Ranger Cookies
Ranger Cookies are awesome. These amazing cookies are filled with lots of good things–like coconut, pecans or walnuts, oatmeal, Corn Flakes, and chocolate chips! Yeah, they are a delicious cookie. The first time I made this recipe I had never used crushed Corn Flakes in a cookie recipe before. The Corn Flakes add bulk and crunch to the recipe along with the nuts and oatmeal. Then the sweetness comes from the coconut and chocolate chips.
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This cookie is thick and both chewy and crunchy! If you’re out of chocolate chips you can easily substitute any other kind of chip, raisins, or craisins and they will still come out wonderfully!
Years ago I found this scrumptious cookie recipe in the Dallas Morning News — either about the time of the state fair when they publish a lot of favorite recipes or around Christmas time when they have contests and publish a lot of holiday cookie recipes.
My original recipe from the DMN does not actually include chocolate chips, but I’ve seen it in other Ranger Cookie recipes so I’ve always added them. I’d never heard of Ranger Cookies before coming to Texas, but it seems like they’re quite popular here. These cookies are very similar to Laura Bush’s Cowboy Cookies except those cookies don’t have crushed Corn Flakes in the cookie dough.
If you’re looking for a hearty cookie that has all of your favorite ingredients, then take a look at Ranger Cookies sometime. Making these great cookies is a great way to use up Corn Flakes, too! The only difficult thing about this recipe is stirring everything together if you’re making multiple batches (which is what I was doing). I had to get Mr. Muscle (a.k.a. my husband) to help since I made a lot of them!
We’ve made these cookies for our Christmas Cookie Extravaganza a couple of times as I always like to provide cookies with different textures, different fruits and different varieties so that all the cookies are different and I don’t end up with 10 cookies all made with chocolate! These tasty cookies are a real treat that will satisfy any sweet tooth cravings. Enjoy!
When I initially published this recipe in August 2013, I took the pictures late in the day so the cookies had kind of late sun tinge to them. I recently remade these cookies (March 2017) and snapped a few new pictures. These cookies make great treats for any kind of occasion: holidays, tailgating parties, potlucks or afternoon snacks.
Ranger Cookies are delightful oatmeal cookies. They are filled with lots of great things like coconut, chocolate chips, pecans, and crushed Corn Flakes.
These tasty treats have a lot of crunch! The coconut and chocolate chips add sweetness, while the nuts, oatmeal and Corn Flakes add lots of crunchy texture.
Ranger Cookies are really a great tasting cookie. You can add raisins if you like or substitute them for the chocolate chips in the batter. Really, you can use any kind of chips, raisins, or craisins (to replace the chocolate chips) and they all come out wonderfully. This is a versatile recipe in that regard.
Here’s what I did.
I used these ingredients.
Measure Crisco shortening into a large mixing bowl. Add sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Mix with an electric mixer to combine.
Crush Corn Flakes. I use my hands.
Add UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour. Bleached flour toughens baked goods. Add Corn Flakes, oatmeal, coconut, chopped pecans, (walnuts will also work), and chocolate chips.
Stir ingredients to combine.
Roll into balls and place on cookie sheets that have been sprayed with cooking spray. Press cookies down with a fork in criss-cross fashion before baking.
Bake cookies at 350 for about 12-15 minutes or until done.
Ranger cookies are delicious and great to serve for any occasion.
These cookies are excellent to serve for after- school snacks. They will certainly satisfy all hunger pangs!
They’re also great to take along while you’re waiting for soccer practice or baseball practice to be over for your kids.
I love the crunch in these cookies. I’d never used Corn Flakes in a cookie recipe before trying these for the first time. The ingredients for Ranger Cookies are accessible any time of the year, so they make great holiday treats during the summer holidays.
Here’s the recipe.
RANGER COOKIES
(Recipe adapted from the Dallas Morning News)
Ranger Cookies
Equipment
- 3 large 18x26" cookie sheet pans
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 electric mixer
- 1 wooden spoon
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- 1 spatula
- 1 Rolling Pin to crush Corn Flakes
- 1 zip lock bag WITHOUT the "stand and fill" bottom
- 1 nut chopper to chop nuts if not previously chopped
- 1 fork
Ingredients
- 1 cup Crisco shortening No substitutes
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 2 cups UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour bleached flour toughens baked goods
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 cups oatmeal
- 2 cups corn flakes crushed
- 1 cup coconut
- 1 cup pecans chopped (or walnuts) (measure after chopping)
- 12 oz. bag chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Cream shortening, sugars, eggs, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer until smooth.
- Add flour, crushed corn flakes, oatmeal, coconut, pecans and chocolate chips.
- Stir together with a wooden spoon until ingredients are thoroughly mixed--approximately 4-5 minutes.
- Roll dough into balls and place on greased cookie sheets or cookie sheets that have been sprayed with cooking spray.
- (You may have to keep your hands moist while rolling).
- Press cookies lightly with a fork in criss-cross fashion.
- Bake about 12-15 minutes or until done.
- Rotate cookie sheets on oven racks every 6-7 minutes of baking time.
- Cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
- 1 cup Crisco shortening
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 cups Gold Medal UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour (bleached flour toughens baked goods)
- ½ tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 2 cups oatmeal
- 2 cups Kellogg’s crushed corn flakes
- 1 cup coconut
- 1 cup chopped pecans or other nuts
- 12-oz. bag chocolate chips
- Preheat oven to 375°.
- Cream shortening, sugars, eggs, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl.
- Add flour, crushed corn flakes, oatmeal, coconut, pecans and chocolate chips.
- Stir together with a wooden spoon.
- Roll dough into balls and place on greased cookie sheets or cookie sheets that have been sprayed with cooking spray.
- (You may have to keep your hands moist while rolling).
- Press cookies lightly with a fork in criss-cross fashion.
- Bake about 8 minutes or until done. (Mine took about 12 minutes).
Here’s another close up. Ranger Cookies are great treats to take along on long trips in the car.
I really enjoy oatmeal cookies and Ranger Cookies take oatmeal cookies to a whole new level.
Ranger Cookies won’t last long in your cookie jar. Try one now!
You may also enjoy these delicious recipes!
Ranger Cookies
Equipment
- 3 large 18×26" cookie sheet pans
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 electric mixer
- 1 wooden spoon
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- 1 spatula
- 1 Rolling Pin to crush Corn Flakes
- 1 zip lock bag WITHOUT the "stand and fill" bottom
- 1 nut chopper to chop nuts if not previously chopped
- 1 fork
Ingredients
- 1 cup Crisco shortening No substitutes
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 2 cups UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour bleached flour toughens baked goods
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 cups oatmeal
- 2 cups corn flakes crushed
- 1 cup coconut
- 1 cup pecans chopped (or walnuts) (measure after chopping)
- 12 oz. bag chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Cream shortening, sugars, eggs, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer until smooth.
- Add flour, crushed corn flakes, oatmeal, coconut, pecans and chocolate chips.
- Stir together with a wooden spoon until ingredients are thoroughly mixed–approximately 4-5 minutes.
- Roll dough into balls and place on greased cookie sheets or cookie sheets that have been sprayed with cooking spray.
- (You may have to keep your hands moist while rolling).
- Press cookies lightly with a fork in criss-cross fashion.
- Bake about 12-15 minutes or until done.
- Rotate cookie sheets on oven racks every 6-7 minutes of baking time.
- Cool completely.