cowboy cookies


A little while ago I took out the book All Cakes Considered by Melissa Grayย from the library. I love cakes and the book turned out to be perfect cake-dreamin’ fodder. It will be my birthday next week and I’ve already gone through each page multiple times looking for The Perfect Birthday Cake recipe. With all the beautiful photos it makes things hard to choose.

So it’s kind of funny that the first recipe I tried out of this book was a cookie recipe. I know, I know, but how could I turn down oats, chocolate, raisins and nuts? On a night when I was craving cookies, this recipe was the answer to my siren song. It also made the perfect belated thank you gift and there was still enough cookies leftover to share with friends. So not only is this cookie a keeper, it also gives and gives.

Going to be in Vancouver this weekend? Be sure to come by the always fantasticย Got Craft sale this Sunday May 2nd. I’ll be selling my greeting cards & birthday calendars along with brand new card designs not yet in my etsy shop! Stop by and say hi between 10am – 5pm at the Legion on Commercial Drive, I’d love to meet you!

34 comments to “cowboy cookies”

  1. 1
    Amanda   April 30, 2010 at 10:52 am

    Shiver…they look so delicious! And yet…2 cups of sugar…brings my skin out in goosebumps…why why why why do fat and sugar make things 110% more delicious?!

    (actually, with a science degree under my belt, I can answer my own very rhetorical question…but still)

  2. 2
    kickpleat   April 30, 2010 at 11:00 am

    Amanda, you reminded me that I did knock out a teensy bit of sugar, but I think you could remove even a bit more (up to half a cup?). I know, normally I tend to skip cookies with lots of sugar & fat, but since these were for a gift, I decided to splurge. A definite worthy cookie gift!

  3. 3
    Dana   April 30, 2010 at 1:41 pm

    Jeannette! What day is your b-day?? I’ll send extra special vibes your way on that day. These cookies look awesome – just what I want, full of all kinds of goodies.

  4. 4
    say.la vie   April 30, 2010 at 1:51 pm

    Looks very yummy!

  5. 5
    heather @ chiknpastry   April 30, 2010 at 2:19 pm

    aaaaaaaaaaahhhh cookies. how i love them ;). happy early birthday, and sadly i won’t be in vancouver, but i’ll be in chicago where it’s supposed to rain ๐Ÿ™

  6. 6
    Kali   April 30, 2010 at 2:30 pm

    Gah, the recipe had me until it said raisins. That being said, I believe these will be delicious without them. ๐Ÿ™‚

    (I’d knock out a little of sugar, too.)

  7. 7
    karen   April 30, 2010 at 5:32 pm

    mmmmmmmm these look delicious! ever since you introduced me to putting salt on my cookies with your salted butterscotch oatmeal cookies, i’ve been wanting a chocolate version! this looks perfect.

  8. 8
    Bijoux   April 30, 2010 at 6:25 pm

    I don’t think it’s news to you when I say that I have a major SWEET tooth. I love all kinds of desserts and I’m even prone to eating more fruit when they are in a pie or cake. I’m still refraining from consuming copious amounts of white sugar and white flour in my diet but if I were to make this recipe, I would substitute with whole wheat flour and Stevia or Agave, making it less caloric. Yes, I’m a nerd and I just ruined a perfectly good cookie recipe with neurotic substitutions…but then I can eat more cookies and that is a good plan ๐Ÿ™‚

  9. 9
    The Nervous Cook   April 30, 2010 at 8:19 pm

    Is that a little bit of coarse salt I see on the top of that delicious-looking cookie? G-d help me I love a salted cookie (this post be damned).

    Hey, happy early birthday!

  10. 10
    Joanne   May 1, 2010 at 3:14 am

    Happy almost birthday and good luck at the fair! I’m sure these cookies will fuel you through it. They definitely seem like they are impossible to resist…chockful of so many goodies and all.

  11. 11
    Julie   May 1, 2010 at 7:08 am

    Sigh.. I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather be than wandering down Commercial Drive this weekend! (Can’t complain – I’m in Jasper and it’s lovely here too!) Thanks for the cookie recipe – we can never have enough around here!

  12. 12
    walterknitty   May 1, 2010 at 10:25 am

    I grew up on cookies almost exactly like these. Puffed rice took the place of raisins and pecans. An older lady who lived across the street from my parents would make these for my brother and I. She gave my Mom the recipe and they were the only chocolate chip cookies we had. I’ll never forget the first time I made these for a picky friend. He swore up and down that they were not real chocolate chip cookies then had to eat 7 of them to make sure they were good.

  13. 13
    Niki   May 1, 2010 at 11:55 am

    Love All Cakes Considered, and since January have been making a cake from it in order every week. Known as “Cake Monday” at the office. Much fun. I’ve also made these cookies but used trail mix and they were kind of meh. Will try them again…

  14. 14
    kickpleat   May 1, 2010 at 1:20 pm

    Dana my birthday is May 8th. I’ll take all the good vibes I can ๐Ÿ™‚

    Thanks say la vie!

    Heather, I’m hoping it won’t rain here too. I have big plans that involve biking around to parks. I want no rain. None.

    Kali, throw in some coconut or hazelnuts or something else! Or increase the chocolate ๐Ÿ™‚

    Karen, this is good with salt or not!

    Bijoux I’m sure these are fine with ww flour. Not sure about the agave (but that isn’t all that much healthier really – just as processed, apparently).

    Nervous Cook, I love a salty cookie too! Mmmm.

    Thanks Joanne! They are chockful of the good stuff.

    Julie, I’m pretty envious of your relaxing weekend!

    Walterknitty, this is a pretty standard recipe apparently! And I love the idea of adding puffed rice for extra texture. Love your cookie story!

  15. 15
    Daily Spud   May 1, 2010 at 4:20 pm

    I would be more than happy to receive those as a thank-you gift, or as any other kind of gift, for that matter!

  16. 16
    tasteofbeirut   May 1, 2010 at 7:08 pm

    These cowboy cookies have been earmarked for years; I need to make them soon, they looks so delicious and sinfully rich!

  17. 17
    Bijoux   May 1, 2010 at 8:22 pm

    Yes, you are absolutely right, agave is processed and has the same calories as white sugar. I have a low-carb cookbook that praises agave for it’s low GI (glycemic index rating), so I’m clinging to this little bit of detail as the key to weight loss ๐Ÿ™‚

  18. 18
    Gwen   May 2, 2010 at 6:45 am

    Your blog always makes me hungry — obviously ๐Ÿ™‚

  19. 19
    Maranaomi   May 2, 2010 at 3:40 pm

    yum, yum, yum. dark chocolate chips and raisins, what a combo. can’t wait to try.

  20. 20
    Wizzythestick   May 2, 2010 at 8:40 pm

    I wonder where the name came from. Looks like some great cookies

  21. 21
    brie   May 3, 2010 at 2:14 am

    My Mom used to make cowboy cookies all the time when my sister and I were kids. They are soooo good.

  22. 22
    CookiePie   May 3, 2010 at 7:17 am

    Oh YEAH. Love cowboy cookies, and yours look particularly divine!

  23. 23
    kickpleat   May 3, 2010 at 2:13 pm

    Daily Spud, bake yourself a batch and say thank you ๐Ÿ˜‰

    tasteofbeirut, they are indeed. Enjoy!

    haha, Bijoux!

    Glad to hear, Gwen!

    Maranaomi, it’s a great mix.

    Wizzythestick, no idea. Even Martha Stewart doesn’t know where the name comes from!

    Brie, you growed up on good cookies.

    Thanks CookiePie!

  24. 24
    Romina   May 3, 2010 at 7:28 pm

    I’m drooling over these cookies…and the name makes them even cuter and more appealing for some reason.

    Sad to hear about agave though. Booooo that sweet nectar and its deceptive ways.

  25. 25
    monika   May 4, 2010 at 7:52 am

    I want these, immediately. If only because of their ridiculously cute name.

    On a side note, I’m getting married this Saturday, on your birthday! Happy early birthday!

  26. 26
    Jenni   May 5, 2010 at 4:15 pm

    These look delicious! I’ve been wanting to try another cookie recipe lately, maybe I will give these a try they look like something my kids would adore ๐Ÿ™‚ Anything though with chocolate my kids just love! Thanks!

  27. 27
    Ashley   May 5, 2010 at 6:31 pm

    Hey I just posted about cowboy cookies too!! Yours look delicious. Hope you found the perfect birthday cake and happy birthday!

  28. 28
    kickpleat   May 6, 2010 at 10:28 am

    Romina, I know it’s a very sad thing about agave…but it’s still a great vegan sweetener. So there. And yes, the name might indeed make them that much better ๐Ÿ˜‰

    Monika, hooray on getting married! I love weddings so have a blast!

    Jenni, these are very kid-friendly…though really, what cookie isn’t?

    Ashley I saw your post! Too funny.

  29. 29
    Amanda   May 12, 2010 at 5:22 pm

    I have the last of my batch of these cooling right now… They are SO good.

    I left out some sugar, added some coconut and a splash of milk (just because mine wouldn’t hold together no matter how hard I tried without it). They didn’t end up quite as puffy as yours, but I’m blaming Colorado altitude for that ๐Ÿ™‚

    Thank youuu!!!!

  30. 30
    kickpleat   May 14, 2010 at 7:47 pm

    Hooray! Glad it turned out well with less sugar, Amanda.

  31. 31
    Loree   June 6, 2010 at 6:57 pm

    I made these (also for a gift) yesterday, but kept about 1/2 the batch which are very quickly disappearing. I had to settle for what was in my pantry: semi-sweet and walnuts instead of pecans (I also reduced the sugar by 1/4 c but may try even less next time… and there WILL be a next time!). They were a huge hit – sprinkled salt makes it.

    I’ll be replacing my long-time cookie recipe with this one. Thanks!

  32. 32
    denise   August 1, 2010 at 6:12 pm

    Going to try these tonight. My bf loved the name when I told him so I figure why not. [Although I suppose I could call anything a ‘cowboy cookie’ and he wouldn’t be any wiser but shh.. lol]

    Not sure about the salt on top.. probably make a few with and a few without

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