Not a bread baker? No problem! Our Whole Grain Energy Cookies let you Bake a Difference, too. They're an excellent choice for bakers who are short on time but want to contribute something healthy and delicious to our local food pantries. Mix the dough in one bowl with a wooden spoon, and a batch of 32 cookies is done in just a few hours.
Ready to bake? Get the recipes:
New to our recipes? See Finding and Using Our Program Recipes.
Why we bake Energy Cookies
Bread is at the heart of Community Loaves, but not everyone has the time or confidence for a loaf. Our Energy Cookies open the door for more volunteers to bake and donate.
Like our bread, they're whole grain, delicious and equally appreciated by food bank clients. Each cookie is individually wrapped and labeled, a nourishing grab-and-go treat our food bank partners can share with their clients.
New and improved for Fall 2026
This fall we rolled out a new and improved Energy Cookie. The new cookie mix uses pasteurized sunflower seed flour and white whole wheat flour, in place of the almond meal and chickpea flour in our original mix. It bakes up just as delicious, and it costs bakers less.
Look for the New & Improved badge on the new labels. Each label lists the ingredients and includes a QR code that takes food bank clients to our full nutrition facts.
Still have some of the original mix? Use it with the matching Original recipe, which is available for a limited time.
It all starts with our signature cookie mix
Every Energy Cookie begins with the same signature cookie mix, blended by our volunteers at Flour Central:
- Whole grain pastry flour
- White whole wheat flour
- Rye flour
- Sunflower seed flour
- Oat flour
- Rolled oats
- Plus salt, cinnamon, baking powder and citric acid
Because every cookie starts with the same mix and is weighed to exactly 85 g, the nutrition is the same across the board, and we can share real nutrition facts with our food bank partners.
One bag of mix makes one batch of 32 cookies. Use the whole bag; there's no need to weigh it. Local bakers order the mix and packaging under Order Supplies. Direct Ship bakers receive a kit with three bags of mix plus packaging.
Two delicious flavors
- Blueberry Pecan, with toasted pecans, toasted cornmeal and dried blueberries
- Chocolate Cherry, with chocolate chips and dried sour cherries
You'll find both recipes in the Recipe Wizard. See Finding and Using Our Program Recipes.
Tip: Most dried sour cherries are lightly sweetened, and that's what we use. Look for them at Costco or Trader Joe's, and stock up when you see them.
Storing your cookie mix
Our cookie mix is shelf stable. Store it in a cool, dry place and use it within 3 months.
Make the dough ahead
The dough needs to rest at least 12 hours in the refrigerator so the whole grains can soak up the liquid. After that, you don't have to rush. The dough keeps up to 72 hours, so you can bake a tray or two over several evenings.
After about 72 hours, the dough starts to "seep," releasing liquid. That's a sign the grains are done hydrating, and it won't bake as well.
Keep the dough cold: portion only as many trays as you can bake in one round, and keep the rest covered in the refrigerator.
Packaging, freezing and donating
Each cookie goes in its own bakery-style sleeve with an Energy Cookie label. Once cooled and packaged, freeze your cookies until donation day.
How long they keep depends on your freezer. As with our bread, we recommend donating within 4–6 weeks.