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    Home / Recipes / Desserts

    Cowboy Cookies Recipe: A Gluten-Free Holiday Favorite

    4 Comments

    Cowboy Cookies Recipe: A Gluten-Free Holiday Favorite

    The quintessential American cookie, these Cowboy Cookies are soft, chewy and filled with almost every goodie imaginable: oats, pecans, chocolate chunks, and even coconut.

    Baked GoodsDessertsKid Zone

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    Cowboy cookies are an old-school favorite. Satisfyingly chewy and packed with goodies, these are always a hit.

    If there’s a cookie more truly American than the Cowboy Cookie, I’m not aware of it. These big cookies are packed full of goodies and have a soft, chewy texture, perfect for riding the range or enjoying with a glass of milk.

    gluten free cowboy cookies recipe

    About Cowboy Cookies:

    Cowboy cookies are certainly versatile. This one's gluten-free thanks to a solid gluten-free flour blend, but I’ve included a dairy-free option and you can really add any mix-ins you choose.  The thing that makes them “cowboy-style” is the size and the chewy texture achieved from adding oats to the dough along with heavy-handled vanilla (from vanilla bean paste or extract) and a dash of cinnamon.

    Making them nut-free and swapping mix-ins:

    I haven’t tried these without coconut, but we’ve definitely swapped in dried fruit, seeds or other nuts for the pecans and been quite happy. Diced prunes, dried cranberries and pumpkins seeds are all great options. When using dried fruit, I often switch to dark chocolate chips rather than semi-sweet.

    Making the cookies dairy-free is simple: swap the butter for coconut oil and use dairy-free chocolate chips.

    Cowboy Cookies are a fabulous gift, and perfect for a cookie exchange, because they hold up for days.

    If you’re headed to a cookie exchange or holiday party, I highly recommend these cowboy cookies (maybe served side-by-side with these Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies. Just saying.) They hold well, so you can make them a day or two before and keep them in a sealed container, and the dough freezes well too. This is a recipe my friends have asked for often, and they’ve had rave reviews after serving them too.

    Not just a holiday cookie - they're hearty.

    While these cookies are a certainly a holiday hit, this recipe is a year-round winner. Camping trips, sleepovers, lunchboxes and beach days are all enhanced by cowboy cookies, so saddle up and make some soon!

    cornflake cookies recipe

    Try these too: The Best Crunchy and Chewy Cornflake Cookies

    Cornflake Cookies are full of coconut and nuts, the perfect mix of crunchy and chewy. It's hard to limit yourself to just one! Make them gluten-free with GF flakes.

    cowboy cookies on a plate

    Cowboy Cookies Recipe: A Gluten-Free Holiday Favorite

    K.C. Cornwell
    The quintessential American cookie, these Cowboy Cookies are soft, chewy and filled with almost every goodie imaginable: oats, pecans, chocolate chunks, and even coconut.
    5 from 8 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 16 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 20 cookies
    Calories 254 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour blend
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
    • 1 cup butter room temperature (2 sticks)
    • ¾ cup granulated sugar
    • ¾ cup packed light ­brown sugar
    • 2 large eggs
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
    • 1 ½ cups gluten-free rolled oats
    • ½ cup semisweet chocolate chunks
    • ½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
    • 1 cup pecans chopped
    • Flake sea salt, for topping

    Make it Dairy-Free: swap coconut oil for the butter and use dairy-free chocolate chips

    Instructions
     

    • Heat oven to 350 degrees F (175C).
    • Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder and cinnamon, set aside.
    • Using an electric mixer with paddle attachment on medium-high speed, cream butter and both sugars until fluffy. Reduce speed to medium and beat in eggs thoroughly, then beat in vanilla.
    • Reduce speed to low, and add in flour mixture, beating until just incorporated. Beat in oats, then chocolate, coconut and pecans until just combined.
    • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. For each cookie, drop ¼ cup dough onto ungreased baking sheets, spacing 3 inches (7.5 cm) apart. Salt the top of each cookie with a sprinkle of flake sea salt. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, 16-18 minutes.
    • Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy.

    Notes

    Dough can be chilled for up to 2 days in a sealed container. Once baked, the cookies will keep for three days in an airtight container.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 254kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 3gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 254mgPotassium: 91mgFiber: 3gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 310IUVitamin C: 0.04mgCalcium: 32mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword cookie recipe, cowboy cookies, gluten-free baking, gluten-free cookies, gluten-free dessert, gluten-free holiday recipes, holiday recipes

    More cookie recipes you'll love:

    Gooey Chocolate Crackle Cookies recipe gluten free

    Gooey Chocolate Crackle Cookies:

    This recipe for Gooey Chocolate Crackle Cookies is both delicious and simple to create. They have a slightly tangy, buttery flavor with crunchy flaky edges, similar to a brownie.

    gluten-free peppermint chocolate cookies

    Alison's Chocolate Candy Cane Crush Cookies

    Peppermint + chocolate is a must-have flavor combination during the holidays. These brownie-textured cookies with a white chocolate drizzle and crushed peppermints are the first to disappear from the dessert bar!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Shirley Gargus says

      December 28, 2021 at 6:45 pm

      Thank you for the recipe . I will enjoy these .

      Reply
      • K.C. Cornwell says

        April 26, 2022 at 11:46 am

        Hooray & you're welcome!

        Reply
    2. Jess says

      September 15, 2024 at 11:48 pm

      These are the best!!

      Reply
      • K.C. Cornwell says

        October 13, 2024 at 5:11 pm

        So happy you love the recipe!

        Reply
    5 from 8 votes (8 ratings without comment)

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    K.C. is a farm-grown foodie, born and raised in the fertile fields of California’s San Joaquin Valley. After being diagnosed with Celiac Disease following years of unexplained illness, she has infused her gluten-free life with flavor, fork in hand. Learn more about K.C.

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