These cookies are so full of dried fruits, nuts, sunflower seeds, and whole grains that you can practically delude yourself that they are healthy. Pay no attention to the butter behind the curtain. I’m not calculating the nutritional information, there are some delusions I prefer to keep.

Trail Mix Cookies

based on Nancy Atherton’s Calico Cookies (from the Aunt Dimity Novels)

Preheat oven to350°F. Ovens vary, 375°F works better for me.

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (or 3/4 cup AP flour and 3/4 cup whole wheat)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
pinch of salt
2 ½ cups oatmeal

2 to 4 cups of add-ins such as:

• dried fruits (raisins, cranberries, cherries, blueberries, apricots, pineapple, papaya – diced into smallish pieces where appropriate)
• nuts (macadamia nuts, sliced or slivered almonds, chopped cashews, pecans, peanuts, walnuts)
• sunflower seeds, coconut, toffee bits
• chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips

As you can see, the possibilities are practically endless. I am on the 4 cups (or even more) side of the add-ins. I like my cookies stuffed with stuff. Do as you please! You may need to flatten the cookies a bit before baking if you have lots of stuff in them.

Using the creaming method, cream together sugar and butter until aerated, add eggs, vanilla and almond extract. Beat well. Mix flour and cinnamon, ginger, baking soda and salt together, gradually add to the butter mixture. I recommend a good heavy stand mixer. Add in the oatmeal and mix well. Then fold in whichever add-ins you like, mix until just combined.

Place tablespoons of dough on a cookie sheet lined with a silicon baking liner or parchment paper. Bake 10-12 minutes or until done.

Dough holds well in the fridge, just let come to room temperature before baking. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Some of my ideas I haven’t tried yet – and will have to wait for a while. Too many days of cookie baking makes Zazzy a comatose girl.

• dried cherries, sliced almonds, dark chocolate chips
• dried blueberries and candied pecans
• granola (instead of oats) with raisins and dates

Can anyone think of some other tasty combinations?