Browned Butter Salted Cowboy Cookies

One can never go wrong with a classic cowboy cookie!  This gem is made with browned butter, coconut, dark chocolate and a sprinkling of salt!

I am a huge fan of cowboy cookies.  I think it’s because you can cram them full of anything you’d like and they will always come out tasting good!  I typically make cowboy cookies with coconut along with oats, butterscotch and chocolate chips.  Pretty standard really, that combination is tried and true; my old faithful if you will.  Which is why it was time to change it all up.

I’m not exactly sure where the name for this cookie comes from.  I can only assume the original recipe featured ingredients with real staying power so that cowboys could keep them tucked in a sack as they were out doing what cowboys do all day.  The title is as fun as the cookies themselves.

How to brown butter:

• Start with melting your butter over medium heat.   Keep it over medium heat until the butter begins to brown.
• The butter will begin to bubble and foam. This is good!  This is also where you want to keep an eye on your butter.  Not a good time to catch up on General Hospital, know what I mean?  Your butter could go from brown to bitter rather quickly.
• You will want to stir it and check your color.  You are looking for an amber or a nut brown color in your butter.  Yes, you will see flecks in your better, it’s normal.  When your butter is brown, remove from heat and let it cool.  You do not want it completely solid however, just soft enough to cream in your mixer, as per most cookie recipes.

Browned Butter Recipes

Back to these cowboy cookies and their all-star cast of ingredients.  We have browned butter, hearty oats, sweetened coconut, chopped dark chocolate and a sprinkling of sea salt.  The salt may sound odd, but I’m telling you when your fresh-from-the -oven cookies and that melted dark chocolate comes in contact with the sea salt, something magical happens.  It is the ultimate salty/sweet combo!  In a word, it is bliss.

Browned Butter Salted Cowboy Cookies

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Preparation 1 hr, 30 Cook Time 8 min Total Time 0:08

Serves 48     adjust servings

Soft and chewy cowboy cookies with the nutty taste of browned butter, chewy coconut and sinfully salted dark chocolate!

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 1 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups oats
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 2 3.5 oz dark chocolate bars,
• 1-2 tablespoon sea salt

Instructions

1. To brown your butter start with placing your butter in a saucepan over medium high heat. Allow the butter to melt, stirring periodically. Butter will begin to bubble and foam. Keep a close eye on your butter so that it doesn't burn. Your butter will begin to show flecks and turn an amber color. Continue to watch your butter. As soon as it is caramel in color remove it from heat. Let the butter cool. You want it to solidify but remain soft.
2. Place butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and cream butter together with sugars. Continue to beat until fluffy. Add eggs to batter one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Carefully add dry ingredients to your batter. Continue to mix until incorporated. Stir in oats coconut and chopped chocolate. Place batter in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove batter from refrigerator and scoop batter by tablespoon full and place on a lined baking sheet. Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes. Remove cookies and immediately sprinkle with just a pinch of salt. Let cookies rest on baking sheet for 3 minutes before removing to a rack to cool completely.

by Tanya Schroeder