Description
These Best Cowboy Cookies are a delightful blend of browned butter, oats, coconut, pecans, and semi-sweet chocolate chips, all baked to chewy perfection with a hint of cinnamon and a sprinkle of sea salt for an irresistible sweet and salty treat.
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter (melted until browned)
- 1 and 1/2 cups (319 grams) light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup (99 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 1 large egg yolk (at room temperature)
- 2 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 2 and 1/3 cups (270 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 3/4 cups (156 grams) old-fashioned oats
- 3/4 cup (60 grams) sweetened flaked coconut
- 1/2 cup (64 grams) pecans, roughly chopped (plus more for decorating)
- 12 ounces (340 grams) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Optional Toppings
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
- Extra chocolate chips and pecans for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside to ensure easy cookie removal and cleanup.
- Mix the Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the browned butter along with both the light brown sugar and granulated sugar. Beat until well combined, approximately 2 minutes. It's normal if the mixture looks slightly separated at this stage.
- Add Eggs and Flavoring: Whisk in the two large eggs and one egg yolk, beating until fully incorporated, about 45 seconds. Then whisk in the pure vanilla extract to infuse the batter with a rich aroma.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, salt, old-fashioned oats, sweetened flaked coconut, roughly chopped pecans, and semi-sweet chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
- Fold Dry into Wet: Gently fold the dry ingredients mixture into the wet ingredients just until combined to avoid overmixing which can toughen cookies.
- Portion Dough: Scoop 2-inch diameter balls of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to give room for spreading during baking.
- Bake: Bake one sheet at a time in the preheated oven for about 12 minutes or until the cookies are golden and set around the edges but still slightly soft in the center for a chewy texture.
- Add Toppings: Remove cookies from the oven and immediately press extra chocolate chips and pecans on top, if desired. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt for an enhanced sweet and salty flavor contrast.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes to firm up before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps the cookies maintain their structure and chewiness.
Notes
- Browned butter adds a nutty richness to the cookies, so be sure to watch it carefully while melting to avoid burning.
- Room temperature eggs blend better into the dough for a smoother texture.
- Spacing the cookie dough properly on the baking sheets ensures even baking and prevents cookies from merging.
- If you prefer crunchier cookies, bake for an additional 1-2 minutes, watching carefully to prevent overbaking.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for longer storage.
