Cowgirl Cookies; 'Well Plated Every Day' cookbook
MILWAUKEE - Local author and influencer Erin Clarke shares a recipe from her new cookbook, ‘Well Plated Every Day.'
Cowgirl Cookies
- Active time: 30 minutes
- Total time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: about 24 cookies
INGREDIENTS:
- ½ cup raw pecan halves
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cut into four pieces
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup white whole wheat flour, or ½ cup regular whole wheat flour and ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup old-fashioned oats, or quick-cooking oats
- ¼ cup unsweetened flake coconut
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ¾ cup dark chocolate chips, 55% to 72% chocolate
- Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon or fleur de sel
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Toast the pecans: Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 350°F. Spread the pecans in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake until the nuts are toasted and fragrant, 9 to 11 minutes, shaking the pan once halfway through. Do not walk away from the nuts toward the end of their cook time to ensure that they do not burn (it happens fast!). Immediately transfer to a cutting board and let cool. Turn off the oven.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter in the microwave on low power, or melt it in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Remove from the heat and stir in the brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth. Set aside to cool.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, coconut, baking soda, cinnamon, and kosher salt.
- Into the bowl with the butter and sugar, whisk the egg, vanilla, and vinegar. Add the dry ingredients. With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir gently until combined. The batter will be loose and wet.
- Roughly chop the nuts, then add them to the bowl. Add the chocolate chips, then fold to combine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap against the surface of the dough. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.
- When ready to bake, remove the dough from the refrigerator and preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat (do not leave the sheet unlined—the cookies turn out with the best texture when the pan is lined). With a medium cookie scoop or spoon, portion the dough by rounded tablespoonfuls, then form into balls that are slightly wider than 1 inch. Arrange the balls on the baking sheet, leaving at least 1 inch between each. Sprinkle the tops of the cookies lightly with flaky salt. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cookies are golden brown and barely set at the edges and on top.
- Place the cookie sheet on a wire rack. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then gently transfer to the rack to finish cooling completely. If the cookies are still too soft to lift with a spatula, carefully slide the sheet of parchment paper or silicone mat onto the rack with the cookies still on it. Repeat with the remaining dough, ensuring your baking sheets are fully cooled between batches or the cookies will spread.
PRO TIP
Patience is a virtue when it comes to homemade cookies. Don’t skip refrigerating the dough. This step is critical to ensuring that the dough holds together, the dry ingredients fully absorb the wet ingredients, and the texture of the cookies turns out properly. I promise they are worth the wait!
DO AHEAD
- Store leftover baked cookies at room temperature for up to 1 week or freeze, tightly wrapped, for up to 3 months.
- To freeze unbaked cookie dough: Scoop and shape the cookie dough as directed. Arrange the unbaked cookie balls in a single layer on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet, then place the baking sheet in the freezer. Once the cookies have hardened, transfer them to a freezer-safe ziptop bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake individual cookies directly from frozen, adding a few additional minutes to the baking time as needed.
RECIPE VARIATIONS
Dairy Free: Replace the butter with 1/2 cup coconut oil; use dairy-free chocolate chips.
Extra Nutty: Replace up to ½ cup of the chocolate chips with peanut butter chips.