These Easy Cowboy Cookies Are Chewy, Chunky and Oh-So-Satisfying

Photo byModern Honey

I don't know how I went most of my life without tasting a cowboy cookie. When I did finally encounter one, it was love at first bite. There's nothing better than a big, chewy cookie packed with chocolate chips, pecans, oats, coconut and a little cinnamon. Add a dash of sea salt flakes and you've got a batch of beautiful cookies that are bursting with different flavors and textures. They're gooey and chocolatey with just the right amount of crunch.

What makes these cowboy cookies different is the brown butter. When I first made them I was a bit unsure about it, even though I love using brown butter in other types of dishes. As the butter melts, the flavor concentrates and the milk solids caramelize to create a rich, nutty flavor. Still, I'm used to creaming the butter first for cookies, then adding the other ingredients. In the end it was definitely worth it: the brown butter gives the recipe a dash of extra flavor and results in perfectly golden brown cookies.

The other thing I love about this recipe is how adaptable it is. Don't like pecans? Leave them out or use walnuts instead. Not a fan of coconut? Skip it. If you love chocolate, switch out the chocolate chips for chocolate chunks for a more concentrated flavor. Crave salt? Add some chopped pretzels to the mix. Don't want to use brown butter? Use plain melted butter instead.

The other day somebody asked me where cowboy cookies originated and I realized I had no idea. Apparently no one is really sure, but the consensus seems to be that they were the original power snack. Because they're so full of high-energy ingredients, they helped cowboys endure the long working days out West.

Cowboy cookies came into prominence back in 2000 during the presidential race, when Laura Bush's "Texas Governor's House Cowboy Cookies" beat out Tipper Gore's ginger snaps in Family Circle's traditional First Lady bake-off. (Fun fact: according to Southern Living, the bake-off results have "almost always predicted the winner of the presidential election, save a couple outliers.")

While some recipes can result in flat cookies, that isn't possible with cowboy cookies because they're so packed with add ins. Best of all, you don't need to chill the dough beforehand. Just mix and bake.

Cowboy Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted until browned and cooled slightly.

1 and 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

2 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 and 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 and 3/4 cups old-fashioned oats

3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut

1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped, plus more for decorating

12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon flaky sea salt (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl using a whisk, beat together the browned butter and both sugars until well combined, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the eggs, the yolk and the vanilla.

3. In a separate large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, oats, coconut, pecans, and chocolate chips.

4. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined.

5. Scoop 2-inch balls of cookie dough and place them 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Press a few flakes of sea salt onto each cookie (optional).

6. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until cookies are golden and set at the edges but still slightly soft in the center.

7. Cool cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes then transfer them to a wire rack. Store in an airtight container as soon as they're cool.

Notes

To make cookies prettier, press a few chocolate chips, coconut flakes and pecans onto the tops of the cookies when they come out of the oven.

Be sure to let the brown butter cool before adding it to the batter. I melt mine first then stick it in the refrigerator while I'm gathering the rest of the ingredients.

Cut the butter into chunks and melt it on low heat to prevent it from burning. When it's ready, remove it from the heat and pour it into a bowl for cooling that's standing by.