Bourbon Oatmeal Cowboy Cookies

Saddle up for Bourbon Oatmeal Cowboy Cookies: Packed with coconut, dark chocolate, oats and bourbon soaked raisins, these treats are sure to fill the tummy of any hungry Montana cowboy.

Why this Montana Cowboy Cookie 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.

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

Additional ingredients:

• flour
• salt
• eggs
• unsalted butter
• raisins
• kosher salt
• granulated sugar
• baking powder & baking soda

How to make this bourbon oatmeal cowboy cookies 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.
• Soak the raisins in the bourbon for 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.
• 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 at 350 degrees- you want them just barely set in the middle. Cool on wire racks.

Equipment you need to bake Bourbon Oatmeal Cowboy 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.

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

Tips for the Best Bourbon Oatmeal Cowboy Cookies:

1. Make certain your butter is at room temperature
2. Preheat your oven well in advance
3. Soak the raisins in bourbon at least 30 minutes
4. Make certain your flour, baking soda, baking powder and spices are fresh
5. Use parchment paper for easily removing cookies from the baking sheet
6. Use a great dark chocolate chip- I love Hersey’s Special Dark
7. Don’t skip the flakey sea salt- it adds a great pop of flavor to the cookie

Meggen’s list of best Guest Ranches in Montana:

I have personally visited, ridden horses or have first hand knowledge of the ranches on this list.

1. Ranch at Rock Creek , Philipsburg
2. Bar W, Whitefish
3. Averill’s Flathead Lake Lodge, Bigfork
4. The Resort at Paws Up, Greenough
5. Triple Creek Ranch, Darby
6. Rich Guest Ranch , Seeley Lake Montana
7. McGinnis Meadows, Libby

Ultimate Cowboy Cookies

An oatmeal cookie packed with bourbon soaked raisins, chewy coconut and tons of flavor from 5 spices for the hungriest cowboy in your house. Don’t let the long list of ingredients put you off- this is an easy and fantastic cookie you will want to try this baking season.

4.60 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bourbon cowboy cookies, cowboy cookies

Prep Time: 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 2 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Servings: 20 servings

Calories: 327kcal

Author: Meggen Wilson

Ingredients

• 1 cup raisins
• ½ cup bourbon
• 3 cups old fashioned oats
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp cardamom
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• ¾ tsp Kosher salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 ⅛ cups unsalted butter , at room temperature (2 sticks, plus 1 TBSP)
• 1.5 cups light brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
• 2 large eggs – at room temperature
• ½ cup flaked sweetened coconut lightly packed
• ½ cup dark chocolate chips
• 3 tsp flaked smoked sea salt

Instructions

• In a small glass or ceramic bowl, soak the raisins in the bourbon. Let soak for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.
• In a large bowl, mix together the flour, oats, ginger, cardamom, pumpkin pie spice, cloves, black pepper, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Whisk well to fully incorporate.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer, cream the butter until light and pale for about 3 minutes. Add in the light brown sugar and granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed until fluffy. Add in vanilla and eggs. Add in the coconut. Mix in until completely blended. Slowly add in the flour mixture to the butter sugar mixture, one cup at a time. Do not over-mix. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drain the raisins and add to the cookie dough. Do NOT add in the bourbon.
• Using a heavy spoon or rubber scraper be certain to mix in all the ingredients from the bottom of the bowl. Scoop the dough into round balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Place SIX cookies on each baking sheet. Flatten slightly and sprinkle with a few flakes of the smoked sea salt.
• Pre heat your oven to 350 degrees.
• Chill the cookies for 30 minutes then bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes. Remove from the oven when the edges are deep brown and the center is just set. Let cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheet and then cool completely on wire racks.

Notes

You can freeze this cookie dough by rolling it into 2-3 logs, wrap in parchment paper, twisting the ends up, then place in a zip top bag. The dough will last up to three months frozen.

Slice and bake frozen dough at 350 degrees for 13-15 minutes. Sprinkle with the salt just before baking.

Nutrition

Calories: 327kcal | Carbohydrates: 47.5g | Protein: 3.9g | Fat: 13.4g | Saturated Fat: 8.2g | Cholesterol: 45.6mg | Sodium: 495.5mg | Fiber: 2.6g | Sugar: 13.4g | Vitamin A: 24IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 2.5mg | Iron: 9.2mg

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.