I made these sweet and salty cowboy cookies with my son over spring break. There’s just something about that mix of chocolate, coconut, oats, and a little salty crunch that makes them so hard to resist. This recipe makes a big batch, which was perfect because our family kept reaching for them all week long. They didn’t last long, and I have a feeling we’ll be making them again very soon.
Why are they called Cowboy Cookies
You might be wondering where the name “cowboy cookies” comes from. While there are a few different stories, they’re often thought of as a hearty, everything included kind of cookie. Something you could pack up and take along for a long day, much like a cowboy might. With all the oats, chocolate, coconut, and crunchy add-ins, they’re filling, satisfying, and loaded with flavor. Whether that’s the true origin or not, the name definitely fits these delicious cookies!
Ingredients You’ll Need
You may already have most of these ingredients on hand, and the best part is you can make this recipe your own. Swap in butterscotch chips, nuts, or whatever you have in your pantry. These cookies are all about that sweet and salty mix.
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups oats
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- ½ cup chunky peanut butter
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 cup crushed pretzels
How to Make Sweet and Salty Cowboy Cookies
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until well combined. Add in the eggs, vanilla extract, and peanut butter, and mix until smooth.
- In the same bowl, add the dry ingredients—flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt—and mix until everything is fully combined.
- Stir in the shredded coconut and chocolate chips, saving a small handful of each to sprinkle on top later. (Leave out the pretzels for now.)
- Scoop the dough into ¼ cup portions and place onto a greased or lined baking sheet.
- Gently press the tops of the cookies down slightly, then press in the crushed pretzel pieces. Sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips and coconut on top.
- Bake for 12–14 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
While one batch is baking, it’s helpful to have a second cookie sheet prepped and ready to go. This recipe makes about four batches (around 10 cookies per sheet), so getting the next batch ready while the first is in the oven really helps speed up the process. That way, you can just swap them out and keep things moving along.
On some of the batches, I used parchment paper on the baking sheet. Honestly, I’m not even sure it makes a huge difference for these cookies, but you can definitely use it if you prefer. Either way works just fine, so go with whatever you have on hand.
The extra toppings on top make these cookies look and taste even better. The pretzels, chocolate chips, and coconut give them a bakery-style finish, and a light sprinkle of sea salt on a few batches really enhances that sweet and salty flavor.
These sweet and salty cowboy cookies are definitely more on the crunchy side rather than soft and fluffy, which is part of what makes them so good. All the mix-ins give them the perfect texture and bite. They pair especially well with a cold glass of milk, and I highly recommend enjoying them that way. This was such a fun recipe to make, and I have a feeling it will become one we come back to often.
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Emily
