animal crackers

ABOUT 70 COOKIES

Tiny animal cookie cutters are available in many kitchen supply stores or online. If you don’t have any, you can still make these subtly sweet, toddler favorites and cut them out into squares or small rounds using the back end of a pastry tip. Or even make them with larger cutters instead of the traditional mini ones.

¾ cup (90 grams) whole-grain spelt or whole-wheat flour

¼ cup (30 grams) all-purpose flour

½ cup (60 grams) oat or cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon cane sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon allspice

4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

¼ cup (2 ounces) honey

1 tablespoon milk

1 egg white

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 to 2 drops lemon or orange extract

Combine the whole-grain spelt flour, all-purpose flour, oat flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and allspice in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the dough blade (or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment) and pulse several times to mix thoroughly. Drop in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time and pulse to create a crumbly mixture.

In a small bowl, combine the honey, milk, egg white, vanilla, and lemon extract together. Then, with the food processor running, drizzle in the liquid mixture until the mixture starts to stick together. You may have a little left over.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. On a generously floured surface, pull the dough together into a ball. It might be a bit sticky, so flour your hands well. Roll the dough to a little more than ¼ inch thick, being careful to keep the dough from sticking to the counter by turning and brushing with more flour as needed. Using the cookie cutters of your choice, cut out crackers and place them on the prepared baking sheets ½ inch apart. Cover the baking sheets with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes (or in the freezer for 10 minutes).

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the crackers until they are lightly golden at the edges, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through baking. Remove the crackers from the baking sheets and cool on a wire rack.

For gluten-free Animal Crackers, replace the whole-grain spelt and all-purpose flours with an equal amount of gluten-free all-purpose baking mix. Roll out the dough between two pieces of parchment for easier rolling.

For vegan Animal Crackers, replace the butter with an equal amount of coconut oil; the honey with an equal amount of agave syrup; the egg white with 1 teaspoon freshly ground chia or flaxseed and 3 tablespoons water; and the milk with 1 tablespoon almond milk.

graham crackers

16 TO 18 CRACKERS

Graham crackers get their name from Rev. Sylvester Graham, a Presbyterian minister who developed the digestive biscuits made with a combination of whole-wheat and white flours (now known as graham flour) to suppress what he considered to be “unhealthy urges.” The reverend would likely wholly disapprove of this recipe, as these biscuits are hardly bland. Subtle in flavor, perhaps, and packed with whole grains, these cookies bake up crisp so that they hold up to all sorts of decadent fillings and coatings. They’re also great on their own.

¼ cup (30 grams) white spelt or all-purpose flour

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces

¾ cup (90 grams) graham or whole-wheat flour

½ cup (60 grams) barley or brown rice flour

¼ cup (60 grams) turbinado or cane sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ cup (2 ounces) honey

3 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place the white spelt flour in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and add the butter. Mix until smooth, about 2 minutes.

Mix together the graham flour, barley flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda and stir into the butter mixture until crumbly, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and mix again.

In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, milk, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, drizzle the mixture slowly into the bowl of the stand mixer. Mix just until the dough comes together, about 1 minute. It will be sticky.

Pull the dough into a ball, and then divide into 2 pieces. Press each dough ball into a 1-inch-thick disk or rectangle, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes, or up to 48 hours.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment and set aside.

Working with one piece at a time, place the dough onto a well-floured surface. Roll out the dough until it is ⅛ inch thick. Apply additional flour liberally as needed to keep the dough from sticking to the surface or the rolling pin.

Using a toothpick or fork, prick the dough all over. Cut the crackers into 2-by-4-inch rectangles or use a cookie cutter to punch out each one. Place each cracker on the prepared baking sheet, leaving at least ½ inch between crackers. Chill the baking sheet for at least 30 minutes. Repeat with the second half of the dough.

While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake until the crackers are golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes, rotating after 10 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

For gluten-free Graham Crackers, replace the all-purpose and graham flours with an equal amount of gluten-free all-purpose baking mix. Roll out the dough between two pieces of parchment for easier rolling.

For vegan Graham Crackers, replace the butter with an equal amount of coconut oil; the honey with an equal amount of agave syrup; and the milk with 3 tablespoons almond milk.

moon pies

6 TO 8 MOON PIES

My ninth-grade Algebra teacher, Mr. Stevens, had a special way of getting students’ attention when they were lazily looking out the window. He’d let the room get quiet and then he would yell, “What are you dreaming about? Moon pies and RC Cola?!!” It quickly became one of my most vivid food memories. A moon pie is basically a s’more: marshmallow crème sandwiched between two graham crackers and dipped in chocolate. Once you’ve tried one, you’ll probably be dreaming about them, too.

½ recipe Graham Crackers (this page)

1 cup Marshmallow Crème (this page) or Snack Cake Crème (this page)

¼ cup Caramel Sauce (this page) (optional)

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

Prepare the Graham Crackers, cutting out 3-inch-diameter rounds, and cool completely. Test for crispness. If they aren’t very crisp, bake them for a few more minutes and cool again. They need to be quite crisp to hold up to the Marshmallow Crème without getting soggy.

Line a baking sheet with parchment or place a piece of parchment on the counter. Spread one side of half of the grahams with a nice dollop of Marshmallow Crème. Add 1 teaspoon of Caramel Sauce if you wish. Top with the remaining grahams. Give a gentle twist to seal, being careful not to break the grahams. Place the filled grahams on the parchment and let them sit while you make the chocolate coating.

Bring a pot of water to a simmer. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over the simmering water and stir to melt. If you prefer, you can melt the chocolate in the microwave; using 50 percent power, heat the chocolate, stopping to stir every 30 seconds, until it is melted.

Use a spoon to cover the tops and sides of each cookie with melted chocolate. Let the cookies set for at least 1 hour in a cool spot (or the refrigerator) before you touch them or you’ll end up with a mighty mess.

For gluten-free Moon Pies, use the gluten-free variation of the Graham Crackers.

For vegan Moon Pies, use the vegan variations of the Graham Crackers, Snack Cake Crème, and Caramel Sauce.

crème-stuffed chocolate cookies

ABOUT 40 COOKIES

There are two types of people in this world: those who eat their Oreos in one piece and those who carefully twist them open to expose their delicious insides, lick them clean, and then dunk the dark chocolate wafers into milk until they are perfectly soggy. Guess which one I am.

Cookies:

½ cup (60 grams) whole-wheat pastry flour

¼ cup (30 grams) teff or whole-wheat flour

⅓ cup (26 grams) cocoa powder

½ cup (100 grams) loosely packed muscavado or cane sugar

Pinch of salt

Pinch of baking soda

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter

1 tablespoon whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling:

4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

1 cup (130 grams) powdered sugar

To make the cookies, combine the whole-wheat pastry flour, teff flour, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the dough blade (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment). Pulse several times to mix thoroughly. Drop in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time and pulse to create a crumbly mixture. Then, with the food processor running, drizzle in the milk and vanilla. Mix until the mixture starts to stick together, about 1 minute.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment and set aside.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out the dough until it is a little less than ¼ inch thick. Use a 1- to 2-inch round cookie cutter to cut out the cookies (you can reroll any scraps). Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until set, 10 to 12 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before filling.

While the cookies are baking, make the filling. With a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth, about 1 minute. Gradually add the powdered sugar until fully incorporated.

Spread about 1 teaspoon of filling on half of the cooled cookies. Top with the remaining cookies and gently twist to seal. Let sit for 10 minutes before indulging.

For gluten-free Crème-Stuffed Chocolate Cookies, replace the whole-wheat pastry flour with an equal amount of gluten-free all-purpose baking mix. Roll out the dough between two pieces of parchment for easier rolling.

For vegan Crème-Stuffed Chocolate Cookies, replace the butter with an equal amount of coconut oil and the milk with an equal amount of almond milk.

vanilla wafers

25 TO 35 COOKIES

To boost the vanilla flavor in these wafers, I stir in the seeds from one half of a vanilla bean. Vanilla beans can vary wildly in intensity and flavor. I look for fair trade, organic vanilla beans that are still moist and highly fragrant, from companies like Amadeus Vanilla Beans (AmadeusVanillaBeans.com).

⅔ cup (75 grams) white spelt or all-purpose flour

¼ cup (30 grams) sweet rice or all-purpose flour

⅓ cup (90 grams) cane sugar

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Seeds from ½ vanilla bean

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 egg yolks

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment and set aside.

Sift the white spelt flour and sweet rice flour together and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix the sugar, baking powder, salt, vanilla, and vanilla bean seeds until combined. Add the melted butter and mix to combine. Add the egg yolks and whip until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed just until incorporated. The dough may be a bit stiff.

Scoop or pipe 1-inch rounds onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving at least 1 inch between rounds. For even tops, press down any little peaks that form with a moistened finger.

Bake until lightly golden around the edges, about 10 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through baking. Cool completely on a wire rack. Once cooled, store in a loosely covered container for up to 2 weeks.

For gluten-free Vanilla Wafers, replace the white spelt flour with an equal amount of gluten-free all-purpose baking mix.

For vegan Vanilla Wafers, replace the butter with an equal amount of coconut oil and the egg yolks with 1 teaspoon freshly ground chia or flaxseed and 3 tablespoons water.

sugar wafers

25 TO 28 SANDWICH COOKIES

How something that so closely resembles Styrofoam can be appealing just goes to show you how mixed up our food desires have become. And yet there is something about the crisp crunch and flavors more of color than of food that I personally can’t resist. To make your own, you’ll need a special cookie iron called a krumkake iron. A pizzelle maker will also work, but you won’t have the same waffle texture on both sides. You can use the krumkake iron to make your own ice cream cones, too.

¾ cup (90 grams) all-purpose flour

1 cup (120 grams) ground millet or cake flour

¼ cup (30 grams) sweet rice flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoon powdered sugar

Pinch of baking soda

Pinch of salt

1½ cups (12 ounces) water

2 tablespoons safflower oil

Natural food coloring (optional)

1 cup Crème-Stuffed Chocolate Cookie filling (this page) or Chocolate Hazelnut Spread (this page) (optional)

Sift the all-purpose flour, ground millet flour, sweet rice flour, cornstarch, powdered sugar, baking soda, and salt together into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

In a small bowl, mix the water, oil, and a drop or two of food coloring, if using (don’t worry that the water and oil won’t combine). Then, with the mixer on low speed, slowly add to the flour mixture, mixing until the batter is smooth and pourable, like a thin pancake batter, about 2 minutes. Beat for an additional 2 minutes, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes.

Prepare your cookie iron with a light coating of cooking spray and preheat it. Once the iron is preheated, pour 2 tablespoons of batter onto the iron and follow the manufacturer’s directions for cooking. You want your wafers to turn lightly golden brown and be very crisp. If they come out of the iron a bit moist, they will remain limp as they cool. If this happens, place them in a 200°F oven for about 30 minutes or until they firm up. Let the wafers cool completely on a wire rack before using.

For filled wafer cookies, simply spread half the cooled wafers with the filling of your choice. Top with the remaining wafers.

For gluten-free Sugar Wafers, replace the all-purpose flour with an equal amount of gluten-free all-purpose baking mix.

These wafers are naturally vegan.

peanut butter crème cookies

15 TO 20 SANDWICH COOKIES

Although these peanut butter cookies may not have the traditional Nutter Butter shape, they are just as tasty. For best results, use freshly ground peanut butter. It’s easy to make your own at home in a food processor, or you can freshly grind your own in many supermarkets.

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided

½ cup (120 grams) unsweetened creamy peanut butter, divided

½ cup (65 grams) powdered sugar

½ cup (60 grams) white spelt or white whole-wheat flour

¼ cup (30 grams) oat flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons coconut or cane sugar

1 egg white

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat 4 tablespoons of the butter, ¼ cup of the peanut butter, and the powdered sugar until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer the cookie filling to a small bowl and set aside.

Sift the white spelt flour, oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together and set aside.

In the same mixer bowl, beat the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, the remaining ¼ cup peanut butter, the honey, and the sugar until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the egg white and vanilla and beat on medium-high speed until light, about 2 minutes. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until well blended.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Fill a cookie press fitted with your choice of cutter disc and chill for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. Press out cookies onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving at least 1 inch between cookies. If you don’t have a cookie press, cover the dough with plastic wrap, chill, and scoop out teaspoon-sized rounds. Flatten each of the rounds with the bottom of a cup.

Bake until golden on the edges, 5 to 10 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking. Cool completely on a wire rack before filling.

Spread the reserved cookie filling on the flat sides of half of the cookies and top with the remaining cookies.

For gluten-free Peanut Butter Crème Cookies, replace the white spelt flour with an equal amount of gluten-free all-purpose baking mix.

For vegan Peanut Butter Crème Cookies, replace the butter with an equal amount of coconut oil; the honey with an equal amount of maple syrup; and the egg white with 1 teaspoon ground chia or flaxseed and 3 tablespoons water.

figgy cookies

20 TO 25 COOKIES

My version of the Fig Newton takes its inspiration from Kim Boyce, owner of BAKESHOP in Portland, Oregon. Her lovely, malty buckwheat fig scones look rather outrageous—they resemble purple pastry snail shells—but they are heavenly. So don’t be scared when these fig cookies aren’t their normal shade of tan; along with the slightly purple tint comes a cookie so tender and jammy, you’ll never think of the originals again.

Filling:

10 dried figs, stems removed

½ cup (4 ounces) hot water

¼ cup (2 ounces) honey

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

Pinch of salt

1½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

¼ cup (2 ounces) port or red wine (optional)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Cookies:

1½ cups (190 grams) whole-wheat pastry flour

¾ cup (90 grams) buckwheat flour

¼ cup (50 grams) coconut or cane sugar

Pinch of baking powder

Pinch of salt

4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces

½ cup (4 ounces) heavy cream

To make the filling, in a small saucepan soak the figs in the hot water for 15 minutes. Add the honey and cook the figs over medium-low heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until the syrup is a light caramel color, about 10 minutes. Add the cinnamon, cardamom, salt, lemon juice, and port, if using. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the figs are softened and the liquid has become thick, about 10 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and cool to room temperature. When the mixture has cooled completely, transfer it to the bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth. Add the butter and pulse to blend. Store the filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

To make the cookies, sift the whole-wheat pastry flour, buckwheat flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the dough blade (or into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment). Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Then, with the food processor running, slowly stream in the cream. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and form it into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until the dough is firm, about 30 minutes.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment and set aside. Lightly flour a piece of parchment. Set the chilled dough onto the parchment, lightly flour, and top with another piece of parchment. Roll the dough out to a 12-by-16-inch rectangle. Then cut the dough into four 12-by-4-inch strips. Spoon the fig filling into the middle of each strip, and then fold the long edges together, pinching to seal. Place the logs onto the prepared baking sheets, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Cut each chilled log into 2-inch cookies and place back on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between cookies. Bake until firm and a touch golden, about 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack before serving.

For gluten-free Figgy Cookies, replace the whole-wheat pastry flour with an equal amount of gluten-free all-purpose baking mix.

For vegan Figgy Cookies, replace the honey with an equal amount of maple syrup; the butter with an equal amount of coconut oil; and the heavy cream with an equal amount of almond or coconut milk. You can leave out the butter in the figgy filling.

chocolate and orange wafers

16 TO 20 COOKIES

Don’t you love it when a mistake turns into something amazing? Rumor has it that Pepperidge Farm’s Milano cookies came to be because their predecessor, Naples, got stuck together in transit. Sandwiching two of the chocolate-dipped wafers solved that problem and created an entirely new cookie. I have a particular weakness for the chocolate–orange and chocolate–mint versions. For Chocolate and Mint Wafers (similar to Mint Milanos), replace the orange zest with 2 drops of peppermint oil and the orange juice with milk.

½ cup (60 grams) white whole-wheat flour or all-purpose flour

½ cup (60 grams) white spelt flour or all-purpose flour

½ cup (60 grams) ground millet or cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon kosher salt

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

½ cup (110 grams) powdered sugar, sifted

2 large egg whites

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

¼ cup (2 ounces) orange juice

¼ cup (2 ounces) heavy cream

6 ounces semisweet or milk chocolate, chopped

Zest from 1 orange

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Sift the white whole-wheat flour, white spelt flour, ground millet flour, baking powder, and salt together and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and powdered sugar together until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg whites and beat another minute until light. Stir in the vanilla and orange juice. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed just until incorporated.

Scoop the dough into a piping bag fitted with a medium plain tip (#806) and refrigerate for 5 minutes. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Pipe ½-by-2-inch ovals onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving at least 1 inch between cookies (don’t skimp on the room between cookies, as they will spread and rise as they bake).

Bake until lightly golden on the edges, about 8 to 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through baking. Cool on a wire rack.

While the cookies are baking, make the filling. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat just until steaming. Remove the pot from the heat and add the chocolate. Whisk until smooth, then stir in the orange zest or peppermint oil.

Spread ½ tablespoon of the filling on the flat side of one cookie and then sandwich with the flat side of another. Repeat with the remaining cookies.

For gluten-free Chocolate and Orange Wafers, replace the white whole-wheat and white spelt flours with an equal amount of gluten-free all-purpose baking mix.

For vegan Chocolate and Orange Wafers, replace the butter with an equal amount of coconut oil; the egg whites with 1 teaspoon freshly ground chia or flaxseed mixed with ¼ cup water; and the heavy cream with an equal amount of coconut cream.

chocolate mint wafers

ABOUT 40 COOKIES

There’s one week out of the year when you should absolutely not think about making these homemade chocolaty mint cookies: when the Girl Scouts come around. The rest of the year? Go for it.

Wafers:

¾ cup (90 grams) whole-wheat pastry flour

⅓ cup (26 grams) cocoa powder

½ cup (100 grams) muscavado or brown sugar

Pinch of salt

Pinch of baking soda

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 to 2 tablespoons whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon peppermint extract

Coating:

16 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter

1¼ teaspoons peppermint extract

¼ teaspoon salt

To make the cookies, combine the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the dough blade (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment). Pulse several times to mix thoroughly. Drop in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time and pulse to create a crumbly mixture. Then, with the food processor running, drizzle in 1 tablespoon of milk, vanilla, and peppermint. Mix until the mixture starts to stick together, about 1 minute. If the mixture seems too dry, drizzle in the other tablespoon of milk.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Pull the dough together into a ball—it might be a bit sticky, so flour your hands well. Form the dough into a log that is about 1 inch in diameter and wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least 15 minutes, or up to 1 week (if storing for longer than a day, let the dough warm until it is a little pliable before you slice it).

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Slice the log into ¼-inch-thick discs. You can slice the discs slightly thinner or thicker if you wish—thinner cookies will be more crisp and thicker ones will be more firm. Place the cookies about 1 inch apart on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before coating.

While the cookies are cooling, make the coating. Bring a pot of water to a simmer. Place the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over the simmering water and stir to melt. Once the chocolate is melted, stir in the peppermint extract and salt. Dip each wafer into the melted chocolate and place on waxed paper to set in a cool spot (or in the refrigerator) before eating.

For gluten-free Chocolate Mint Wafers, replace the whole-wheat pastry flour with an equal amount of gluten-free all-purpose baking mix.

For vegan Chocolate Mint Wafers, replace the butter with an equal amount of coconut oil and the milk with an equal amount of almond, coconut, or rice milk.

cereal bars

10 TO 15 BARS

These cereal bars are made with my favorite ingredients, but this is one of the most easily customizable recipes you can make. Swap out the nuts, the cereal, the fruit, or the seeds and you have a whole new bar. Feel free to play!

1 cup (150 grams) pecans, crushed

1 cup (100 grams) rolled oats

¼ cup (45 grams) flaxseed

⅓ cup (50 grams) pumpkin seeds

⅔ cup (120 grams) muscavado or brown sugar

½ cup (4 ounces) honey

4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups (50 grams) puffed rice cereal

½ cup (60 grams) dried cranberries

1 batch (about 1 cup) Yogurt Coating (this page) or 2 cups tempered or melted chocolate (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Place the pecans, oats, flaxseed, and pumpkin seeds on a parchment-lined baking sheet and toast until fragrant, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, honey, butter, and salt and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Continue to simmer until the mixture is melted and slightly thickened, 4 to 5 minutes, remove from heat, and stir in the vanilla. Drizzle the sugar mixture onto the toasted nut mixture. Add the puffed rice cereal and cranberries and stir to coat.

Line a high-sided baking pan with parchment, extending the parchment over the sides of the pan to create handles. Spread the cereal mixture evenly in the pan, cover with a second sheet of parchment or waxed paper, and press down with a second pan or the bottom of a glass to compress. Let the mixture set, still covered with parchment, for about 2 hours.

Lift the set mixture out of the pan by the parchment and place it on a cutting board. Cut into bars. Dip each bar into the Yogurt Coating or melted chocolate, if desired, and let them set on waxed paper before eating.

These bars are naturally gluten-free, if using gluten-free rolled oats.

For vegan Cereal Bars, replace the honey with an equal amount of maple, brown rice, or yacon syrup and the butter with 2 tablespoons coconut oil.