High Altitude Cowboy Cookies

I used to love Cowboy Cookies but haven't made them for years. A recent Cook's Country Magazine included this recipe which I couldn't wait to try. I made some small changes so the recipe would work at my altitude but they turned out wonderfully. Check out the notes at the end for original ingredients, particularly if you live at sea level.

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High Altitude Cowboy Cookies

Adapted from: Cook's Country

Yield: 16 large cookies

183 grams flour (or 1 1/4 c plus 1 T)

3/4 teas baking powder

1/4 teas baking soda

1/2 teas salt

278 grams light brown sugar (or 1 1/2 c packed minus 1 1/2 T)

12 T (1 1/2 cubes) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature

2 teas vanilla

1 1/4 c old-fashioned rolled oats

1 c pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped

1 c sweetened shredded coconut

2/3 c chocolate chips (semi-sweet are called for, I used dark)

Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350F and line two cookie sheets with parchment or a silicone baking mat. 

Place the dry ingredients, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt in a bowl and mix to combine. In a large bowl mix the sugar, melted butter, eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture until combined. Then add the oats, pecans, coconut, and chocolate chips. 

For large cookies, use a quarter cup measure (sprayed with cooking spray) to portion 8 cookies onto each baking sheet. Stagger the rows so you have two rows of three along the long edges and a row of two in the middle. You can also use a large ice cream scoop but you might want to measure to be sure it holds 1/4 cup. 

Place one baking sheet in the oven and bake for 15-17 minutes rotating about halfway through. Bake until the cookies are slightly browned on the edges but still look shiny and raw on the top. Don't over bake unless you like crispy cookies. 

Remove from the oven and allow to set for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.

Notes:

The original recipe for sea level calls for the following and otherwise ingredients are the same:

1 1/4 c flour

1/2 teas baking soda

1 1/2 c brown sugar

I apologize that I can only give ingredient amounts for elevations around 5000 feet and sea level. If your elevation is somewhere in the middle, I don't know what to advise except to compare your yours with these two and split the differences accordingly. It might take a few trials.

These cookies are so large that you may wish to bake smaller cookies. That is perfectly fine, but they will cook for a shorter period.

I haven't tried this but Cook's Country gives directions for freezing the dough in the portions on the cookie sheet. After they are frozen solid, portions can be kept in a freezer bag a couple of months. Do not thaw but place in oven (at 350F) and bake for 17-19 minutes.