If you’re looking for the BEST cowboy cookies – then look no further. This recipe makes big, thick, chewy cookies that have a delicious hint of cinnamon and brown sugar. They’re filled with oats for a delicious texture, and tons of chocolate chips, coconut and chopped pecans.
The Best Cowboy Cookies
These cowboy cookies are thick, chewy and have the most incredible texture. This recipe basically takes your favorite oatmeal chocolate chip cookies up a notch by adding in coconut and chopped pecans. The cookie dough has a hint of brown sugar and cinnamon to complement the flavor, creating cookies that are seriously addictive and will remind you of your favorite coffee shop or bakery.
If you like cookies that are big, chewy and packed with flavor – then these are for you.
Making the Cookies
- Start by whisking together the dry ingredients: flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. The cinnamon adds so much flavor, so don’t leave it out!
- You’ll start by creaming together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Room temperature butter is key for making this process easy and ensuring that you get the proper cookie consistency. Brown sugar adds so much flavor and adds moisture to make the cookies chewier. Whereas the white sugar ensures that we don’t add too much moisture.
- Then you’ll mix in the eggs and vanilla extract. We’re using 2 whole eggs plus 1 extra egg yolk for tenderness.
- Carefully mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. I always do this about ½ at a time, starting with the mixer on a low speed to ensure that the flour doesn’t fly everywhere.
- Stir in the rolled oats. You’ll notice that we’re using large rolled oats for this recipe, as opposed to quick oats. I love using large oats (sometimes called old-fashioned oats) because they add more texture.
- Then it’s time to stir in your chocolate chips, chopped pecans and coconut. These ingredients are what make cowboy cookies, cowboy cookies.
- The next step here is key. Cover the bowl with plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 48 hours. Chilling the dough keeps the cookies thick. The cookies may turn out without chilling them first, but I find the results are far less consistent.
- When you’re ready to bake, take the dough out of the fridge at let it sit on the counter for 5-15 minutes. If it was in the fridge overnight, you’ll likely need closer to 15 minutes. Then form the dough into balls with about 3 tablespoons of dough each, flatten slightly and place on your lined cookie sheet.
The cookies will bake for about 12-14 minutes at 350F degrees, or until the tops look just set. Once you remove the cookies from the oven, I always like to add a few extra chocolate chips on top for the perfect appearance.
Baking Tips
- Measure the flour correctly! The #1 cause of dry, crumbly cookies that look like little mounds is too much flour. Always whisk the flour first, then spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off the top. Using a scale is the most accurate way to measure flour. I’ve included both the cup measurements and the grams in the recipe below.
- Feel free to substitute walnuts for chopped pecans.
- Sweetened or unsweetened coconut works just fine in this recipe.
- I definitely recommend using large rolled oats for this recipe. Quick oats are ok, if you’re in a pinch. Do not use instant oats or steel cut oats for this recipe. (For more details on baking with oats – check out this post).
- For smaller cookies, form the dough into balls with about 1 ½ tablespoons of dough each (I use a medium-sized cookie scoop for this). They’ll bake for about 8-10 minutes at 350F.
- Always bake 1 cookie sheet at a time on the middle rack of your oven for even baking.
Freezing & Make-Ahead Tips
The cookie dough can be chilled in the fridge for up to 48 hours, then formed into balls and baked. After the dough is formed into balls balls, you can pop them in a freezer bag and freeze for 2-3 months. Then when you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven and bake the cookies as directed in the recipe. There’s no need to thaw the cookie dough first. Bake the cookies directly from frozen. They’ll need 1-2 minutes longer.
Baked and cooled cookies can also be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Big, thick, chewy and packed with just about everything you could want in a cookie – these cowboy cookies are truly addictive. They have the best combination of chewiness in the center and crispy edges, not to mention tons of flavor.
For more oatmeal cookies – be sure to try:
- Never Boring Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
- Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chewy Oatmeal Cookies
Cowboy Cookies
Equipment
- Cookie Sheets
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (250 grams)
- 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter (226 grams) softened to room temperature
- 1 cup packed brown sugar (200 grams)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk discard the white
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract yes - a whole tablespoon
- 2 cups large rolled oats
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 ½ cups chocolate chips divided
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.
- In a separate large bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until fluffy.
- Beat in the 2 eggs, additional egg yolk and vanilla extract. (Be sure that you don't add in 3 whole eggs).
- With the mixer on a low speed, mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture about ½ at a time.
- Mix in the oats.
- `Stir in the chopped coconut, chopped pecans and 1 ¼ cups chocolate chips (you'll reserve the extra ¼ cup for the tops of the cookies).
- Cover the bowl with plastic and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, or up to 48 hours.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F (180C) degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper or baking mats.
- Take the dough out of the fridge. If it's been in the fridge overnight, let it sit on the counter for 10-15 minutes before forming the dough into balls.
- Form the dough into balls with about 3 tablespoons of dough each. Place at least 2 inches apart on the lined cookie sheets.
- Bake 1 tray of cookies at a time in the middle rack of the oven for 12-14 minutes, or until the tops look set. Remove from the oven and optionally place a few extra chocolate chips on top of each cookie.
Notes
- Flour: Make sure to measure the flour correctly. If using measuring cups, whisk the flour first then spoon into the measuring cup and level off the top. Using a scale will give you the most accurate results.
- Eggs: You will need 3 eggs in total for this recipe. However, you'll only use 2 full eggs and then use only the egg yolk from the third egg.
- Oats: Make sure to use large rolled oats (sometimes called old-fashioned oats). Quick oats will work, but won't provide the same texture. Do not use steel cut oats or instant oats.
- For Smaller Cookies: Form the dough into balls with about 1 ½ tablespoons of dough each. They'll bake for about 8-10 minutes.
- Make Ahead Tips: The bowl of cookie dough can covered and stored in the fridge for up to 48 hours. Cookie dough balls can be frozen in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Bake cookies from frozen. They'll need 1-2 extra minutes.
- Nutrition Info: Details are an estimate only and based on 1 cookie, assuming that the recipe yields 26 cookies.
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