, scoop up the dough and place on the baking sheets 2-inches apart.
Bake for 12 to 13 minutes, until lightly browned on the edges. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with flaked sea salt (if using). Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe Tips
- Use chunky or smooth peanut butter (your preference).
- Use any flavor of chocolate chips that you’d like.
- The broken pretzels can be sticks or twists.
What I Love About This Recipe:
- There’s a little bit of everything in these cookies!
- They’re so filling, that I’d use one of them as a meal replacement for breakfast (is that bad??)
- They’re a big hit at parties.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
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In another large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium-speed to beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix to combine. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Beat in the peanut butter. On low speed, add the dry ingredients until just combined. Stir in the pretzels, M&M’s and chocolate chips. Cover the bowl, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (or overnight).
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Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat mats.
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Using an ice cream scoop, scoop up the dough and place on the baking sheets 2-inches apart. Bake for 12 to 13 minutes, until lightly browned on the edges. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with flaked sea salt (if using). Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 400kcal, Carbohydrates: 42g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 25g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 47mg, Sodium: 219mg, Potassium: 136mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 26g, Vitamin A: 462IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 41mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.