Nana's Cowboy Cookies with a St. Paddy's Twist, and a Cute Gift Idea from Bakerella
Today I'm going to share my Nana's Cowboy Cookie recipe with you. This has long been a favorite in our house, if not the favorite. I've been making them so long I know the recipe by heart. So imagine my surprise when I am perusing the Bakerella site and, what's this? Cowgirl Cookies? Let's have a look-see. Now, how cute is that...pink M&M's, and she calls them Cowgirl Cookies! To see them, go here: http://www.bakerella.com/mix-things-up/ .
Now, friends, I've made Nana's Cowboy Cookies with M&M's, and chocolate chips, with nuts of every kind, without nuts, without chocolate chips, with dried cherries, or dried cranberries, with white chocolate chips...well, you get the picture. It's a versatile recipe. But what Bakerella did was re-work the recipe and adapt it for cute, cute gift giving! So, I just had to make a few jars for those near and dear. And, I just happened to have green M & M's in preparation for St. Paddy's day.
First, I will post Bakerella's recipe, and at the end of this post I will post my Nana's complete recipe.
You will need a 1 quart Mason canning jar with lid. I used the Ball jars, but Bakerella got hers at Hobby Lobby, and they were plain, which is great if you want to add a cutie label. The following directions make 1 jar.
Bakerella Directions for Mixing and Baking the
Cowboy Cookies in a Jar
1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup cooking oats
3/4 cup M&M's (in this case Green M&M's!)
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 to 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Stir all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
Add:
1 slightly beaten egg
1/2 cup butter (melted slightly in the microwave)
1 teaspoon vanilla
Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Use the back of a large spoon to work it all together. You may even need to use your hands to get everything incorporated (and I did).Then roll the cookie dough into 1 1/2 inch balls, place on a parchment covered baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven. I got 27 cookies out of Bakerella's recipe.
Now for the gift jar directions:
Layer the ingredients into the quart jar as follows, and pack down after each addition:
First: flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt
Second: oats
Third: M&M's
Fourth: chocolate chips
Fifth: brown sugar
Sixth: white sugar
Seventh: chopped pecans
Bakerella said, "Pack each level down really tightly. I mean it. Pack it in. Or else it won’t all fit. Also, I added the chopped pecans last, because if the ingredients were too much or not enough, then I could add more or less pecans to adjust. I’d rather sacrifice nuts than chocolate, you know. The ingredients should be flush to the top of the lid when you seal it up." I agree with everything she said.
Lastly, either make labels with baking directions, or make tags and attach. I covered the top of the quart canning jar with green fabric, tied on with ribbon or twine, and attached a tag with the baking directions on one side and a cute Irish blessing on the other. (Just google Irish sayings, there's alot of them!)
And now for my Nana's complete Cowboy Cookie Recipe, in case you want to make a big batch and not make the gift jar.
Nana's Cowboy Cookies
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup shortening
2 eggs
2 cups rolled oatmeal
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips
Stir together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and set aside. Cream shortening, brown and white sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Stir in oatmeal and chocolate chips. Shape into 1 1/2 inch balls and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
Note: This is a traditional cookie baking method. Usually I just dump it all in and mix it up with the Kitchen Aid and it turns out the same. I'm just sayin'.
Now go kiss a blarney stone, or at least someone Irish. Okay...anyone at all!
CL
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