Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Cowboy Cookies

The older I get, the more picky I seem to get about my cookies. Even as a kid, I hated the Chips Ahoy chewy chocolate chip cookies, and most commercial cookies. Too sweet, too bland, not enough bitter chocolate taste, and a mushy texture. My favorite chocolate chip cookies were, and continue to be, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. They often have a saltiness that compliments the nutty oats and the bitter chocolate, and their texture is much improved with the grain added.

Of course, someone in ancient history had to make some sort of royal decree or conspiracy that all oatmeal cookies must have raisins instead of chocolate. I like raisins, but not in my oatmeal cookies. They make everything too sweet, and ruin the texture. Does anyone like oatmeal raisin cookies?

These cookies are sometimes made without coconut, and are very customizable. Feel free to experiment: white chocolate chips, toffee chunks, walnuts, macadamia nuts, or butterscotch chips (raisins only if you want to disappoint Miss Mochi and contribute to the conspiracy).

Apparently the former First Lady Laura Bush and Tipper Gore had a cookie baking contest in Family Circle during the 2000 presidential election, and Mrs. Bush submitted a monster cowboy cookie recipe. Politics aside, these are delicious!

I made these cookies when I was studying for my state board exams, and brought them into work for my taste testers (a.k.a coworkers) to try them out. These are some seriously big cookies, so feel free to make them smaller. I happen to like them smaller, but somehow I end up eating more of them that way.

Cowboy Cookies


1 cup shortening (or butter, I've used both) room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup chopped pecans
2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips
1 cup shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and set aside. Next, cream the shortening (or butter), and both sugars together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, making sure it is fully encorporated before adding the second egg, then mix in the vanilla. Add in the flour mixture in a couple batches. Carefully stir in the bulky ingredients one at a time: oats, pecans, chocolate, and coconut. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, spoon cookie dough onto a greased foil lined cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes (adjust time if you make smaller cookies), until the edges are just browned but the center still looks puffy and soft. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.

See Also:
Matcha Shortbread Cookies
Coconut Icebox Cookies
Sriracha Bar

7 comments:

  1. I do like oatmeal raisin cookies. I love raisins so I'm odd. But these sound yummy. I like oatmeal in most things.

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    1. Oh totally I love raisins. Except in cookies.

      One of my favorite e-cards I've seen on facebook says "Raisin cookies that look like chocolate chip cookies are the reason I have trust issues."

      But really, I love raisins, dried cranberries, prunes, dried apricots, pretty much every dried fruit.

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  2. I'm the opposite...I only like raisins when they are in cookies, but I'm sure I won't be missing them here! They look so delicious, and I'm glad for healthy dose of brown sugar, which means they must be chewy? Nice recipe, thanks for posting Miss Mochi! ;)

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    Replies
    1. Yep they are chewy and have a nice caramelized taste due to the brown sugar. They also have a nice chewiness due to the coconut as well.

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  3. For fear of being called unAmerican, I'll say Cowboy Cookies are my second favorite...after chocolate chip. I must say, I definitely in the "add coconut" camp. These look great!

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    1. I am decidedly not a baker (my oven only works half the year as well), so I was pleased with how easy these were to make!

      I am firmly in the "coconut makes everything better" camp.

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  4. Your cookies look delicious! I agree, I think we get pickier because we know what exactly we enjoy... :) I must try your recipe - I put shredded coconut in mine too. Love that taste and texture!

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