Bourbon Oatmeal Cowboy Cookies
Packed with coconut, dark chocolate, oats and bourbon soaked raisins, these cookies are sure to fill the tummy of any hungry cowboy.
Did I mention I live in Northwest Montana?
It’s one of the most beautiful places with stunning mountains, trout filled streams and lakes.
Ah- the Big Sky.
We are lucky to border one of the loveliest guest ranches in the state- the Bar W, so trail rides and sleigh rides are just a five-minute drive away. The Bar W sits on a large piece of land bordering, Spencer Mountain, a beautiful private lake and miles and miles of pristine forest filled with wildlife.
I stopped by the Bar W this week to have a few cowboys and wranglers sample my Bourbon Oatmeal Cowboy Cookie. After Jeff, the ranch manager sampled one, he asked “how much do you want for these?”
Did I just get hired to be a ranch cook?
These cookies are good enough to satisfy the tummies of the hungriest ranchers and your family.
Add this to your “Must Bake” recipes this year.
I’m not horsin’ around- these cookies are the real deal.
Why this recipe is a standout:
- Bourbon-soaked raisins not only add moisture to the dough, but a deep caramel flavor to the cookie. If you don’t want to use alcohol, soak the raisins in apple cider, but the bourbon burns off in baking- so amp up that flavor!
- Coconut adds moisture as well as texture.
- Dark chocolate elevates the recipe and keeps the cookie from being too sweet.
- Flakey smoked sea salt hits your tongue and amplifies all the flavors.
- Yes- I add ginger AND black pepper. The little bit of heat from the ginger and black pepper is a spice game changer.
- Speaking of spice– The spices which include, cloves, ginger, cardamom, and a dash of pumpkin pie spice are unusual and make this cookie extra interesting. It’s not the same ole cinnamon you’d expect from an oatmeal cookie.
- This cookie is approved by the trail horses & wranglers alike at the Bar W.
How to bake this recipe:
Make sure your butter is very soft. I leave my butter out overnight. Stiff butter will not cream correctly with the sugars.
Butter that is melted will cause the cookies to spread out too thinly and the edges will burn.
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Soak the raisins in the bourbon for 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.
Line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
Cream the butter, light brown sugar and granulated sugar together until fluffy and pale. Use a hand mixer with a large bowl or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Add in the eggs and vanilla. Stir in the coconut.
Add the flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices to a very large bowl and mix well with a spoon.
Pour off the extra bourbon from the raisins.
Add the raisins and chocolate to the butter mixture and then add in the flour and oats, one cup at a time. Mix slowly.
I use a heavy wooden spoon or a large rubber scraper to mix everything completely. Be sure to scrape in the little bits from the bottom of the bowl.
Use a large cookie scoop. See my favorite HERE. Scoop out the cookies on the parchment lined tray about 3-4″ apart. Flatten slightly and sprinkle with just a few flakes of the smoked sea salt.
Bake for 12-14 minutes- you want them just barely set in the middle. Cool on wire racks.
Equipment you need to bake these cookies:
- An electric hand mixer or stand mixture- this dough is very thick and hard to mix by hand.
- Large cookie sheets- I like these insulated sheets because the cookie bottom never burns.
- Parchment paper- HERE is my favorite brand.
- Large mixing bowl for the dry ingredients. I love this bowl by Mason Cash.
- A large scoop to create uniform cookies.
- Wire rack for cooling.
Special ingredients you need for this recipe:
- Bourbon or Apple cider.
- Old fashioned rolled oats.
- Flaked sweetened coconut.
- Dark chocolate chips- I like Hersey’s special dark. See my taste test here.
- Vanilla paste or extract.
- Flaked Smoked Sea Salt – this is the brand I use.
- Spices: Ginger, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, ground black pepper, cardamom
- Light brown sugar.
Other oatmeal and chocolate chip recipes to try:
- Oatmeal Pecan Pumpkin Scotchies
- Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- The Met Market Copycat Chocolate Chip Cookie
- No Bake Oatmeal Raisin Energy Balls
- Blackberry Cherry Walnut Oat Crumble
- Smoked Sea Salt & Dark Chocolate Christmas Crackers
The best cookies!
Insanely good! This cookie has everything and is sure to impress everyone you make it for. It is THE cookie!
Omggg these are LITERALLY the best cookies. They taste like a warm hug from your grandmother who liked to spike the drinks at every family gathering
Thanks Suzen- Grammies that spike the drinks are the best.
a little complicated but they taste good
I make these at least once a month they’re amazing