Peanut Butter Cowboy Cookies — Chewy oats, sweet coconut, crunchy pecans, peanut butter, and plenty of chocolate!! A true ‘kitchen sink’ cookie that stays soft and chewy! Everyone (not just cowboys) loves these cookies!!
Cowboy Peanut Butter Cookies
One of the most popular (recent) cookie recipes on my site is for Cowboy Cookies.
You don’t have to be a cowboy or cowgirl to love them. I’m neither, but am a huge fan of these cookies because they’re hearty, loaded with texture, and have so many wonderful flavors going on in every bite.
Since everything is better with peanut butter, I incorporated it into the recipe and love the results. Present but it doesn’t overwhelm the other flavors.
The cookies are like Peanut Butter Cookies crossed with Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, plus shredded coconut which reminds me of Seven Layer Cookies. Slightly salty peanut butter, chewy oats, sweet coconut, and chocolate is a winning combination.
Throw in pecans and Cornflakes, and you’ve got yourself texture galore which I love.
The pecans add a firmer crunch while the Cornflakes add a lighter, crispier crunch. The crunchiness plays off the chewiness from the oats and coconut beautifully.
I’ve seen Cowboy Cookies called Kitchen Sink Cookies and rightfully so. Almost everything but the kitchen sink is included.
Peanut Butter Cowboy Cookie Ingredients
To make these cowboy cookies with peanut butter, you’ll need:
- Egg
- Butter
- Light brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Old-fashioned oats
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Cornflakes
- Sweetened shredded coconuts
- Pecans
How to Make Peanut Butter Cowboy Cookies
This recipe for cowboy cookies couldn’t get much easier! Here’s how the cookies are made:
- Beat together the egg, butter, peanut butter, sugars, and vanilla.
- Add the flour, oats, baking soda, salt, and beat on low speed until just combined.
- Add the chocolate chips, Cornflakes, coconut, pecans, and beat on low speed until just combined.
- Using a 1/4-cup measure, form approximately 15 equal-sized mounds of dough and flatten slightly.
- Place mounds on a large plate or tray, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Place dough mounds on baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart and bake for about 10 to 12 minutes.
- Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes before serving.
Can Instant Oats Be Used Instead of Old-Fashioned Oats?
No, instant oats are more finely milled than old-fashioned (rolled) oats and will result in drier, more crumbly cookies.
Does the Cookie Dough Have to Be Chilled?
Yes, absolutely! If you bake unchilled dough, your cookies will flatten out and be crispy around the edges rather than soft and chewy.
Tips for Making Cowboy Cookies with Peanut Butter
If you want to swap walnuts for the pecans, swap raisins for the chocolate chips, use Special K rather than Cornflakes, or make tweaks given the ingredients in your pantry, these cowboy peanut butter cookies probably turn out just fine.
Just make sure to use a traditional no-stir peanut butter in the cookie dough. I prefer using peanut butter from brands like Jif or Skippy when baking cookies.
Note that unbaked cookie dough can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 4 months, so consider baking only as many cookies as desired and save the remaining dough to be baked in the future when desired.
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Peanut Butter Cowboy Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- heaping 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup old-fashioned whole-rolled oats, not quick-cook or instant
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¾ cup Cornflakes or Special K cereal, Frosted Flakes or a similar cereal may be substituted
- ¾ cup sweetened shredded coconut
- ½ cup pecans, coarsely chopped (walnuts or almonds may be substituted)
Instructions
- To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or large mixing bowl and electric mixer) add the egg, butter, peanut butter, sugars, vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed until creamed and well combined, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the flour, oats, baking soda, salt, and beat on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute.
- Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the chocolate chips, Cornflakes, coconut, pecans, and beat on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute.
- Using a large cookie scoop, 1/4-cup measure, or your hands, form approximately 15 equal-sized mounds of dough and flatten slightly. Tip – Strategically place a few chocolate chips on top of each mound of dough by taking chips from the underside and adding them on top.
- Place mounds on a large plate or tray, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 5 days. Do not bake with unchilled dough because cookies will bake thinner, flatter, and be more prone to spreading.
- Preheat oven to 350F, line a baking sheet with a Silpat or spray with cooking spray. Place dough mounds on baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart (I bake 8 cookies per sheet) and bake for about 10 to 12 minutes (I baked 11 minutes), or until edges have set and tops are just set, even if slightly undercooked, pale, and glossy in the center; don’t overbake. Cookies firm up as they cool.
- Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes before serving. I let them cool on the baking sheet and don’t use a rack.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Oatmeal Cookie Recipes:
Classic Cowboy Cookies — Chewy oats, sweet coconut, crunchy pecans, and plenty of chocolate! Hearty with tons of texture and they stay soft and chewy!! Everyone (not just cowboys) loves these cookies!
The Best Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies – Soft, chewy, loaded with chocolate, and they turn out perfectly every time! Totally irresistible!
Loaded Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies – Soft, chewy, and loaded with chocolate! Sinking your teeth into a thick, hearty cookie is the best!
Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies – 3 favorite cookies combined into 1 so you don’t have to choose!! Easy, no-mixer recipe, and always a hit!
Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies – No butter & no mixer used in these easy cookies dripping with chocolate!
Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Scotchies Cookies – My favorite classic oatmeal cookie base loaded with sweet butterscotch chips! A classic cookie that you’ve just got to try!
Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies — Only 1/4 cup butter used! Like oatmeal cookies but with banana to keep them healthier! So soft, chewy, and you’ll never miss the butter!
I would like to make these, but in a smaller size. How long would I bake them for a large tablespoon sized scoop?
Always bake until they’re done :) whatever that means. Everyone’s ‘large tablespoon’ varies in actual size. I would guess 8-ish minutes but it also depends on oven, baking sheet material, climate, etc. Just bake until they’re done.
great
Disappointingly dry….the cookies didn’t flatten at all when baked. I made them a second time and added 1/4c. water. It made an improvement but still didn’t flatten much at all. If I try this recipe a third time I might cut the flour back to 1c.?
That being said… probably won’t make them again…. I have a lot of way better recipes than this one
Great taste, but next time I will leave the cornflakes out. They never absorbed I to the mix. The dough was dry when I went to form the cookies so I added a little water and that helped. Still, the corn flakes are like a little piece of cardboard in there.
Thanks for the feedback and trying the recipe. I have never had the problem with the cornflakes but as you said, easy to leave out next time.
Great taste, but next time I will leave the cornflakes out. They never absorbed I to the mix. The dough was dry when I went to form the cookies so I added a little water and that helped. Still, the corn flakes are like a little piece of cardboard in there.
I made the peanut butter cowboy cookies today. I have a question though: I chilled the dough, keeping the cookies fully chilled until placing them in the oven to bake. The instructions don’t indicate to flatten them out after chilling the mounds, but are they supposed to be flattened more cookie-like before chilling? I didn’t, so my cookies look more like biscuits (although delicious biscuits). I just want to make a note on my copy of the recipe so I get it right next time. Thank you.
Thanks for the 5 star review! Step 4 I do indicate to flatten the mounds. So yes do that and they will be flatter next time for you.
I made the peanut butter cowboy cookies today. I have a question though: I chilled the dough, keeping the cookies fully chilled until placing them in the oven to bake. The instructions don’t indicate to flatten them out after chilling the mounds, but are they supposed to be flattened more cookie-like before chilling? I didn’t, so my cookies look more like biscuits (although delicious biscuits). I just want to make a note on my copy of the recipe so I get it right next time. Thank you.
Wow! I made these basically as written, except smaller individual cookies, and i used unsweetened coconut. I think it is key to not overbake them. They are now my new favorite cookie. It’s basically a really good candy bar in cookie form. Amazing.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you loved them! I agree – a candy bar in cookie form and definitely not to overbake them either!
Wow! I made these basically as written, except smaller individual cookies, and i used unsweetened coconut. I think it is key to not overbake them. They are now my new favorite cookie. It’s basically a really good candy bar in cookie form. Amazing.
I have ever had anyone write complaining about this recipe but I am sorry that it was not for you. When things are super dry and crumbly I always think that there was a heavy hand with the flour as dry dough or dough that has been overfloured (accidentally) will not produce soft cookies and instead they will be dry and more crumbly. I have never made a double batch of this recipe either.
Would Wheaties or Rice Krispies work for the cereal? That is what I have on hand, ready to use up!
Yes I’d use the Wheaties in place of the Corn Flakes. Or you could do a half and half mixture of the Wheaties and CF’s but I’d for sure use the Wheaties one way or the other. LMK how they come out!