Cowboy Cookies

By msippigrl

The ultimate chocolate chip cookie! On steroids!! These big, soft and chewy cookies are chocked full of oats, chocolate chips, pecans, and coconut.

Ingredients

• 1 cup salted butter or margarine, softened
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 2 extra-large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups uncooked quick-cooking or old-fashioned oatmeal (not instant!)
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped (I used pecans)
• 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut, shredded

Preparation

Step 1

Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper or use silicon mats. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large mixing bowl and using a hand mixer, beat together on medium speed the butter/margarine and both sugars until pale and creamy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Beat in one egg until incorporated, then beat in the other egg and vanilla.

Beat flour mixture into the creamed mixture just until well blended.

Stir in oats, chocolate chips, nuts, and coconut until well distributed.

Drop by heaping tablespoons onto the baking sheets.

Bake for about 15 minutes, or until center is set. (For chewy cookies, they need to appear a little undercooked.)

Cool cookies on pan for 2-3 minutes then carefully transfer them to a wire cooling rack using a thin metal spatula.

Note:
I used quick-cooking oatmeal in the cookies, and chopped the pecans fairly small. Also, I didn't want long strands of coconut in the cookies so I pulsed it a few times in the food processor before measuring it out.