These easy, flourless Cranberry & Mixed Nut Cookies are a great healthy, gluten-free, and vegan treat! Delicious toasted nuts and seeds with fruit, coated in sweet maple syrup and cinnamon, baked to perfection. This nutritious recipe is entirely customisable – make it with any dried fruit or nuts you’d like!
Imagine a cookie that’s healthy and delicious; that’s what you get with this recipe! These vegan, super seedy nut cookies are easy and perfect for sugar cravings or unexpected visitors. Made with mixed nuts, whole grains and seeds, these flourless nut cookies are also an excellent option for breakfast on the go or as a snack.
These nut cookies are crunchy and nutty, with cinnamon, cranberries and a touch of maple syrup for a subtle sweetness that doesn’t overpower the natural flavours of the nuts and seeds.
Why these are the BEST Nut Cookies
- They are sweet without being overly sweet.
- They are super easy to make!
- Are customisable – choose whichever nuts or dried fruit you’d like!
- Will leave you feeling full – so there is less risk of raiding the fridge afterwards.
- Uses everyday ingredients that you’ll readily find at the supermarkets.
- Are budget friendly – costs roughly AUD$8.15 (~USD5.45) to make.
- Are more nutritious than other cookies and breakfast biscuits.
Both homemade and store-bought cookies are often high in sugar, fat, cholesterol, and are low in dietary fibre. They are classified as a discretionary food, or what you would call a sometimes food, as they provide little nutrition that our bodies need. These nut cookies are the opposite, as they are made from whole foods.
Benefits of nuts
Nuts are a fantastic source of nutrients and come with many benefits, such as:
- Are a good source of plant-based protein, which helps grow and repair our body cells, maintains our muscles as we age, and is used as part of a strong immune system.
- Some contain a good amount of dietary fibre, which may prevent constipation, help us feel fuller for longer by slowing down the passage of food through our digestive system, and provides fuel for our gut bacteria.
- Are chock full of unsaturated fats, such as omega-3 and omega-6, which, when eaten in place of saturated fats may help lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.
- They contain no cholesterol!
- Are loaded with antioxidants, which help to reduce cell damage and bodily inflammation, known as oxidative stress, by neutralising free radicals.
It is important to note that while nuts have their benefits, they contain a lot of fat, making them high in calories. As with most foods, nuts are best eaten in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
Which nuts are best for cookies?
There is no right or wrong answer as to which nuts are best for your cookies, and it all comes down to your preferences and budget. I used almonds, cashews and walnuts, as they have great flavours and are more budget friendly than other nuts.
Recipe suitability
These nut cookies contain a moderate amount of fibre, at 4g per serve, which is beneficial for supporting your gut health. They also contain moderate protein, at 7.5g per serve. While these cookies are not low in fat, these are mostly healthy fats from the nuts. However, they are low in cholesterol and sodium, so I would consider heart friendly at no more than 2 serves (2 cookies). If you remove the cranberries, they will be low GI and contain less than 15g of carbs per serve, making them diabetes friendly. They are also gluten-free and vegan.
Ingredients for Nut Cookies
- Almonds – Are a wonderful source of calcium (particularly with the skin on), which is used for maintaining strong bones and helps our nerves carry messages between the brain and other parts of the body.
- Cashews – Are high in copper, which helps maintain nervous and immune system function, and manganese, which is used to maintain strong bones and assists with blood clotting. However, cashews are naturally higher in saturated fats than other nuts.
- Walnuts – Contains omega-3 fatty acids, an essential fat that we can only get from food, which is used to make the membranes and gives structure to our body cells.
- Pepitas / Pumpkin seeds – For extra crunch.
- Oats – A wonderful wholegrain with a good amount of dietary fibre, protein and many vitamins and minerals.
- Sunflower seeds – Contains vitamin B6, which is involved in over 100 metabolic enzyme reactions, and iron, which makes haemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that transport oxygen around the body.
- Linseeds / Flaxseeds – Are loaded with magnesium, which our bodies use in enzyme reactions for making proteins, muscle and nerve function, and blood pressure regulation.
- Sesame seeds – Adds extra nuttiness whilst also containing calcium and iron.
- Maple syrup – Adds a touch of sweetness. However, maple syrup does contain quite a bit of sugar and is best eaten in moderation.
- Dried cranberries – Adds a light burst of tart and sweetness. Dried fruit are much more concentrated in sugar than fresh fruit and are best eaten in moderation.
- Flaxseed meal – Acts like a binder and gives structure to the cookies, similar to egg.
- Cinnamon – Adds a warm and woody flavour and makes the cookies smell heavenly!
How to make Nut Cookies
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F.
- Add the dried cranberries to a bowl and cover them with boiling water. Allow the cranberries to soak for 10-15 minutes or until they are rehydrated. Once they look nice and plump, drain the cranberries and roughly chop them.
- While the cranberries are soaking, roughly chop the nuts. Add the chopped nuts, cranberries and the seeds into a large bowl.
- Combine the maple syrup with 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Pour the maple syrup over the mixed nuts and seeds and stir well to coat.
- Quickly add the ground cinnamon and flaxseed meal to the bowl and stir well to mix. Let the nut mixture sit for 5 minutes, as this will allow the flaxseed meal to absorb the liquid and thicken.
- Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Place an egg ring on top of the baking paper, spoon the sticky mixed nuts into the ring and press down firmly with the back of the spoon to make the nut cookies even. Gently lift and remove the egg ring. If your cookie is stuck inside the egg ring, use the back of a large metal spoon to gently push the cookie out of the ring. Repeat this step with the remaining nut mix. My egg rings are 7.5cm x1.5cm, which I got in a 2-pack from Woolworths. I filled the egg rings to the brim for chunky cookies, but you can make them thinner.
- Place the baking tray in the oven and bake for 16-18 minutes or until the nut cookies are lightly golden.
- Remove the baked nut cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely before removing from the tray. Important: Removing the nut cookies while they are hot will cause them to crumble, so they must be cooled completely before picking them up!
Storage
These cookies will keep in an airtight container on the counter for up to 1 week. If it’s very hot/humid where you are, I recommend keeping them in the fridge.
These cookies will also freeze well for up to 1 month. Separate the cookies with freezer paper/plastic go-between sheets before putting them into the freezer. Otherwise, they may stick together.
Frequently asked questions
Absolutely! Raw nuts are a great option for nut cookies because they come with no extra salt/sodium or other food flavours or additives.
No need to toast the nuts first, as they will naturally become toasted while baking the nut cookies in the oven.
I do not recommend soaking the nuts, as they will become soft and mushy. This excess moisture will likely prevent the nut cookies from holding their shape after baking.
Most fresh fruit will likely be too moist for this recipe and will cause the nut cookies to fall apart after they’ve been baked. However, you can make your own dried fruit in your oven.
Yes you can! Just replace some of the maple syrup with extra water.
Substitutes & variations
- Other sweeteners – You can use any liquid sweetener as long as it has the same consistency as maple syrup. Honey and golden syrup will have a similar taste. In contrast, rice malt syrup contains less sugar, so your nut cookies will not be as sweet.
- Other spices – Ground nutmeg, ginger or clove could also work in addition to cinnamon.
- Other nuts – Just about any type of nut will work for this recipe, so it’s up to you and what fits in with your budget.
- Other seeds – You can add chia seeds, poppy seeds or black sesame seeds.
- Other dried fruit – Raisins, dried apples, dried apricots, dried goji berries or just about any soft, dried fruit should work. Preferably unsweetened, double check the ingredients list to see whether sugar has been added to your dried fruit.
- Dark chocolate – Melt some 1/4 cup of dark chocolate with 2-3 tsp of extra virgin olive oil, coat the bottoms of the nut cookies and place them in the fridge to set chocolate side up.
Other dietary
These nut cookies are not suitable for someone with nut allergies.
Gluten-free – These cookies are gluten-free, as they are made without flour. However, it’s always good to double check your ingredients to make sure they are certified as gluten-free and do not mention any potential cross-contamination. It is important to note that oats in Australia are not allowed to be labelled gluten-free by law. However, you could use quinoa flakes as an alternative.
Diabetes friendly – Just leave out the dried fruit. The remaining ingredients are low GI and will reduce the amount of carbohydrates to just under 15g per cookie.
Tips
I do not recommend using salted nuts. This will add a lot of sodium and will likely overpower the sweetness of the maple syrup.
I found that compressing them to make a flat surface helps the cookies hold together more once baked.
It is important to note that most dried fruit available in supermarkets (at least in Australia) are sweetened with added sugars. So if you want to cut back on sugar, use dried fruit without added sugar (if you can find it) or leave it out.
Looking for more healthy sweets?
Check out my other healthy sweet recipes:
- A sweet, tropical Carribbean Spiced Pineapple Slice
- A simple and healthy Super Nutty Apple Cinnamon Bread
- Easy Lemon Baked Doughnuts with White Chocolate Glaze
Hungry for more?
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Ingredients
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries, preferably unsweetened (Note 3)
- 2/3 cup unsalted almonds (Note 4)
- 2/3 cup unsalted cashews (Note 4)
- 2/3 cup unsalted walnuts (Note 4)
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds / pepitas
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
- 2 tbsp linseeds / flaxseeds
- 1 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 2 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 1/2 tbsp flaxseed meal
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F.
- Add the dried cranberries to a bowl and cover them with boiling water. Allow the cranberries to soak for 10-15 minutes or until they are rehydrated. Once they look nice and plump, drain the cranberries and roughly chop them.
- While the cranberries are soaking, roughly chop the nuts. Add the chopped nuts, cranberries and the seeds into a large bowl.
- Combine the maple syrup with 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Pour the maple syrup over the mixed nuts and seeds and stir well to coat.
- Quickly add the ground cinnamon and flaxseed meal to the bowl and stir well to mix. Let the nut mixture sit for 5 minutes, as this will allow the flaxseed meal to absorb the liquid and thicken.
- Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Place an egg ring on top of the baking paper, spoon the sticky mixed nuts into the ring and press down firmly with the back of the spoon to make the nut cookies even. Gently lift and remove the egg ring. If your cookie is stuck inside the egg ring, use the back of a large metal spoon to gently push the cookie out of the ring. Repeat this step with the remaining nut mix. My egg rings are 7.5cm x1.5cm, which I got in a 2-pack from Woolworths. I filled the egg rings to the brim for chunky cookies, but you can make them thinner.
- Place the baking tray in the oven and bake for 16-18 minutes or until the nut cookies are lightly golden.
- Remove the baked nut cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely beforeremoving from the tray. Important: Removing the nut cookies while they are hot will cause them to crumble, so they must be cooled completely before picking them up!
Notes
- Health benefits - Details regarding the benefits of nuts and other ingredients in this recipe are in the post above.
- Instructions with photos - Detailed in the post above.
- Cranberries - Can be substituted for any other soft dried fruit.
- Nuts - I used almonds, cashews and walnuts, as they have great flavours and are more budget friendly than other nuts. However, this recipe should work with any types of nuts.
- Gluten-free – These cookies are gluten-free, as they are made without flour. However, it’s always good to double check your ingredients to make sure they are certified as gluten-free and do not mention any potential cross-contamination. It is important to note that oats in Australia are not allowed to be labelled gluten-free by law.
- Diabetes friendly – Just leave out the dried fruit. The remaining ingredients are low GI and will reduce the amount of carbohydrates to just under 15g per cookie.
- Storage - These cookies will keep in an airtight container on the counter for up to 1 week. If it’s very hot/humid where you are, I recommend keeping them in the fridge. These cookies will also freeze well for up to 1 month. Separate the cookies with freezer paper/plastic go-between sheets before putting them into the freezer. Otherwise, they may stick together.
- Measurements - A reminder that all measurements in this recipe were made using Australian cups (250ml) and tablespoons (20ml).
- Nutrition - Calculated per serve, assuming 12 serves.