These Cowboy Cookies Are So Good, I Always Make a Double Batch

(2)

They're so much better than chocolate chip cookies.

Cooling rack of cowboy cookies
Photo:

Grant Webster

Prep Time:
15 mins
Cook Time:
15 mins
Bake Time:
1 hr 6 mins
Total Time:
36 mins
Servings:
28
Yield:
28 cookies

If you're ready for a twist on chocolate chip cookies, try making cowboy cookies. These thick cookies are loaded with chocolate, nuts, coconut, and cinnamon. Adding regular rolled oats helps ensure each bite is perfectly chewy. Here's our best cowboy cookie recipe and our favorite tips for customizing it.

What Are Cowboy Cookies?

Cowboy cookies are similar to a basic chocolate cookie in preparation. They're drop cookies made with chocolate chips, but the recipe also calls for oats, coconut, and pecans. The original recipe creator isn't known, but it's thought the cookies may have been first created in Texas. Today, there are several variations of the original recipe, including one from former First Lady Laura Bush that includes cinnamon.

Tips for Making Cowboy Cookies

Keep these helpful tips in mind when making our recipe for cowboy cookies.

  • For the most flavor, toast your pecans before adding them to the cookie dough mixture. To toast nuts, place them in a hot, dry pan and gently shake them until they begin to brown. Remove from the heat and let cool before adding them to your recipe.
  • Our recipe calls for semisweet chocolate chips, but you could easily swap in dark or milk chocolate chips.
  • Don't skip the flaky salt on top. It helps balance the sweetness of the cookies.
  • Our recipe tasters preferred these cookies warm. Reheat for a few seconds in the microwave before eating.
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter

  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 tsp. baking soda

  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

  • 3/4 tsp. salt

  • 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1 Tbsp. vanilla

  • 1 (12-oz.) pkg. dark or semisweet chocolate chips

  • 1 3/4 cups regular rolled oats

  • 3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut

  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans

  • Flaky sea salt

Directions

  1. Prep Pan

    Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

  2. Make Brown Butter

    In a 10-inch skillet (with a light colored inside to better watch the butter color), heat butter over medium-low 15 to 17 minutes or until butter turns light brown and smells nutty. Watch closely once the foam dissipates, it will quickly go from browned to burned. Transfer browned butter to a large bowl.

  3. Mix Dry Ingredients

    In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

  4. Mix Dough

    Whisk brown and granulated sugar into browned butter. Whisk in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips, oats, coconut, and pecans.

  5. Form Cookies and Bake

    Roll dough in 2-inch balls (3 Tbsp scoop). Place two inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. Bake until edges are set and lightly browned, 12 minutes. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired. Cool on cookie sheets 10 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

262 Calories
13g Fat
33g Carbs
3g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 28
Calories 261.7
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 13.2g 17%
Saturated Fat 7.2g 36%
Cholesterol 31.7mg 11%
Sodium 141.1mg 6%
Total Carbohydrate 33.3g 12%
Dietary Fiber 2.1g 7%
Total Sugars 19.9g
Protein 3.1g 6%
Vitamin D 0.1mcg 0%
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 25.7mg 2%
Iron 1.9mg 10%
Potassium 134.3mg 3%
Fatty acids, total trans 0g
Vitamin D 2.9IU
Alanine 0.1g
Arginine 0.2g
Ash 0.8g
Aspartic acid 0.2g
Caffeine 5.2mg
Carotene, alpha 0.9mcg
Choline, total 16.6mg
Copper, Cu 0.2mg
Cystine 0.1g
Energy 1094.8kJ
Fluoride, F 0.5mcg
Folate, total 22.5mcg
Glutamic acid 0.6g
Glycine 0.1g
Histidine 0.1g
Isoleucine 0.1g
Leucine 0.2g
Lysine 0.1g
Methionine 0g
Magnesium, Mg 32.1mg
Manganese, Mn 0.6mg
Niacin 0.8mg
Phosphorus, P 73.8mg
Pantothenic acid 0.2mg
Phenylalanine 0.1g
Phytosterols 0mg
Proline 0.2g
Retinol 60.1mcg
Selenium, Se 7mcg
Serine 0.1g
Starch 2.9g
Theobromine 59.9mg
Threonine 0.1g
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) 0.3mg
Tryptophan 0g
Tyrosine 0.1g
Valine 0.1g
Vitamin A, IU 229.3IU
Vitamin A, RAE 61.5mcg
Vitamin B-12 0.1mcg
Vitamin B-6 0mg
Vitamin K (phylloquinone) 1.8mcg
Water 6.8g
Zinc, Zn 0.7mg

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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