Our Cowboy Cookies recipe is a reader favorite! Packed with yummy mix-ins such as oats, chocolate chips, and pecans (or walnuts), they have a nice, chewy texture.
You can make it your own and add raisins or cranberries for an even chewier taste; some folks like to add shredded coconut but too many folks don’t like coconut so we left it out.
These cookies freeze well, too. Perfect for guests or when you don’t want to eat too many at once!
This recipe comes courtesy of The Old Farmer’s Almanac Everyday Baking book.
In a bowl, combine oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to beat butter, shortening, and sugars for 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then add vanilla. Stir in dry mixture, about half at a time. Add chocolate chips and walnuts. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour (or longer; if longer, let sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before shaping).
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter two large baking sheets or line with parchment paper.
Using 1⁄4 cup of dough per cookie, shape dough into balls and place on the baking sheet, leaving 2-1/2 inches in between. Flatten balls into 1⁄ 3-inch-thick disks with your fingers. Bake one sheet at a time on the center oven rack for 13 to 14 minutes, turning the baking sheet 180 degrees midway through the baking time. When done, cookies will have browned very lightly and will still look moist beneath the surface. Do not overbake.
Variations
Cowboy Cookies with Coconut
Add 1 cup of flaked sweetened coconut to the dough along with the chocolate chips.
Bandana Cowboy Cookies
Omit the chocolate chips and substitute 1 cup of white chocolate chips and 1 cup of Craisins. (The white and red suggest a cowboy’s bandana.)
Peanut Butter Cowboy Cookies
Omit the chocolate chips and substitute 2 cups of peanut butter chips. Or, use 1 cup each of peanut butter chips and chocolate chips.
