What happens when you take a classic chewy chocolate chip cookie, add a hearty mix of pecans, rolled oats, and shredded coconut? You get the BEST Cowboy Cookies recipe! This quick and easy recipe (no chilling required) comes together in just 45 minutes. Let me show you how it's done!
Over the years of baking and learning new techniques, I've always found myself gravitating back to cookies. It took me a while to realize just how much I LOVE baking them. This Cowboy Cookies recipe is actually one of the first I made when I started experimenting with cookie add-ins.
Table of contents
Do you remember when Pinterest first came onto the scene? Discovering new recipes was such a thrill (and honestly, it still is!). I stumbled upon a Cowboy Cookies recipe, and it sparked my obsession with creating cookies packed with as many delicious add-ins as I could dream up. To this day, this combination remains one of my all-time favorites.
These loaded cookies start with my favorite chocolate chip cookie dough base. You might also like my Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, or if you want these exact same flavors in bar form, give my Cowboy Cookie Bars a try!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- No Chilling Required: Drop and bake straight from the mixing bowl in under 45 minutes!
- Unbeatable Texture: Crisp, buttery edges with thick, soft, and chewy centers.
- The Secret Ingredient: Dry milk powder enhances the dairy-rich flavor and locks in moisture for maximum chewiness!
- Make-Ahead Friendly: Freeze the dough balls for quick weeknight cookie cravings.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Dry Milk Powder - My secret ingredient! Milk powder enhances flavor and caramelizes slightly as the cookies bake, giving them an incredibly chewy texture.
- Sugars - A mix of brown sugar and granulated sugar creates the perfect chewy yet slightly crisp cookie. Light or dark brown sugar, your choice.
- Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats: Use old-fashioned rolled oats for that classic, hearty cowboy cookie texture. Do not substitute with quick oats, the texture will not be the same.
- Pecans: Chopped pecans give the best nutty crunch, but chopped walnuts are a great 1-to-1 substitute.
- Shredded Coconut: You can use either sweetened or unsweetened shredded coconut based on your preference.
- Chocolate Chips: Semi-sweet chocolate chips are classic, but dark chocolate chips or chocolate chunks work wonderfully too!
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and measurements.
How To Make Cowboy Cookies
This simple cookie dough comes together in just a few minutes with no dough chilling needed! Here is a quick visual overview before you begin:
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, dry milk powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for 5 to 6 minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in the room-temperature eggs and vanilla extract.
- Mix in the dry ingredients just until combined. Add in the chocolate chips, rolled oats, chopped pecans, and shredded coconut.
- Stir just until fully combined.
- Scoop onto a prepared baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart. Gently press each cookie down slightly.
- Bake at 350°F for 12-13 minutes until the edges are golden and the centers are soft. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Enjoy!
See the recipe card below for the full recipe.
👉 Sky's Tips for the Best Cowboy Cookies
- Don't skip creaming time: Creaming the butter and sugars for a full 5 to 6 minutes incorporates air into the dough, giving you a thick, soft cookie center rather than a dense, flat disk.
- Gently press before baking: Because this dough is packed with heavy add-ins like oats and pecans, pressing the dough balls down slightly before baking ensures an even, beautiful spread.
- Top with extra add-ins: Press a few extra chocolate chips and chopped pecans right onto the tops of the dough balls right before they go into the oven for picture-perfect bakery-style cookies!
Frequently Asked Questions
Cowboy cookies are a classic twist on traditional oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, packed with hearty mix-ins including rolled oats, chopped pecans, shredded coconut, and chocolate chips.
Dry milk powder adds extra milk solids to the dough without adding liquid. As the cookies bake, these milk solids caramelize, enhancing the buttery flavor and keeping the cookies soft and chewy for days!
Nope! This recipe is specifically designed to bake immediately without chilling, making it quick and easy to whip up in just 45 minutes.
Storing & Freezing Instructions
- Room Temperature: Store baked cowboy cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
- To Freeze Cookie Dough: Scoop dough balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Transfer the frozen dough balls to a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before baking according to directions.
- To Freeze Baked Cookies: Allow baked cookies to cool completely, layer with parchment paper in a freezer container, and freeze for up to 3 months.
I hope your family loves these Chewy Cowboy Cookies as much as mine does! They are the ultimate loaded cookie for chocolate, pecan, and coconut lovers.
-Sky🩷
If you tried this Chewy Cowboy Cookies recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟star rating and let me know how it went in the comment section below!
FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube to stay connected!
📖 Recipe
Chewy Cowboy Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons dry milk powder
- ¾ cup old fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup shredded coconut unsweetened or sweetened
- 1 cup pecans roughly chopped
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, milk powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a mixer add the butter and both sugars. Cream until the butter is lighter in color and fluffy. Next add in the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix until fully incorporated.
- Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing just until fully incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips, oats, pecans and shredded coconut.
- Use a 1-ounce cookie scoop or two heaping tablespoons to drop the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Space the cookies about 2 inches apart. Gently press each cookie to slightly flatten, and, if desired, top with extra pecans and chocolate chips.
- Bake for 12-13 minutes for perfectly baked cookies. For a more done center, bake an additional 1-2 minutes. Personally, 12 minutes is the sweet spot! Enjoy!
Comments
No Comments