Ranger Cookies (also called Cowboy Cookies) are packed with all of the goodness of traditional chocolate chip cookies with added chewiness from oats and cornflakes.
If you are passionate about cookies the way we are then you’d also love these Chocolate Mint Cookies, S’more Cookies, or chewy M&M Cookies.
My favorite thing about Ranger Cookies is the crunch of the outer layer, while remaining soft and chewy inside. The addition of oats and cornflakes is winning and adds a twist of flavor and texture that makes these even better than chocolate chip cookies.
How to Make Ranger Cookies:
1. Cream: Add butter and sugars to a large bowl and cream with mixers. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
2. Combine Dry ingredients: Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and oats and stir well to combine.
3. Fold in corn flakes and chocolate chips.
4. Bake: Spoon large tablespoons of the dough onto an un-greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12 minutes.
Possible Recipe Variations:
- Cereal substitutes: if you don’t have corn flakes, feel free to use rice krispies, lightly crushed Chex, or frosted flakes cereal.
- Coconut: add ¾ cup sweetened shredded coconut.
- Nuts: add ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts.
Make Ahead And Freezing Instructions:
To make ahead: Make the dough up to 1 day in advance and store in the fridge. Or make the cookies 1-2 days ahead of time.
To freeze: Freeze the dough or cookies (cooled completely) in a freeze safe container for up to 3 months. Allow a few extra minutes bake time if baking dough from frozen.
Consider trying these popular cookie recipes:
- Super Soft Sugar Cookies
- Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Browned Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies
- Soft and Chewy Triple Chocolate M&M Cookies
- S’More Cookies
- Red Velvet Sugar Cookies
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Recipe
Ranger Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup butter , softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2 cups corn flakes cereal (*see note below)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 6 ounces chocolate chips , milk or semi-sweet
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl cream the butter and sugars together. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
- Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and oats and stir well to combine. Stir in corn flakes and chocolate chips.
- Spoon large tablespoons of the dough onto prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until set on the top.
Notes
- Cereal: if you don't have corn flakes, feel free to use rice krispies, lightly crushed Chex, or frosted flakes cereal.
- Coconut: add ¾ cup sweetened shredded coconut.
- Nuts: add ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts.
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe August 2014. Updated September 2020.
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I just made these, tasted great! It was a good way to use ingredients left from Christmas baking. I added the pecans, coconut, and corn flakes. Better when baked a bit under done.
Yummy cookies! Makes way more than 24 if you’re doing the tablespoon sized scoops like the recipe says. I made about 48. When they come out they’ll be a little soft but will harden up as they cool so don’t over cook them. I used a stand mixer since the dough was quite think and that helped a lot.
I’m assuming this would work using shortening instead of butter?
Can quick oats be used instead of rolled oats?
That would be fine.
This recipe is quite different from the Ranger Cookie handed down from my mom… Hers was with rolled oats and rice krispies for a cheaper and firm cookie…She would make 13 dozen at a time for church and school functions…Being a firm cookie, it was great for us kids to carry them in our pocket w/o a wrapper!! In Hawaii, soft cookies didn’t far well. I have several of my own cookie recipes I willingly share… Some have been openly published for charity fund-raising. I.e., “Stone Cookie” (Mea’ono Pohaku) – looks like a brown lava rock when done and firm (recipe helped raise over $6K for charity back in 2011.
Also “Banzai” cookie with Japanese arare and Nori Komi furukake as ingredients.. At 81 years of age, Iwould like to pass these on… Let me know if you would want them and I will mail them to you….Not too swift with modern stuffs!
I would love some of your cookie recipes.
I would also love to have some of your recipes:) how sweet and kind of you to offer!
By far the best cookie recipe I’ve ever made. So popular that I’ve made them 5 times in last ten days.
There are so many things you can add. In place of chocolate chips I’m using Heath bits.
Thanks for all your recipes. I’ve enjoyed several of them!!!!
Delicious! Perfect balance between soft and crunchy oatmeal cookie.
Recipe is fabulous!! I added raisins & coconut. A huge hit in this household!!
Thanks!
I made these for my sons wedding I got the recipe from the Pittsburgh wedding cookie table Facebook page. I added all the extra add ins. Everybody loves them and asks me to make them all the time. Great recipe!!! These cookies are dangerous though you can’t stop eating them.
This is by far the best cookies yet I’ve made of your recipe, I love that the corn flakes added flavor to the cookies I definitely recommend and try this, awesome and thank you for sharing the recipe ❤️
Made these for my airborne ranger. These are simply delicious!!! Forgot to add the coconut, added extra dark chocolate chips, and used rice krispies instead of cornflakes. OMG! 😋. Thank you so much for sharing! ❤️
Lauren, I just want you to know that this Ranger cookie recipe is awesome !
Keep doing what your doing, it’s working.
Thank You,Bryan
Very nice cookie recipe. I used maple pecan crunch cereal and that added a nice bit of taste. Thank you!
Absolutely delicious! My kids love them and so do I!! Thank you !!
I only have quick oats I know there’s a difference in the oats but does it make a difference in the cookies.. I have friends coming from Missouri to Texas and I want to make Ranger/Cowboy cookie’s for them. 😁
That should be fine!
Twice in the last month I have made Rangers-but the dough is almost too crumbly to scoop and make cookies. What have I done wrong. I added almost 1 cup crisco to one batch and they are not crispy. Freezing this last one until I hear your suggestions.
These are great, very dense. I added 1/3 cup peanut butter chips and 1/2 cup chocolate, decadent!
Love these cookies, also use rice crispies (my kids eat so we always have in the house) and add the 1 cup coconut, subbing butterscotch chips for the chocolate chips. I’ve been making them for years and they are always a hit.
I used crushed rice chex and also added more chocolate chips. Delicious. In our oven, took longer than 12 minutes.
Definitely a keeper recipe! I prefer more salt, about 1/4 tsp, instead of just a pinch & substituted 1 cup Splenda minus 2 Tbsp,
for the granulated sugar. Lastly, sprouted brown rice crispie cereal was used instead of corn flakes or rice crispies.
My Dad found this recipe in the newspaper when we were kids. Been one of our number one cookie recipes ever since!
very easy to make.I used to make these over 30 years ago but lost recipe.They are simply amazing cookies.I did not change anything in this recipe.
I’ve always heard that the name “Ranger Cookie” comes from their popularity among hikers, as it’s a high-energy snack that’s a lot more durable than a standard chocolate chip cookie or other baked good.
I’ve also told people, with a half-grin, “They are named after their secret ingredient, which is why I only make them in the spring and summer….It’s tough to find fresh ranger during the cold months!”
These are the best cookies ever. I added 1 Cup coconut and 1/2 Cup Butterscotch chips and 1/2 Cup Chocolate chips. Sent a batch to my friend’s son who is in the Navy. I also have made these to freeze and take out as needed. My husband loves these and they are a favorite for our trips and vacations.
I’m so glad they were a hit! Thanks for coming back to comment!
I found this recipe while comparing the recipe I created to others. This is very similar, but has some differences.
I’ve never seen ranger cookies without the 1 cup (about 3 oz) of shredded, sweetened coconut. I always add that.
I always add some butterscotch chips to my chocolate chip cookies, but for ranger cookies I usually add 1/2 cup white chips.
I also add about 3/4 cups chopped macadamia nuts.
I use 3/4 cup butter and 1/2 cup Crisco and bake at 375F for 11-13 minutes. They seem crispier on the outside but still a little chewy on the inside.
I guess that is a lot of differences, but these cookies have plenty of room for experimentation and will still come out great.
Oh, I also use 1 1/3 cups DARK brown sugar and 2/3 cups granulated white.
I also prefer Rice Krispies. I would use Special K before Corn Flakes.
Great recipe!! I made them with milk chocolate chips and rice crispies instead of cornflakes as suggested in your notes and the result was sooo good! I made big cookies using a level ice cream scoop and flattened them a bit before baking. The bigger cookies took about 14 minutes to fully bake.
These also taste good made with peanut butter. Yummy!!!
I made these cookies for my kids back in the 1980’s as they are delicious and are good to take on a picnic. I like to add nuts, coconut and raisins instead of chocolate chips.
One of my favorite cookies. Tried this recipe and it was delicious and the perfect crunch and taste.
My mom made this often growing up. She used Raisin Bran instead of Corn Flakes. I have continued to make them for my family and friends but have added butterscotch morsels as well as dark chocolate chips to the recipe. Just made some! Yummy!!!
Our local school system used to make them. They are delicious and nutritious. They also freeze well. I like trying different versions of this recipe.
I first found these cookies in a cookbook published in the late 60’s or early 70’s. The recipe I usually make doesn’t call for chocolate chips and is still delicious. As to the name, I’m not sure anyone really knows where it came from. Perhaps they were cookies that were good to take “out on the range!” (Especially without the chips as they may melt). We don’t have to know the origin of the name to enjoy this simple, yet delicious cookie!
I remember starting to make these delicious cookies in the 60’s. I haven’t made them in quite some time so will have to do so.
Cookies are my favorite treat by far. Never tried on with corn flakes but I happen to have a box in the cupboard that no one eats. So excited for a great recipe to use them in. Thanks!
Thanks Leah, let me know how you like them!
Corn flakes are very good in them. I like to crush some of them and leave some uncrushed. Rice krispies are good also.
Thanks for sharing these! =)
I like big cookies! Pinned.
Me too! I love giant cookies! Hope you get to try them soon!
I’ve never had these before – I’m excited to try something new! Thanks lady!
They’re so fun and a little different from typical chocolate chippers!