Buckle up buckaroos because today I’m sharing our family’s special recipe for Cowboy Cookies, a hearty oatmeal chocolate treat that has the perfect texture. I have to give credit to my brother, Nate, who discovered the recipe and then worked to perfect it. At a recent family reunion, a batch of these cookies (plus the recipe) was a coveted item at our annual auction.

Delicious Giant Crowd Pleasers

Because these giant cookies are so scrumptious, they are perfect for neighbor and teacher treats, picnics, family gatherings, or thank you gifts for co-workers. You want to make a double batch of these crowd-pleasing cookies because your family will be disappointed if you cart off the whole batch without leaving a few for them to enjoy.

Making the Perfect Cowboy Cookie

Not only are these cookies huge, but they’re packed with all kinds of goodies: chocolate chips, coconut, toasted pecans, and lots and lots of butter. Two keys to getting the perfect cowboy cookie is not to overbake them, and to use a measuring cup to scoop out the dough so every cookie is exactly alike and all bake evenly.

Bonus Points

One great thing about Cowboy Cookies is that you can make them any time. Because the butter is melted rather than the usual room temperature, you don’t have to pre-plan. Plus, I usually have all the ingredients on hand.

Use High-Quality Ingredients

As usual, the better your quality of ingredients, the better your final product will be. Premium unsalted butter, chocolate chips that have minimal filler, and moist coconut are preferable. Also, I use Mexican vanilla because it is stronger and has a depth that other vanillas sometimes lack. However, you can use whatever you have on hand and still get a great cookie. While my brother prefers to use light brown sugar, I like using the dark brown variety. Try them out both ways and let me know which you prefer.

So, let’s get baking! Here is the recipe.

Yield: 16 Large Cookies

Cowboy Cookies Recipe

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Hearty soft oatmeal cookies loaded with chocolate chips, coconut and nuts are the perfect delicious treat.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Additional Time 5 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1-1/4 cups flour
• 3/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 12 tablespoons melted butter, cooled
• 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1-1/4 rolled oats
• 1 cup pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Toast pecans for 10 minutes at 350 degrees; turn and mix 1 time. Cool and rough chop.
3. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a bowl.
4. In a seperate bowl, whisk sugar melted butter, egg and yolk, and vanilla until combined. Stir in flour mixture until no dry streaks remain. Stir in remaining ingredients until well combined (mixture will be sticky).
5. Lightly spray a 1/4 cup dry measuring cup with vegetable oil spray. Drop level 1/4 cup portions of dough onto prepared sheets, staggering 8 portions per sheet and spacing them 2-1/2 inches apart. Divide any remaining dough among portions.
6. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until edges are browned and set and centers are puffed with pale, raw spots, 15-17 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Do not overbake! (Cookes continue to bake after they are removed from the oven so to avoid over baking, it is important to remove them while they are slightly underdone.)
7. Let cookies cool on sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and let cool completely before serving.
8. Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days.