Marie Saba

From My Kitchen To Yours

Cowboy Cookies

These cowboy cookies are soft, chewy and delicious. They’re baked with hearty rolled oats, brown sugar, a hint of cinnamon, chocolate chunks, coconut and pecans. They’re the kind of old-fashioned treat that feels like home.

While these cookies are very easy to make, keep in mind that cowboy cookies can be a little finicky. The reason is the oats. Oats behave differently than flour. Flour gives cookies structure, while oats add bulk and chew. If you don’t have enough structure (flour), the cookies will spread too much and bake unevenly. And if you don’t give the oats time to hydrate, the oats will be dry and gritty.

So there are two keys to this recipe: (1) Use the correct amount of flour (to ensure the cookies have enough structure), and (2) refrigerate the dough at least one hour before baking (to give the oats time to hydrate). If you have a kitchen scale, you can weigh out 280g flour. If you’re using measuring cups, fluff the flour a bit, then scoop out 1 cup of flour with the measuring cup and level it off with a knife.

Looking for some other cookies to try? Try our peanut butter cookies, oatmeal raisin cookies, Amish sugar cookies, ricotta cookies, Mexican wedding cookies or Snickerdoodles. Happy baking!

Cowboy Cookies

Ingredients

2 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
2 cups (180 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup (85 g) sweetened shredded coconut
¾ cup (90 g) finely chopped pecans
2 cups (320 g) chocolate chunks or chips
1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
1 ¼ cup (260 g) light brown sugar, packed
½ cup (100 g) white granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and cornstarch. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix together oats, coconut, pecans and chocolate chunks or chips.
Using a stand mixer or electric beaters, cream butter and sugars until fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down sides as needed. Add eggs and vanilla and beat to combine, scraping down sides again.
Add flour mixture to wet ingredients and beat just to combine. Add coconut mixture and beat again, just to combine. Cover dough with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 F (176 F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a cookie scoop, scoop and then roll 2 Tablespoons of dough into round balls with flat tops. Place on a baking sheet about 3 inches apart. Bake 14-16 minutes, until edges are golden and centers are set but still soft. Let cookies sit on baking sheet for 10 minutes; then transfer to a wire rack and finish cooling.

Notes:

How to Store Cookies: Cool cookies completely. Store in an airtight container at room temp for up to 4 days. Add a slice of sandwich bread to the container to keep the cookies soft.
How to Freeze Before Baking: Scoop balls onto a lined baking sheet. Freeze until solid (1-2 hours). Transfer frozen balls into an airtight container. Freeze up to 3 months. To bake from frozen, place frozen balls on baking sheet and bake at 350℉ for 14 to 16 minutes.

*Inspired by Laura Bush’s Cowboy Cookies Recipe

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