Trail Mix Cookie Bars with Pumpkin and Cranberry

It’s that time of year – holiday baking time! If you’re like me, you love to make some old favorites, and then sprinkle in a couple of new cookies and bars too. That’s how these Trail Mix Cookie Bars with Pumpkin and Cranberry entered the picture. I took all the best parts of trail mix – dried fruit, nuts, m&ms, and chocolate chips, and added them to sweet oatmeal-pumpkin bars.

It’s that time of year – holiday baking time! If you’re like me, you love to make some old favorites, and then sprinkle in a couple of new cookies and bars too. That’s how these Trail Mix Cookie Bars with Pumpkin and Cranberry entered the picture. I took all the best parts of trail mix – dried fruit, nuts, m&ms, and chocolate chips, and added them to sweet oatmeal-pumpkin bars.

The result? Deliciously soft, chewy bars with hints of chocolate and fruit; the perfect holiday treat! My whole family has been loving these bars – and they make a ton, so they’re great for gifting! Give them a try on your holiday dessert table or make them for your favorite people to enjoy.

Trail Mix Cookie Bars with Pumpkin and Cranberry – the Ingredients

The ingredients for these bars look a lot like you’re about to make a batch of your favorite trail mix or granola! Here’s a quick-reference grocery list:

• 2 sticks of butter
• brown sugar
• an egg
• a can of pure pumpkin puree (NOT PIE MIX)
• flour
• old-fashioned oats
• chocolate chips
• dried cranberries
• m&ms
• walnuts
• and vanilla, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice

Making the Pumpkin Cranberry Trail Mix Bars

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 13×9 baking dish with cooking spray.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together 2 sticks of butter and 1 cup of packed brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Mix in the egg yolk, pure vanilla extract, and the pumpkin puree. *Note: This does have a strong pumpkin flavor. If you want the health benefits of the pumpkin without so much flavor, decrease the pumpkin amount by 1/2 cup and add the whole egg instead of just the yolk. 

Sprinkle baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt over the top of the wet ingredients and mix briefly.

Add the flour and oats in alternating amounts, mixing in between. Start and end with the flour. Add 1 cup of all purpose flour and stir to combine. Add 1 cup of oats and stir. Alternate with flour, oats, flour to finish adding, mixing in between.

Gently stir in dried cranberries, m&ms, chopped walnuts, and chocolate chips. When they’re fully combined, spread the Trail Mix Bar batter into sprayed 13×9 pan. Use the back of the spoon or spatula to smooth and level the batter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 33-40 minutes, or until the edges are browned and the center is set. Remove from oven and let cool completely before cutting into 24 bars.

*Note: If you cut these bars before they cool, they are likely to crumble and fall apart. The pumpkin makes them moist, and moist bars need to cool and set before cutting. 

Tips/Tricks/Substitutions

• I don’t have pumpkin pie spice. Do I have to go buy it? No – pumpkin pie spice is just a mix of common baking spices. To make the equivalent of 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, just use 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon each of ginger, nutmeg and cloves. 
• Are the nuts optional? Sure. The walnuts add a nice crunch – and they’re a basic ingredient for trail mix, so I’ve included them. But if you have nut allergies or just lots of people that don’t like nuts, you can leave them out entirely or replace them with extra chocolate chips or cranberries. 
• Do you have some other favorite cookies I should include on my holiday plates? I sure do! How about these White Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cookies or these 5 Ingredient Lemon Cookies? My Cranberry White Chocolate Bars are a favorite Starbucks copy cat, and these Chai-Spiced Honey Cookies are probably my favorite cookies ever!

When you make these Trail Mix Cookie Bars with Pumpkin and Cranberry, be sure to take a photo and post it on Instagram. Make sure to tag me (@biscuitsandgrading)! I can’t wait to see it! 

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