This post contains affiliate links. When you purchase through our links, we may earn a commission.

As rough and rugged as the desert valleys of Texas itself, cowboy cookies are bucking with oats, nuts, raisins, choc chips and coconut. A family favourite and feel-good cookie that I readily whip out whenever an energy boost is required; post school snack, mid-afternoon slump, bake sale, family gathering. These (almost) guilt-free treats are easily customised and ready in under 20 minutes.

But let’s be honest, sometimes only the richest and most indulgent cookie is going to cut it! Let me tempt you with double chocolate mint cookies, one of my favourite festive treats. Super chocolatey and with a peppermint pop.

Close up shot of cowboy cookies with oats and chocolate in a tin

It might come as a surprise but I don’t bake too often and when I do I prefer making muffins and breads, so cookie making is truly special.

This Cowboy Cookies recipe came to me via an unknown school fundraiser recipe book from many years back. I lost it a long time ago as a result of our globetrotting tendency but the recipe stayed with me and became a favourite in our family.

This cookie is reminiscent of a morning granola or so I tell myself when I am tempted to grab it and eat it first thing in the morning. Each cookie is chock full of earthly goodness – oats, walnuts, raisins, dark chocolate and coconut!

In fact, as soon as I am done writing this I will indulge in a hot cup of coffee and one of these tasty delights!

What are cowboy cookies?

Thrown under the spotlight at the presidential election bake-off in 2000, Laura Bush’s cowboy cookies took the top spot pipping ginger snaps to the post. But these oatmeal cookies go way back.

Chewy, gooey and packed with goodies, history has it these cookies were stuffed in cowboys’ saddlebags and eaten on the go. Could cowboy cookies be the OG energy bar? Very likely.

Packed with protein-rich nuts, slow energy-releasing oats, and naturally occurring sugar in dried fruits, they are a nutritious, and delicious, boost. And easily negotiated with one hand riding horseback.

Top down shot of many cowboy cookies stacked on top of each other on a cutting board

Recipe variations

The cowboy cookie recipe template is essentially: oats, chocolate chips, nuts, and coconut. But it really is a build-your-own-cookie type of thing. You can take, leave, and add what you like.

I’ve already tinkered with it and adjusted to design my dream cowboy cookie. I’ve swapped out pecans for walnuts, added raisins, ditched the cinnamon and dashed with vanilla.

Other add-ins I’ve tried are:

pretzel pieces (I cannot resist a sweet and salty combo)
mini marshmallows for mega goo
peanuts
every choc chip under the sun; dark, milk, white
bashed bits of M&Ms
toffee pieces
cherries

But not all at once. I recommend sticking to a combo of 4 or 5 extras only.

Top down shot of cowboy cookies with oats, chocolate and coconut on a wire rack

Recipe Tips and Notes

As baking is a precise science, measure all the ingredients accurately: This is an affiliate link.kitchen scales are a baker’s best friend.
Also, a This is an affiliate link.stand mixer and paddle attachment. But don’t panic if you’re lacking this piece of kit. A This is an affiliate link.hand mixer will work too for creaming together the sugar and softened butter.
Softened butter means soft but still in shape. I don’t advise melting it.
You can use either dark or light brown sugar. The outcome will still be a blissfully delicious cookie.
Some recipes might suggest toasting the nuts before adding them to the mix. But I figure, why cook them twice?
Old-fashioned rolled oats are larger and have more definition than the powdery quick-cooking or instant kind. The result is an obviously oaty cookie rather than a dusty disappointment.
I’ve used sweetened coconut (desiccated coconut (UK)).
This bit is important: I recommend resting the cookie dough in the refrigerator overnight. Here’s why: 1) the flavours will concentrate and taste more complex, 2) it controls the spread of the dough so you’re not left with a single sheet of thin, flat cookie, 3) the texture will be at peak chew.
If you absolutely cannot wait the night out, give them at least 5 hours chilling.
Trying to scoop and portion cold, hard cookie dough from the fridge is not easy. Make your dough balls with an ice cream scoop before refrigerating, while the dough is pliable.
Practise your quick-drawing skills with an ice cream scoop with a trigger! It delivers even-sized balls super quick.
This recipe makes a lot of cookies! After scooping, put any surplus balls in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
For uber-goo factor, bake for 13-14 minutes. They might look unbaked on the top, but the bottom will be golden and crisp. I suggest letting them cool for 10-15 minutes before diving in. Or for flame-resistant fingers that can’t wait a minute longer- just go for it!

Process shots of cowboy cookie dough spread on a baking sheet in cookie sized balls

Storage and leftovers

Yielding 2 dozen, this recipe for cowboy cookies is all measured out and intended for a big family fandango. Or if that’s not on your agenda, you can freeze the spare dozen. Dough is perfect for freezing, it just needs to be thawed before following the original baking instructions.

Once they’ve cooled completely, store the cookies in an This is an affiliate link.airtight container at room temperature to maintain their chew. Eat them within 3 days while they are at their freshest.