These Dairy-Free Energy Cookies are a tasty treat to help you power through a busy day, tackle a big hike, or enjoy a long ride. In fact, these were originally called “Michigan Mountain Biking Cookies,” and the recipe was submitted by reader Kathy Bradbury.
Why Michigan Mountain Biking Cookies? I’m from Texas (pecans) and we live and bike in Michigan (Montmorency cherries). I’ve been trying to come up with the perfect mid-ride snack. Something that’s a bit healthy, tastes great, stays crunchy outside and chewy inside, won’t go off if it’s left in my car for two weeks and delivers a bit of caffeine for an energy boost. These cookies are life changing. Everybody loves them! Georgia Gould, the mountain biking bronze medalist in the London Olympics, says that these cookies “helped fuel her to victory” in the 2012 Iceman!
Ingredient Tips
For the most part, these cookies are pretty straight forward. But I do have some options to help with your ingredient selection.
- Oats: Kathy uses old-fashioned rolled oats for a more rustic cookie. You can use quick oats or part quick oats / part rolled oats for a gentler chew.
- Oil: Kathy uses peanut oil, but your favorite baking oil should work great. Non-GMO canola oil and extra-light olive oil are popular for cookies. Using oil helps to produce more consistent results.
- Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans: Many brands do contain dairy. Some great dairy-free varieties include Taza, Tierra Farm, and Bixby. If you can’t find any, you can make your own by simply coating espresso beans in your favorite dairy-free chocolate! Enjoy Life works great. You can use our Chocolate Covered Raisins Recipe as a guide. Or simply substitute a combination of crushed espresso beans and dairy-free chocolate chips for a different, but equally energizing vibe.
- Dried Cherries: Your favorite type will do. The cookies are sweet enough that you can choose sweet or tart dried cherries. For a different twist, substitute dried blueberries or raisins.
Egg Option: Kathy makes these cookies dairy-free, egg-free, and vegan with chia seeds. If you prefer cookies with eggs, you can use 2 eggs in place of the chia seeds and milk alternative. If the dough is too dry, just add a little milk alternative, as needed.
Special Diet Notes: Dairy-Free Energy Cookies
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, optionally peanut free, soy-free, vegan, and vegetarian. Just be sure to choose milk alternative and oil that suit your dietary needs.
Dairy-Free Energy Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Spread the pecans out on a baking sheet, and toast them in the oven for 10 minutes. Leave the oven on.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, chia seeds, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cloves.
- In a separate mixing bowl, beat together the sugars, oil, milk alternative, and vanilla until emulsified.
- Add the wet ingredients to the flour-oat mixture, and stir until combined.
- Coarsely chop the now cooled pecans.
- Fold the chopped pecans, espresso beans, and cherries into the cookie dough.
- Scoop the dough by the tablespoonful, roll each piece into a ball, and gently flatten them onto your prepared baking sheet, a couple inches apart.
- Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes, rotating the sheet about halfway. The cookies should be just golden brown. Be careful not to overbake them.
- When done, carefully slide the parchment with cookies onto cooling rack.
- Once cool, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer to preserve freshness.
2 Comments
Could you do a article for dairy free foods you can eat after braces?
Are you thinking more lists of whole foods, food products, or recipes?