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Cowboy Cookies

BY Kevin Lee Jacobs | February 21, 2021 17 Comments

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Last updated on March 12th, 2021

Cowboy Cookies travel under numerous aliases. You might know them as “Kitchen Sink Cookies,” “Everything Cookies,” or “Texas Cookies.” By any name, these big, bold biscuits are yee-haw delicious! I make mine with rolled oats, slivered almonds, unsweetened coconut, and chocolate chips. Here’s the recipe in video and printable formats:

Cowboy Cookies: Kevin’s Video Demonstration

Notes

Mise en Place. For a smooth and easy Cowboy Cookie ride, gather up and measure out all of the required ingredients. This way, you won’t have to dismount your horse in order to fetch the vanilla.

Use “old fashioned” (not “instant” or “quick cooking”) oats. The old-fashioned type will give the cookies a pleasantly-chewy texture.

All kinds of nuts are welcome in Cowboy Cookies! I used slivered almonds. You might prefer chopped pecans, walnuts, or even hazelnuts. Feel free to experiment!

Fear not the coconut! The 1/2 cup dried coconut flakes in this recipe will lend a special chewiness without overwhelming other flavorings in the dough. In other words, your cookies won’t scream “Coconut.” (If you really, really, REALLY hate coconut, then substitute dried cranberries, currants, raisins, extra nuts, or extra chocolate chips.)

Chocolate chips are a must! What kind to use? I love semi-sweet morsels here. Bittersweet bits would work as well.

How to Freeze Cowboy Cookie Dough

Since Cowboy Cookies are large, you might like to bake just 6 of them (as I did in the video), and then freeze the remaining dough. To freeze, form the cookies and then place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. When solidly frozen, transfer the works to an air-tight container, and freeze for up to 3 months.  That’s right — you can make Cowboy Cookies today, and bake them off tomorrow!

So what are you waiting for? Giddy up and bake a batch of Cowboy Cookies! And don’t forget to post your thoughts in the comments field below. I love hearing from you!

Happy trails, y’all!

Kevin

Looking for other cookies to try? I’ve got you covered:

Easy Shortbread Cookies.

Old Fashioned Molasses Cookies.

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Fresh Mint.

Hungry for more? Get my email updates. 

And…here’s the printable:

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Cowboy Cookies

These cookies are just what you'd expect them to be: big, bold, nutritious, and delicious!
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time16 mins
Course: cookies
Cuisine: American
Keyword: healthy-ish
Servings: 16

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup light or dark brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups "old-fashioned" rolled oats
  • 1 cup slivered almonds
  • 1/2 cup coconut flakes
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of a standing mixer (outfitted with the paddle attachment), beat the butter and white sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy - - 3-5 minutes. Add the brown sugar, and beat for just 1 minute. At medium-low speed, beat in the eggs one at a time. Then beat in the vanilla extract.
  • At low speed, beat in the flour mixture a half-cup or so at a time. Increase mixer speed as necessary to insure all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
  • At medium speed (and increasing to "high" speed if necessary to keep the machine working), beat in the oats, almonds, coconut, and chocolate chips.
  • Cover the bowl with cling film, and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes. When you are ready to bake, center the oven rack and preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Form the dough into 1/4-cup-size balls (a 2-inch-diameter ice cream scoop is helpful here). Place 6 balls on each parchment-lined baking sheet. With water-moistened knuckles, gently flatten the balls. Bake until the cookies color and crisp at the edge but are still soft in the center -- 14-16 minutes.
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Comments

  1. 1

    Lisa says

    February 21, 2021 at 10:23 am

    I know them as Ranger cookies. I have never incuded coconut, but that sounds like a great idea!

  2. 2

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    February 21, 2021 at 10:33 am

    Hi Lisa – Yes, “Ranger” is another appropriate name for these cookies!

  3. 3

    Michele says

    February 21, 2021 at 11:39 am

    These cookies are very popular in the town I live in- Northampton Massachusetts- I’m glad to see the recipe! However, I do not own a stand mixer and probably will never have the means to own one. Also I have a very small kitchen and would not know where to store it. Anyway, I k ow you said it could be done without a stand mixer, but I heard how hard your machine was working to incorporate all those ingredients so I don’t know if I would have the strength to do it by hand. Maybe I will throw caution to the wind and try it. They sure looked and sounded like they would be delicious. I heard the slight crunch when you tasted one. Does Mr. Fox love them? I didn’t hear your cat talking to you today like she usually does when you’re in the kitchen. I missed that. Kevin I don’t suppose you would ever do a few videos of cooking fish? I have no idea how to cook fish but would like to learn. I would also like to know what a person can do with shrimp. I bought a large bag on sale and now I’m not sure what to do with them. I’d love some recipes! Also, one other thing. Would you also consider teaching us how to make spaghetti carbonara? Or any of the carbonara recipes? Sorry I’m bombarding you with requests. I love your posts and save everyone. I discovered you after you posted Tomato pie made with the biscuits dough. I loved that recipe. So easy. I’ve followed you ever since. Take care and be well. Thanks for making the world a better place! – michele-

  4. 4

    Susan Iseman says

    February 21, 2021 at 11:51 am

    Macadamia nuts would be lovely as well!

  5. 5

    Kelly Schafer says

    February 21, 2021 at 12:01 pm

    5 stars
    These are the cookies i grew up on, minus the coconut. We called them Cowboy Cookies, too. Delicious!!!

  6. 6

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    February 21, 2021 at 1:35 pm

    Hi Michelle – Thanks so much for following me all these years! I love Northampton, MA, and have visited many times. Lots of fish recipes for you. Here are just some of them (click titles to view):
    Salmon and Veggies Sheet Pan Dinner
    Baked Swordfish with Cheatin’ Mashed Potatoes
    Tuscan Salmon Skillet Dinner
    Maple Salmon Sheet Pan Dinner
    Limoncello Risotto and Salmon Dijon
    Shrimp and Grits for Two

  7. 7

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    February 21, 2021 at 1:45 pm

    Hi Susan – Yes to macadamia nuts. I adore them!

    Hi Kelly – So glad you enjoy these cookies!

  8. 8

    Kate Leach says

    February 21, 2021 at 2:02 pm

    These cookies are my new fav, just discovered them last year (where have you been all my life!). I know them as Toffee Coconut Pecan Choc Chip. Long name! Cowboy cookie is shorter. My recipe includes Heath toffee bits.

  9. 9

    Kate says

    February 21, 2021 at 3:06 pm

    Cookies look delicious. I will definitely try them. Also, the fish recipes you included in response to Michelle’s request look scrumptious . I will be trying some of them as well. Thank you.

  10. 10

    Joanne says

    February 21, 2021 at 3:29 pm

    I remember when Laura Bush and Hilary Clinton had a “Bake Off” and Mrs. Bush won hands down with her Cowboy Cookies.

  11. 11

    Mary Paulsen says

    February 21, 2021 at 4:13 pm

    If you freeze dough, do you need to thaw before baking or can you pop them in the oven frozen? If so, how long do you bake?

  12. 12

    Raine D. says

    February 21, 2021 at 8:29 pm

    “Rustle up some all purpose flour”
    “chocolate rhinestones on our cowboy cookies”
    Kevin, you’re a scream! And I must be as mad as Alice’s hatter because I watched this whole video & never eat cookies (we swore off sugar a few years ago & I’ve never been much of a cookie fan anyway, except ginger snaps). My dad was crazy over these — mom always added plenty of raisins or chopped dates & sometimes used cocoa instead of chocolate chips. I liked the raw dough but never ate them after they were baked. Yes, I was a weird little kid 🙂 Thanks for an entertaining break from trying to set up my neighbour’s new computer! I’ll admit I won’t make the recipe, but I thoroughly enjoyed watching YOU make them!

  13. 13

    jackie serba says

    February 21, 2021 at 9:25 pm

    I love cowboy cookies and use the recipe that Laura Bush had. And to michelle, I did not have a stand mixer either and mixed mostly by hand. Very thick and hard to mix but very well worth.Gice them a try you will love them.

  14. 14

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    February 22, 2021 at 7:46 am

    Hi Kate Leach – Toffee bits: YUM.

    Hi Kate – If you try the cookies (or any of the aforementioned fish recipes), please let me know how they work out for you!

    Hi Joanne – I almost made Laura Bush’s version. Wasn’t sure if my mixer was large enough to handle the additional cup of flour in her recipe!

    Hi Mary – Yesterday, I put 6 of my frozen Cowboy Cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet, and let them thaw while the oven preheated. Then I baked the cookies for 18 minutes. They were delicious!

    Hi Raine – Thanks for watching the video! (I had great fun speaking “cowboy.”)

    Hi Jackie – Great exercise making these cookies by hand — especially Laura Bush’s Texas-size version of the recipe!

  15. 15

    Elaine Olly says

    February 22, 2021 at 12:34 pm

    Hi Kevin – I made these cookies this morning, excellent of course, and the kitchen smells so good. I use to make these years ago when my kids where young. So thanks for the reminder recipe ‍.

  16. 16

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    February 22, 2021 at 12:49 pm

    Hi Elaine – Thanks for commenting. I’m so glad the cookies were a success for you!

  17. 17

    Marcy Tantilla says

    February 23, 2021 at 12:41 pm

    I will be making these cookies, just have to go and get some chocolate chips and more coconut. Again you have give me another reason to get back in the kitchen.

    Love as always
    Marcy

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