All the pieces of trail mix in an indulgent bar cookie; you decide whether it’s a treat or a health food.
I didn’t know it when I wrote this, but the ocean that was near my son in Alabama is now one of my homes. The hiking options in Pensacola definitely are minimal, but there are plenty of options for hiking or other water sports. I think a batch of trail mix bar cookies would work there as well.
The original post from August 2019
I enjoy being physically active, but by no means am I a natural athlete. Nope. Hand me a ball, bat, or glove, and I’ll give it my best. However, coordination is not my friend. Still, I like to do things that raise the heartrate and take some strength and/or endurance. One hobby that falls into that category is hiking.
Unfortunately, I don’t hike nearly as often as I’d like. I’d say half of the reasons fall on me directly, the other half are couple-based. If you’re a regular reader, you know that my husband and I are on the road a lot. Between being in locations where hiking isn’t an option and not wanting to pack my gear, that rules out a portion of our time. Plus, my husband really isn’t a fan of hiking. Sure, he’ll go along to humor me, but he really isn’t psyched at the thought of spending multiple hours climbing a mountain.
Now, there are a decent amount of weekends when we’re home that I could hike. That’s where I take responsibility for not hiking. I need to find a group that hikes regularly but also won’t mind that my attendance is sporadic. I do need to work on this because there’s nothing quite as awesome as expending energy to get to the top and then get amazing views. Yep, I’m glad to spend a good portion of my day doing that.
Someone to hike with
I also have a partner in crime for occasional hikes- my son. Going to school in Colorado, he had prime hiking almost right outside his dorm. Hiking and rock climbing were two of his stress relievers. So, when he’s home, we usually try to fit in a hike somewhere in the White Mountains. Just this June, he and I took a 6-hour hike and had great views of New Hampshire and beyond.
When we hike, we take it seriously with proper clothing, gear, and food. My son, being a 23 year old who’s about twice my size, seriously considers the food we pack. If I were packing, I would bring about half of what we bring. I understand that we need to think about things, such as if the trip takes longer, but I also know I have a smaller appetite.
One of the things he always brings is some sort of trail mix, made out of whatever is in our cabinets. Most likely there will be dried cranberries, some sort of chocolate chip, and then a variety of crackers and/or nuts. These cookies pretty much mirror the baggie of trail mix we carry. As such, a sample batch was mailed to him, in his new location: Alabama.
Sadly, in this new location, I don’t think there will be much hiking. On a good note, he is now only two hours to the beach, and he hasn’t been that close to the water in five or so years. So, maybe he’ll take up a water sport while hiking is on the back burner.
As for me, I probably should work on finding that hiking group. I could even bring a batch of these bars when I do!
Trail Mix Bar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups old fashioned oats
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup chopped pecans
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and both sugars on speed 2 for 4 minutes.
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Add eggs, one at a time, beating to incorporate each.
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Add vanilla, and mix.
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Add baking powder, baking soda, salt, and flour, and mix until incorporated.
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Add oatmeal, stirring until combined.
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Add white chocolate chips, dried cranberries, and pecans, stirring until incorporated.
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Grease the bottom and sides of a 13×9 pan with butter.
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Transfer batter to pan, using the back of a spoon or spatula to spread evenly in the pan.
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Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown.
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Cool in pan on a wire baking rack.
