These Cowboy Cookies taste like they came from a fancy bakery! They are thick and soft and full of nutty goodness!
They say that cowboy cookies originated back in the 1800s and were a popular treat for cowboys to enjoy while out on the trail, kind of like an old fashioned power bar. Now, there’s little to no evidence that this is true in any way. After all, the chocolate chip cookie itself wasn’t even invented until 1938. Cowboy cookies are still a delicious treat. This recipe takes a bakery style cookie dough and adds in chocolate chips, oats, chopped pecans, and coconut flakes. Just be careful, these cookies are dangerously addicting and it’s hard to eat just one.
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Can I use walnuts instead of pecans for cowboy cookies? Can I toast the nuts?
Yes. Walnuts are a great substitution if you don’t have pecans or if you prefer them to pecans. Pecans have a soft texture are a slightly sweeter than walnuts. Almonds are also a good option.
Toasting the pecans is not necessary, but can improve their texture and flavor, making them richer and crispier. You can easily toast them by placing them in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit in a single layer for about 5 to 10 minutes.
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Do I need a stand mixer to make cowboy cookies?
These cookies can be made without a stand mixer, but you will at the very minimum need an electric hand mixer in order to whip the butter and sugars together in the same way.
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How can I make my cookies taller and thicker?
If you want these cookies to be extra thick and tall, shape the dough into balls and then refrigerate or freeze. This will help slow the spreading that occurs when baking. Baking the dough straight from the freezer will produce the tallest cookie.
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What kind of oats should I use?
We recommend using quick oats in this recipe as it gives the cookies a nice chewy texture, without being overwhelming. Old fashioned oats can be used if you want an even chewier texture, but we don’t recommend using steal cut oats.
If you like these cookies, you may be interested in some of our other delicious cookie recipes:
- Perfectly Soft Sugar Cookies
- Cinnamon Roll Cookies
- Chocolate Turtle Cookies
- Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Kiss Cookies
Watch the video below where Rachel will walk you through every step of this recipe. Sometimes it helps to have a visual, and we’ve always got you covered with our cooking show. You can find the complete collection of recipes on YouTube, Facebook Watch, or our Facebook Page, or right here on our website with their corresponding recipes.
I made these only I used chopped walnuts, and sweetened coconut, and regular milk chocolate chips because that’s what I had. First batch I took out right at 12 min (center rack) was slightly golden. As they cooled I tasted one and they were a little undercooked. So, with the second batch I did 15 mins baking at they were perfect! I’m glad I used sweetened coconut and regular chocolate chips because it looks like in the reviews the cookies themselves aren’t the sweetest on their own. Mine were perfectly sweet with the ingredients I used. Big and soft! Walnuts added a wonderful nutty flavor in every bite. I definitely will be making these again!
These cowboy cookies are delicious! Usually Cowboy cookies are dense and hard but these were lighter in texture and more enjoyable to eat. I made a couple of changes by browning the butter before adding the sugars and toasted the coconut and pecans before adding to the dough. The cookie dough was also refrigerated for a couple of hours because of my previous experience of cookies spreading too much during baking. For this recipe, but I don’t think refrigeration was necessary.
Thank for this great recipe.
These are fantastic! I bake for a nearby Farmer’s Market and these are going to be in the line up. I glaze the pecans for a little extra crunch. Well done you!
We loved them! They are what my grandson wanted for his birthday. Not a cake. Just cookies and ice cream 🍨
These cookies are excellent! I often have trouble with cookies getting flat and hard, but these came out high and chewy. I added a little extra brown sugar (1/4 c more), toasted the pecans before adding them in, and added about a half cup of butterscotch chips. I also used 2 whole eggs plus one yolk. I used sweetened coconut. I scooped them into balls and refrigerated them for about an hour or two before baking. They were delicious!
These cookies are now my favorite. Follow the steps and you can’t go wrong.
These were really good. Loved them. Used sweetened coconut and ut worked fine.
Really easy and delicious!
I made these tonight for church tomorrow. We naturally had to taste them first, and they are awesome! Thank you Rachel for another top notch recipe that I will make over and over again!
Best cookie ever! A hybrid of chocolate chip and oatmeal. Has substance to the mouthful and feels a bit healthier with the oatmeal. I have made this 4 times already, and they do not last. Only change I made was to toast the coconut prior to adding, so that it has a crispier consistency in the cookie. The cookie has a crispy exterior and chewy inside. Great for transporting, because they are not as crumbly as traditional flat cookies. I freeze most of the batch using a 1 oz ball scooper it yields 36 per batch. You can have fresh cookies anytime, just pull them out and bake in its frozen state. 3 other people in my family now are using this recipe, after they tasted them fresh from the oven. So good and can’t stop eating them.