Ranger Cookies (Cowboy Cookies) are upgraded chocolate chip cookies with oats, and cornflakes added. It's perfectly chewy with an addicting texture and flavor!

Five Ranger Cookies arranged on a wooden board with parchment paper, ready to share.

Ranger Cookies are highly underrated.

Anytime I make Ranger Cookies (aka Cowboy Cookies) it seems it's the first time people have tried them or heard of them–which is a shame, because these deserve some time in the spotlight! They're a fun and delicious twist on chocolate chip cookies, with a unique texture and delicious flavor and chewiness from the addition of cornflakes and oats. You have to try them! We also sometimes add coconut or nuts.

Don't miss my other unique cookie recipes, like Biscoff Cookies, Smore's Cookies or Oatmeal Creme Pies.

How to make Ranger Cookies:

Cookie Dough: Mix butter and sugars with a hand mixer or stand mixer until creamed together. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and oats and stir. Fold in corn flakes and chocolate chips.

Two images showing oats and cornflakes added to a cookie dough then after the chocolate chips are folded in for the best cowboy cookie recipe.

Bake: Scoop tablespoon size rounds of cookie dough with a cookie scoop and arrange on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for about 12 minutes. Allow cowboy cookies to cool on the pan for a couple minutes then transfer to wire cooling rack.

Make Ahead Instructions: Store cowboy cookie dough in the fridge up to 1 day in advance, before baking

To Freeze Cookie Dough: arrange cookie dough balls on a parchment lined baking sheet and “flash freeze” for 30 minutes before transferring to a freezer safe bag or container from up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding a few minutes to the bake time. 

Freeze Baked Cookies in freezer safe bag or container for up to 3 months.

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Recipe

Five Ranger Cookies arranged on a wooden board with parchment paper, ready to share.
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 10 minutes
Total 20 minutes
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Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugars together. Add eggs and vanilla then mix until incorporated. 
  • Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and oats then stir well to combine. Stir in corn flakes and chocolate chips.
  • Scoop cookie dough into 24 balls (about 3-Tablespoons-size/55 grams)and place on prepared cookie sheets. 
  • Bake at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) for 10-15 minutes or until set on the top.

Notes

Yield: 24 cookies. Serving Size: 1 cookie.
Cornflakes: you could substitute rice krispies or corn or rice chex cereal, lightly crushed.
Coconut: Add ¾ cup dried coconut flakes (sweetened or unsweetened).
Nuts: Add ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts.
Make Ahead Instructions: Store cowboy cookie dough in the fridge up to 1 day in advance, before baking
To Freeze Cookie Dough: arrange cookie dough balls on a parchment lined baking sheet and “flash freeze” for 30 minutes before transferring to a freezer safe bag or container from up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding a few minutes to the bake time. 
Freeze Baked Cookies in freezer safe bag or container for up to 3 months.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 249kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 3gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 141mgPotassium: 80mgFiber: 1gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 301IUVitamin C: 0.5mgCalcium: 27mgIron: 2mg

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I originally shared this recipe August 2014. Updated September 2020 and March 2025.

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About The Author

Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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5 stars
Now that’s what I’m talking about! Been years since I had cowboy cookies. Great with a tall glass of cold milk. Thanks Lauren.

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Joan
9 months ago

May I ask. Do you use salted or unsalted butter in this recipe. It does not specify. Thank you so much

Admin
9 months ago
Reply to  Joan

Unsalted for this one!

Debi S
1 year ago

5 stars
This cookie could not have come out more perfect. I used what I had on hand….coconut, semisweet chocolate chips and some white chocolate chips. I also added about a teaspoon of cinnamon. Perfecto!!!

Debra Paulson
1 year ago

5 stars
I made these for a tandem bicycle rally. Mine were more spread out, but tasted very good. I made some without nuts and chocolate and the rest with coconut, pecans and chocolate. I used Wheaties because my original recipe used them. I’ll have to try them with Cornflakes and Rice Krispies.

Ashley Green
1 year ago

2 stars
I have made this recipe twice already and my cookies come out flat as pancakes! They taste good but they’re flat. I have even bought new baking soda and baking powder and used cool butter with the same result. Frustrating. It also helps when the ingredients are listed in the order they are going to be used in the recipe.

Admin
1 year ago
Reply to  Ashley Green

I’m sorry to hear about the flat cookies. A couple of tips that might help: try chilling the dough for 30 minutes before baking and ensure your baking sheet isn’t too warm when placing the dough on it.

Kathryn M Coombs
1 year ago

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.

Meladi H
1 year ago

5 stars
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.

Jody
1 year ago

I’m assuming this would work using shortening instead of butter?

Donna
1 year ago

Can quick oats be used instead of rolled oats?

JAMES AHIA, JR.
1 year ago

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!

Pamela
1 year ago

I would love some of your cookie recipes.

Martha Noll
1 year ago

I would also love to have some of your recipes:) how sweet and kind of you to offer!

Meridith
1 year ago

How interesting…I would very much love to see those recipes!
Thank you