Back in the Kitchen Saddle

Work has been chaotic this week, and being struck down with a very severe cold that left me half delirious and a wicked cough to beat meant that the kitchen was more or less out of commission. But I’m finally feeling better, my appetite is back, and I finally made my way back into the kitchen after a huge disinfectant wipe-down of my apartment.

I’ve actually had this recipe in my recipe book for over a year now, but I never got around to making it until now. I have no clue why they’re called Cowboy Cookies, but the list of ingredients makes these cookies appealing enough, packed full of oatmeal, pecans, coconut and chocolate chips. What you get is a cookie with a lot of texture with just the right amount of sweetness in the dough and from the chocolate chips. These will surely satisfy any cookie-lover in your house!



Cowboy Cookies
Adapted from Martha Stewart
Makes about 3 dozen

¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup packed light-brown sugar (add an extra ¼ cup sugar if you like your cookies on the sweeter side)
2 eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup old-fashioned oats
½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
¾ cup whole pecans, toasted and chopped
1 cup chocolate chips (I used half semisweet and half milk chocolate)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

With mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture, beating until just incorporated. Beat in oats, pecans, coconut and chocolate chips until just combined. (Dough can be covered with plastic and refrigerated up to 3 days.)

Using a dessert spoon, drop rounded dough onto prepared sheets, about 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly with the back of a spoon.

Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges of cookies begin to brown, about 9 to 11 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks to cool 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks to cool completely. Cookies can be stored up to 3 days at room temperature in an airtight container.