Cowboy Cookies

aka: chunky oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

 

This recipe is fanTASTIC! My husband absolutely loved them (which is saying something because he loves all my cookies and gets to eat them quite frequently. But he really raved over these!) They're the perfect everything--hearty, crisp, chewy, sweet, unexpected.  The old fashioned oats add a great texture as does the coconut (which you cannot taste--it adds that perfect element.) The cinnamon makes you expect your traditional oatmeal cookie, but the chocolate chips means we've won over the "Chocolate Chip Cookie Lovers"

The amount of cookies this recipe yields is a bit overwhelming--astronomical even. But they're THAT good. If you have a way to use 80+ cookies--which I DO--then, by all means, bake the whole darn recipe.  If not, please feel free to cut the recipe in half (to halve the 3 eggs, beat all three together in a liquid measuring cup and divide in half according to the measurements.) 

Cowboy Cookies adapted from Brown Eyed Baker who adapted it from Laura Bush 

(yes, as in the former President's wife.

She apparently won an award with these bad boys!)

Yield: 3 dozen large cookies or 6 dozen "regular" sized cookies

Ingredients

3/4 cup margarine, at room temperature

3/4 cup shortening

1½ cups granulated sugar

1½ cups packed light brown sugar

3 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 tablespoon baking soda

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups semisweet chocolate chips

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

2 cups sweetened, flaked coconut

2 cups (8 ounces) chopped pecans, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

In a large mixing bowl, beat the margarine and shortening on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in the sugars and continue to beat until light and fluffy, scraping the bowl as necessary, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until just combined. With a wooden spoon or large rubber spatula stir in the chocolate chips, oats, coconut and pecans.

For JUMBO cookies, drop ¼ cup dough onto the baking sheets, spacing them about 3 inches apart (for the extra large cookies). Bake until the edges are set but the middles still look light and puffy, about 12-15 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through. Cool cookies on the baking sheets.

OR

For REGULAR sized cookies,  drop approximately 2 Tbsp dough (use a cookie scoop/mini ice cream scoop) on the cookie sheet, spacing one inch on each side. Bake 8-10 minutes until edges are golden brown. The center will not looked completely set. Cool on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool completely.