“The cookie that wants to be all things to everybody.”
If you’ve ever baked for a crowd, you know that finding the perfect cookie recipe is something of a delicate dance. The best base is usually an old classic — avant-garde desserts are delicious, but they don’t usually become a bake sale smash hit. To counterbalance accessibility, however, you also need some wiggle room for creativity. If your base cookie isn’t adjustable to different seasons, moods, or food allergies, you won’t be able to pull it out of your back pocket to save the day in any situation. So you need to track down a recipe that’s somehow informal, old-fashioned, adaptable, and innovative.
In times of cookie-related need, it’s only practical to call upon Joanna Gaines. The HGTV icon currently runs a media outlet called Magnolia that dishes up recipes, DIY tutorials, and full-blown TV shows, so of course she has all the homemaking answers on deck. And since we’ve previously fallen in love with her cozy Friendsgiving casserole and flavored butters, we know that she’s particularly talented at crafting comforting, down-home fare.
Recently, Gaines took to Instagram to demonstrate her favorite ranger cookie recipe, and we were impressed by both the simplicity and versatility of the dessert. Otherwise known as cowboy cookies, these drop cookies feature many familiar ingredients (roughly the same proportions of flour, sugar, and eggs that make up a chocolate chip cookie) but they include a huge variety of add-ins to create different flavors and textures.
In her version, Gaines uses chocolate chips, coconut, and rice cereal. According to fans in the Instagram comments, it’s just as fun to integrate chunky ingredients like pistachios, walnuts, or pecans. Some say rice cereal is blasphemous and that only cornflakes are acceptable. Some omit the chocolate completely and others substitute all-purpose flour for a gluten-free option. As you get comfortable with the recipe, you can be confident that you’ll have space to improvise. Oh, and regardless of whatever ingredients you’re eyeing, be sure to watch Gaines’ tutorial below. Her enviable kitchen setup is not to be missed.
Joanna Gaines’s Ranger Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup rice crisp cereal
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut (optional)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Mix on medium speed until the butter and sugar are incorporated, then increase the speed to medium-high and mix until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Reduce the speed to low, add the egg and both extracts, and mix until the egg is incorporated.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and whisk together. Slowly add to the mixer and mix for about 15 seconds. Add the chocolate chips, cereal, oats, and shredded coconut, if using.
Portion the dough using a small scoop (2 tablespoons) on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them apart.
Bake until golden brown around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
