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Cowboy Cookies

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Upclose shot of cowboy cookie with four more cookies surrounding it.

Have you ever heard of Cowboy Cookies? They’re essentially loaded oatmeal cookies that are hearty, chewy, and packed with different flavors and textures like coconut, pecans, and chocolate chips! They’re the perfect balance of sweet, nutty, and satisfying.

These classic cookies are a staple, typically made with rolled oats, chocolate chips, shredded coconut, and crunchy pecans. But you know I had to put my spin on them and to make them even better by using my brown butter recipe, and let me tell you… GAME CHANGER!

And feel free to get creative with your mix-ins! I stuck with classic chocolate chips, coconut, and pecans, but you can add dried fruit, nuts, various flavored baking chips, or even seeds for extra crunch!

Ingredient Notes

(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)

  • Butter: Make sure to use unsalted butter and visit this post on how to brown butter for an easy tutorial.
  • Extracts: I really love using a combination of almond extract and vanilla extract for these cookies. The almond extract helps give even more nutty flavor. However, if you don’t have almond extract just use all vanilla extract and the cookies will still be yummy!
  • Egg and egg yolk: Adding an extra egg yolk helps create a richer, chewier cookie. You can save the egg white for breakfast the next day! Also, make sure your eggs are at room temperature so they will mix more easily with the rest of the wet ingredients.
  • Flour: All-purpose flour is the only flour I’ve tested this cookie recipe with. As always, it’s very important to make sure you’re using the spoon and level method to measure your flour when baking. Too much flour can result in drier, harder cookies, which you definitely don’t want with these ones!
  • Old-fashioned oats: I like to use old-fashioned or rolled oats for these cookies for a really chewy texture. You can use quick oats but just note they won’t be as thick/chewy. I would not recommend using steel-cut oats for this recipe. You can adjust the amount of oats depending on if your dough feels wet or dry.
  • Mix-ins: Sweetened shredded coconut, chopped pecans and chocolate chips!

Step by Step Directions

(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)

Expert Tips

  • Properly measure the flour: As with any baking recipe, spoon the flour into your measuring cup and use the back of a knife to level off the top. Do not scoop the flour out of the container/bag with your measuring cup because you could end up with 50% more than you need.
  • Allow the brown butter to cool: Allow the brown butter to cool slightly before whisking it into the sugars. Using melted brown butter will help create a rich and fudgy center in these cookies, unlike softened butter. 
  • Don’t overmix the dough: Mix until the ingredients are just combined. Overmixing can develop too much gluten, making the cookies tough. To prevent this, I like to fold in the dry ingredients just until no more dry flour pockets are left.
  • Flatten cookies: If you feel like your cookies aren’t spreading enough, you can gently press down on them after you roll into balls prior to baking. I tested both ways and didn’t notice a big difference but you know all ovens are so different!
  • Don’t overbake: Underbaking is always key since the cookies will continue to cook as they cool on the baking sheet. They may look a little under baked when removing from the oven but I promise that is perfectly fine!

Variations / Substitutions

  • Nuts: Swap the pecans for any type of nut you like! Try almonds, peanuts, chopped walnuts, pistachios, etc.
  • Baking chips: Try butterscotch, white chocolate, peanut butter, or cinnamon flavored baking chips
  • Dried Fruit: Add dried fruit like cranberries, raisins, chopped dates, or cherries for extra flavor and chewiness
  • Seeds: You can also add sunflower or pumpkin seeds for added crunch

Storage / Freezing

  • Store these cowboy cookies in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. 
  • To freeze: Scoop the dough into 1½-2 tbsp. sized balls and freeze in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 3 months. You can bake the frozen cookie dough from frozen, just add an extra minute or so to your bake time.
  • Make ahead: You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 days. Allow to come to room temperature, then continue to bake as directed.

Do you like simple cookies or lots of mix-ins?

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

Upclose photo of cowboy cookie topped with pecans, chocolate chips and coconut.
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Cowboy Cookies

Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 9 minutes
Total: 34 minutes
Servings: 32 cookies
These Cowboy Cookies are hearty, chewy, and loaded with texture. Packed with oats, chocolate chips, shredded coconut, and chopped pecans, they’re a little nostalgic, a little indulgent, and totally satisfying.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 ¼ cup brown sugar (packed)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg (room temperature)
  • 1 large egg yolk (room temperature)
  • 2 tbsp. whole milk
  • 1/4 tsp. almond extract (optional but yummy)
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • ½ tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. cinnamon
  • 1¼ – 1½ cup old fashioned oats (use more or less depending if your dough feels a little wet)
  • 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
  • 1 cup chopped pecans (plus more whole pecans for garnish)
  • ~1 cup chocolate chips (plus more for garnish)
  • flaky maldon sea salt

Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

Instructions 

  • Brown the butter: For a detailed tutorial, see this post on how to brown butter. Pour the butter in a large mixing bowl and allow the butter to cool slightly, ~10-15 minutes. Start Timer 
    1 cup unsalted butter
    Melted brown butter in glass mixing bowl.
  • Dry ingredients: Whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl and set aside.
    2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. baking soda, ½ tsp. baking powder, ½ tsp. cinnamon
    Side-by-side image of adding all the dry ingredients for cowboy cookies to a large glass mixing bowl then whisking together.
  • Whisk in the sugars: Add both sugars to the slightly cooled brown butter and whisk until incorporated. It will look sandy, just make sure all large brown sugar clumps are broken up.
    1 ¼ cup brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar
    Side-by-side image of adding both sugars to the brown butter and mixing together in glass mixing bowl.
  • Add eggs and vanilla: Whisk in the eggs, milk and extracts until smooth.
    1 large egg, 1 large egg yolk, 2 tbsp. whole milk, 2 tsp. vanilla extract, 1/4 tsp. almond extract
    Side-by-side image of adding egg, vanilla and milk to sugars mixed with brown butter then mixing all the ingredients together with a whisk in glass mixing bowl.
  • Fold in dry ingredients: Use a rubber spatula to fold in the dry ingredients until most of the flour is incorporated.
    Adding the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients for Cowboy cookies in glass mixing bowl.
  • Fold in mix-ins: Add in the oats, coconut, pecans, and chocolate chips. Stir to combine.
    1¼ – 1½ cup old fashioned oats, 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut, 1 cup chopped pecans, ~1 cup chocolate chips
    Side-by-side image of adding pecans, chocolate chips, oats and pecans to cookie dough and mixing together with spatula in glass mixing bowl.
  • Brief chill: Pop the cookie dough in the fridge for just about 10-15 minutes. This brief rest period will allow the flour to hydrate the dough and help create a super soft and chewy cookie. Keep the cookie in the fridge inbetween baking batches.
  • Preheat and prep: Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325°F and line a couple baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside.
  • Bake: Using a cookie scoop, scoop the cookies into about 1½-2 tbsp. sized balls, rolling them between the palms of your hands. Place them about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until the edges are set, but centers are still gooey. Underbaking is always key since the cookies will continue to cook as they cool on the baking sheet, so removing them from the oven under baked a little is perfectly fine! PS: swirl a cup around the cookies when warm right out of the oven to make perfect circles. It makes a huge difference! Start Timer 
    Side-by-side photo of cowboy cookie dough balls on parchment lined baking sheet then image showing baked cookies on baking tray.
  • Garnish: While the cookies are still warm, gently press a few chocolate chips and pecans on top and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
    flaky maldon sea salt
    Tray of baked cowboy cookies on top of wire cooling rack on metal sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
  • Cool: After a few minutes on the baking sheet, carefully use a spatula to place on a wire cooling rack lined with parchment paper.
  • Last step: Enjoy!!
    Cowboy cookies topped with chocolate chips, pecans and shredded coconut on table.

Video

Notes

If you feel like your cookies aren’t spreading, you can gently press down on them after you roll into balls prior to baking. I tested both ways and didn’t notice a big difference but you know all ovens are so different!
To store: Store these cowboy cookies in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. 
To freeze: Scoop the dough into 1½-2 tbsp. sized balls and freeze in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 3 months. You can bake the frozen cookie dough from frozen, just add an extra minute or so.
Make ahead: You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 days. Allow to come to room temperature then continue to bake as directed.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 198kcal (10%), Carbohydrates: 24g (8%), Protein: 2g (4%), Fat: 11g (17%), Saturated Fat: 6g (38%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 27mg (9%), Sodium: 123mg (5%), Potassium: 68mg (2%), Fiber: 1g (4%), Sugar: 16g (18%), Vitamin A: 196IU (4%), Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 25mg (3%), Iron: 1mg (6%)

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

📸 Photos by Megan McKeehan of The Broke Girl Table

Krolls Korner

Krolls Korner

Welcome to my tiny “korner” on the Internet! I am a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who loves cookies as much as kale. (OK, maybe I like cookies a little bit more but shh, don’t tell anyone). I am so glad you’re here! Follow along for hassle free, realistic and approachable recipes.

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