3 Cookie Recipes that Make Great Snacks for the Hiking Trail

Hikers tend to be healthy people (more or less). Still, they have their vices. One of mine happens to be cookies. Luckily, over the years, I've found quite a few great recipes for healthy cookies. Some of these are terrific to take out on the trail. They make for a great hiking snack that's a lot easier to carry around and munch on than fresh fruit (which gets too warm) or trail mix or other common hiking snacks. The right hiking cookies can provide sustenance on the trail and are filled with enough healthy ingredients to justify eating them. This article provides you with recipes for 3 types of hiking cookies: Trail Mix Cookies, Cheese Cookies and Energy-Boosting Cookies.

Hiking Cookies Recipe #1: Trail Mix Cookies

Trail mix is popular among hikers but the truth is that it can be a bit of a hassle to eat while you're walking. A cookie made of trail mix holds together better as you walk and is just as healthy and just as tasty. Here's the recipe (a variation on this About.com recipe):

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Combine one cup flour, one half teaspoon baking powder and one half teaspoon baking soda in a bowl. Mix completely.
• In a separate bowl, mix one half cup white sugar, one half cup brown sugar and one half cup margarine in a bowl until well-blended. Add one egg and mix again. Add one half teaspoon vanilla extract and mix.
• Add the sugar mixture to the dry mixture and mix completely.
• Add 1/2 cup dried fruit of your choosing (such as raising, cherries, etc), 1/2 cup nuts of your choosing (such as almonds, walnuts, cashews, etc), and 1/2 cup treats of your choosing (such as dried coconut, chocolate chips, etc.). Mix completely.
• Add one and a half cups granola and mix.
• Spoon into cookie-shaped balls onto an un-greased cookie sheet. This recipe should make approximately 24 cookies.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes.

An alternative trail mix cookie recipe for people who like bananas can be found here.

Hiking Cookies Recipe #2: Cheese Cookies

Cheese cookies are hearty which makes them a great snack on a long trail. They're much more convenient to make and eat than sandwiches but give you a lot of the same energy! Here's a recipe adapted from Wild Game Recipes:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grate one half pound sharp white cheddar cheese and place in a bowl.
• Add one cup flour, three tablespoons margarine and one quarter teaspoon salt. Mix together.
• Add one third cup chopped walnuts and 4 tablespoons soy milk. Knead into a cookie dough. Add more milk as needed if the mixture is too dry.
• Spoon the dough into cookie-shaped balls onto a greased cookie sheet. This recipe should make approximately 24 cheese cookies.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes.

A less healthy alternative cheese cookie recipe that includes yummy Rice Krispies in it can be found at Cooks.com.

Hiking Cookies Recipe #3: Energy-Boosting Cookies

These cookies are probably the top choice of the three recipes for hikers who want to remain healthy while out on the trail. The recipe has been adapted from a Cooks.com recipe.

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees,
• Combine all of the following ingredients into a single bowl and mix well by hand: 2 cups of honey (flavored honey like orange honey is highly recommended), 1 cup melted margarine, 4 tablespoons fresh orange juice, 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, 1/2 cup apple juice, 1/2 cup wheat germ, 1/2 cup wheat flour, 4 cups rolled oats, 3 cups nuts of your choosing, 1 cup dried fruit of your choosing, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon kelp powder and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.
• Grease one 13x9 inch baking pan. Add the dough mixture to the pan and spread it out evenly.
• Bake for 20 minutes.
• Slice into thick cookie bars. This recipe makes approximately 24 large cookies.

An alternative energy cookie recipe can be found at iFood.tv.