Ranger Cookies (Cowboy Cookies) | The Recipe Critic

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Delicious Ranger Cookies (also called Cowboy Cookies) have slightly crisp edges with soft and chewy centers, and the most wonderful texture. They are filled with hearty oats, crunchy cornflakes, shredded coconut and chocolate chips. You will be blown away by how amazing these cookies taste!

In my opinion, the best dessert is a batch of homemade cookies. We love cookie recipes that use unique ingredients to result in irresistible textures and flavors. Here are a few other extra special options to try out when you’re craving a sweet treat! You’ll definitely want to make these Gooey S’mores Cookies, these white chocolate Oreo cookies, or my classic chocolate chip cookies. You’ll love them all!

What are Ranger Cookies?

If you’ve never tried ranger cookies, you’re in for a real treat! In this recipe, our everyday oatmeal chocolate chip cookie is taken to the next level with some incredible add-ins. Aside from the milk chocolate chips, we’re mixing in cornflake cereal and shredded sweetened coconut. So, if you’re into trying something new, but still want a classic cookie, these are the way to go!

Not only are ranger cookies irresistible, but they fit any occasion! These are great for holiday cookie tins, the perfect after-school snack, a game day treat, or for whipping up on a lazy weekend when you’re craving something sweet. Whatever you do, make a double batch! These are so crowd pleasing, they won’t last long!

Ingredients Needed

There’s a new favorite cookie in the house! This ranger cookie recipe is a fabulous spin on classic chocolate chip cookies. They’re made with simple baking ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen. Follow the recipe card below for exact measurements.

Rolled Oats: Provides a wonderful chewy, hearty texture.
Flour: Use all-purpose flour to ensure a tender crumb.
Baking Essentials: A combination of baking soda and baking powder helps these rise and bake properly.
Salt: Enhances and brings together all of the flavors.
Butter: Use unsalted butter to control the amount of salt in the recipe. Also, be sure your butter is softened to room temperature, so that it combines properly with the sugars.
Brown Sugar: Dark or light brown sugar is used in combination with granulated sugar for a moist cookie with rich flavor.
Granulated Sugar: Adds just the right amount of sweetness.
Egg: Helps to bind the ingredients.
Vanilla Extract: Adds subtle sweetness and extra flavor.
Cornflake Cereal: You will love the delicious crunchy contrast to the softness of the cookie.
Coconut: Obsessed with adding shredded sweetened coconut to cookies for an addicting flavor and texture.
Chocolate Chips: We typically add milk chocolate chips, but semi-sweet chocolate chips or even dark chocolate chips would work.

How to Make Ranger Cookies

Ranger cookies are just as easy to make as your average chocolate chip cookie. Just be sure to plan ahead and chill the dough for a thicker, chewier and overall more incredible cookie!

Break Up the Oats: Add the oats to a blender or food processor and pulse 3-4 times to break up the oats but not grind them to flour.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the blended oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Then set aside.
Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until just combined.
Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until combined. Stir in the cereal, coconut, and chocolate chips by hand.
Chill: Cover the bowl and chill in the fridge for 30-45 minutes. About 15 minutes before removing the dough from the fridge, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Scoop Dough Balls: Use a large cookie scoop to scoop roughly 3 tablespoons of dough onto the cookie sheets, leaving 2 inches between them.
Bake: Place in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are just starting to turn golden brown. The centers of the cookies will look quite underbaked, but they will continue to cook as they cool.
Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Tips and Variations

Check out these simple tips to ensure your cookies are perfectly baked every time. I’ve also included some fun variations for you to try!

Change Out the Chips: Swap the milk chocolate chips for semi-sweet, butterscotch, peanut butter chips, white chocolate chips, or even some dried cranberries or raisins to make these different every time!
Coconut: Ranger cookies typically have shredded coconut in them, but if you do not like coconut you may omit it from the recipe.
Cereal: Swap the cornflake cereal out for a different kind! The most popular choice is Rice Krispies, but you could try Special K, Chex, or whatever crispy, crunchy cereal you prefer.
Chill: Don’t skip this step! It’s important to let the dough chill so that the cookies don’t spread.
Oatmeal: Don’t over-blend the rolled oats! Pulsing just 3-4 times will yield a great mixture of bigger and finer pieces of oats. This way you still have a chewy cookie, but it won’t be overwhelmed by the size of all the rolled oats. You may substitute the rolled oats for quick oats, but those tend to absorb more moisture while baking, so the texture may be altered.
Let them cool ON THE BAKING SHEET: Before you take the cookies off and put them on a cooling rack, let them sit on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes. They will finish baking on it!

Storing Tips

Here’s tips for freezing the cookie dough for later and storing leftovers if you happen to have some baked cookies that don’t get eaten all at once.

Freeze the Dough: Unbaked cookie dough can be scooped onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and frozen. Once the scoops of dough are frozen solid, transfer them to a freezer bag. Store for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen as directed in the recipe card, although they may need 1-2 additional minutes. Alternatively, you may set them out on a cookie sheet or plate for an hour or so until they are thawed and then bake them just as you would fresh cookie dough.
Storing Baked Cookies: Baked cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Adding a slice of bread to the container will help keep the cookies soft and moist.

If you’re a cookie monster like I am, look no further, we have plenty of tasty cookies to share! From crisp lace cookies to soft and chewy butterscotch cookies, there’s something for everyone! Here are some of our all-time favs:

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Add the oats to a blender or food processor and pulse 3-4 times to break up the oats but not grind them to flour.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the blended oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until just combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until combined. Stir in the cereal, coconut, and chocolate chips by hand.
Cover the bowl and chill in the fridge for 30-45 minutes. About 15 minutes before removing the dough from the fridge, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Use a large cookie scoop to scoop roughly 3 tablespoons of dough onto the cookie sheets, leaving 2 inches between them.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are just starting to turn golden brown. The centers of the cookies will look quite underbaked, but they will continue to cook as they cool.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Calories: 137kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 2gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 87mgPotassium: 41mgFiber: 1gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 156IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 17mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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