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    Home » Recipes » Desserts » Cowboy Cookies

    Cowboy Cookies

    Published: Jul 26, 2022 · Modified: Mar 23, 2023 by Sherri · This post may contain affiliate links · 6 Comments

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    woman's fingers holding a oatmeal cookie over a stack of three cookies

    Cowboy Cookies, aka Ranger Cookies, are a hearty yet soft and chewy oatmeal cookies with some nutty crunch, ooey-gooey chocolate chips, flakes of coconut, and fully loaded with flavor!

    Looking for other new cookie recipes to try? These Butter Pecan Cookies and Maple Cookies or these

    five cowboy cookies with oats, chocolate chips, chopped pecans and coconut

    Table of contents

    • Oatmeal Cowboy Cookie Recipe
    • Ingredients/shopping list
    • How to Make the Best Cowboy Cookies
    • Variations/ Substitutions
    • Tips
    • FAQ’s

    Oatmeal Cowboy Cookie Recipe

    I’m a firm believer that some of the best cookies are the simplest cookies and these cowboy cookies are one of my favorites! Like these, Apple Oatmeal Cookies, they have the perfect balance of texture and taste and are so easy to make, yet fully loaded and wholesome.

    These delicious cookies are a no-fuss basic recipe that comes together in one bowl resulting in a batch of thick, soft, and chunky cookies that taste like they’re made fresh in a bakery.

    It’s the kind of cookie recipe that you turn to when you’re craving something sweet but when you want something more unique than just a classic chocolate chip cookie!

    There’s not much better then warm cookies right out of the oven with a cold glass of milk!

    five cowboy cookies with chocolate chips, oats, pecans and shredded coconut.

    You might want to double the batch because these won’t last long!

    several small white bowls with ingredients for cowboy cookies - flour, sugar, oats, chocolate chips, coconut, pecans, egg, vanilla extract and stick of butter

    Ingredients/shopping list

    • Butter, softened: Bring to room temperature beforehand so it creams easily. It also helps to keep these cookies chewy as opposed to crispy. use salted or unsalted butter.
    • Light Brown sugar: Adds sweetness as well as moisture. Using brown sugar in baked goods helps keep the texture nice and soft. You can also use dark brown sugar or white sugar, if you’d like.
    • Large egg: Needed for binding.
    • Vanilla extract: Adds amazing flavor as vanilla always does. For maximum flavor, aim to use a high-quality pure vanilla extract, as others tend to have a strong alcohol taste.
    • Old fashioned rolled oats: Gives the oatmeal cookies their hearty texture.
    • All-purpose flour: Provides the structure to the cookie. All purpose
    • Baking soda: Will make your cookies nice and thick!
    • Add-ins: Chocolate chips, chopped pecans, shredded coconut

    How to Make the Best Cowboy Cookies

    Here are the simple steps to making these amazing kitchen sink cookies. Just be sure to grab a couple before they’re gone!

    Step 1: In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar using medium speed of an electric mixer. After about 2 minutes it should be creamy and beige. For this, you can also use a stand mixer.

    glass bowl with butter and sugar being mixed togethe

    Step 2: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract, scraping down the sides as you go. Then, add the oats, flour, and baking soda and mix until the dry ingredients are just combined. Do not overmix!

    glass bowl of cowboy cookie dough with

    Step 3: Here’s when you’ll add the chocolate chips, shredded coconut, and chopped pecans. Gently fold them in. Again, be careful not to overmix.

    cowboy cookie dough in a glass mixing dough

    Step 4: Scoop out the dough using a large cookie scoop and place them far enough apart on the cookie sheet so that they have room to spread a bit. Bake them for 12-14 minutes until the edges of the cookies start to get golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for one minute on the pan then transfer them to a cooling rack.

    eight balls of cookie dough on parchment paper lined baking sheet

    Variations/ Substitutions

    1: Make them without coconut flakes.
    2: Add a teaspoon of cinnamon
    3: Add ¼ cup of crushed pretzels, rice Krispies or even corn flakes.
    4: Swap the pecans for another nut of your choice, like walnuts or almonds.
    5: Use semi-sweet, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or white chocolate chips. chocolate chunks, peanut butter chips, or butterscotch chips for a twist.
    6: Swap all-purpose flour for a Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free 1:1 flour, if preferred.
    7: To bulk these cookies up, even more, toss in some mini M&Ms, or Reese’s pieces into the dough!
    Add dried fruit like raisins or dried cranberries.

    closeup of a cowboy cookies with chopped pecans, chocolate chips, oats and coconut

    Tips

    • For a crispier cookie, use melted butter. Keep in mind they will also be thinner!
    • Chilling the cookie dough isn’t necessary, but you can if you’d like. It’s a great way to ensure a chewy texture with a soft interior.
    • For an extra layer of flavor, try toasting the pecans!
    • If you like a sweet and salty balance, add a sprinkle of coarse sea salt on top of each cookie.
    • Use a cookie scoop to make sure every cookie is the same size. It helps for even baking (and less fighting about who gets the bigger cookie!).

    FAQ’s

    How to store these cowboy cookies?

    Once they have cooled completely on the pan, transfer them to an airtight container to maintain moisture. Keep them stored for up to 5 days at room temperature.

    Why are they called Cowboy Cookies??

    No one knows! Some folks say it’s because they were a snack or treat given to cowboys in the Old West for energy, sort of like trail mix in cookie form. Other people think they originated in Texas, which is considered the cowboy capital. I’m not sure which version of the story I prefer!

    Can I use instant oats or quick cooking oats instead?


    You can! Quick cooking oats (even more so, instant oats) are meant to absorb moisture quickly which can cause your cookies to be drier than you’d like. It will also change the texture a bit, as old-fashioned rolled oats are heartier and coarser.

    If you like this recipe, please leave us a comment and rate the recipe below. You can also find us on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram!

    closeup of an oatmeal cookie with chocolate chips, pecans and coconut.

    Cowboy Cookies

    Cowboy Cookies, aka Ranger Cookies, are a hearty yet soft and chewy oatmeal cookies with some nutty crunch, ooey-gooey chocolate chips, flakes of coconut, and fully loaded with flavor!
    5 from 32 votes
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Servings: 18 cookies
    Calories: 195kcal
    Author: Sherri Hagymas

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup butter softened, 1 stick
    • 1 cup brown sugar
    • 1 large egg
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 ¼ cups old fashioned oats
    • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ cup chocolate chips
    • ½ cup shredded coconut
    • ½ cup chopped pecans

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350° F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
    • In a large mixing bowl, add the softened butter and brown sugar and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes . You can also use the bowl of a stand mixer.
    • Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until blended in. (scrape down the side if necessary)
    • Then add in the oats, flour, and baking soda and mix until just barely combined , being careful not to over-mix.
    • Next, add the chocolate chips, shredded coconut, and chopped pecans and gently stir them into the dough.
    • Using a cookie scoop or spoon, scoop out 1 ½ tablespoons of dough and place it on the baking sheets 2 inches apart.
    • Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the edges start to brown.
    • Allow the cookies to cool completely on the pan before storing them in an airtight container.

    Notes

    Store at room temperature for up to 4-5 days.
    Use quick oats instead of old-fashioned oats if desired.
    Use gluten free one-on-one flour like Bob’s Red Mill if needed.
    Use semi-sweet chocolate chips, dark chocolate chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips.
    Substitute walnut for pecans.
    Add ½ cup of mini M&Ms or Reese’s Pieces if desired.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 195kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 89mg | Potassium: 69mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 185IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutritional Disclosure

    Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.

    Tried this recipe?Mention @ToSimplyInspire or tag #ToSimplyInspire!

    Sharing of this recipe to social media is both encouraged and appreciated. Please share the direct link back to the recipe. Copy/Pasting and/or screenshots of the recipe to any social media is strictly prohibited. Content and photographs are copyright protected

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    Filed Under: Desserts, Recipes

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Colleen

      February 22, 2023 at 11:15 pm

      5 stars
      good cookies, husband agrees two thumbs up!

      Reply
    2. Jennifer

      February 11, 2023 at 8:56 am

      How well do you think using an alternative sweetener like swerve or Splenda would work?

      Reply
    3. Kittie

      November 11, 2022 at 1:03 pm

      5 stars
      Has anyone use almond flour instead of white flour?

      Reply
      • Sherri

        November 11, 2022 at 2:51 pm

        Unfortunately, you can’t swap out almond flour one-to-one for all-purpose flour without changing the texture drastically. It has a higher fat and moisture content as well as not containing binding gluten.

        You can use a binder like 1/4 teaspoon of xanthin gum per 1 cup of flour.

        If you are wanting to swap to make them gluten free, I have used Bob’s Red Mill One-to-One Flour with success.

        But all that said, you can certainly try it and just know that they will taste amazing but may be more flat. 🙂

        Reply
      • Cyndi

        November 20, 2022 at 8:46 am

        Do you use sweetened coconut?

        Reply
        • Sherri

          November 23, 2022 at 8:33 am

          I usually do not, but you definitely can 🙂 Enjoy!

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    Sherri Hagymas leaning on a counter with a white coffee mug

    Hi there! I’m Sherri I love creating a variety of easy recipes that anyone can make and enjoy! From healthy to comforting, I hope you find something that inspires you!.

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