Gluten-Free Cowboy Cookies combine the goodness of oats, pecans, and chocolate chips in a deliciously easy cookie recipe. Vegan too!
To be perfectly honest, I've never had a cowboy cookie.
I recently saw the recipe for Laura Bush's cowboy cookies and thought, if only they were gluten-free!
After doing some research on a "typical" cowboy cookie, I set out to make my own. Free of gluten, eggs, and dairy!
Since I'm late to this cookie party, what I've gathered is that the best cowboy cookies, a cousin cookie to the monster cookie, contain oats, pecans, chocolate chips, cinnamon, and sometimes coconut.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Whole, simple ingredients
- Easy recipe
- Gluten-free, dairy-free, and egg-free
Ingredients and substitutions
Here are a few quick notes about the ingredients in this recipe. You can see a complete list of ingredients and instructions in the recipe card below.
Gluten-free oats - I don't recommend quick oats for this recipe, as old-fashioned oats help create chewy oatmeal cookies.
Dairy-free chocolate chips - Choose your favorite vegan semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips.
Pecans - Use raw pecans for best flavor.
Coconut oil - This acts as our dairy-free fat and gives our treats their chewy texture. Vegan butter can be substituted.
Gluten-free oat flour - If gluten is an issue, purchase certified gluten-free oat flour or make your own homemade oat flour.
Almond flour - Finely blanched is recommended. I recommend Bob's Red Mill brand. Almond meal may make the consistency too gummy.
Tapioca starch - This starch helps with texture as well as works as a binder.
Cinnamon - Ground cinnamon adds sweetness and flavor.
Ground flaxseed - Mixed with water this will make our flax egg and act as our binder.
Organic cane sugar and coconut sugar - Instead of refined white sugar, organic cane sugar is less processed and vegan-friendly and coconut sugar is a great refined sugar-free substitute for brown sugar.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Place the sugars in a large bowl and stir in the melted coconut oil. Let cool slightly, 1-2 minutes, then whisk in the flax egg and vanilla extract.
In a medium size bowl, add the oat flour, tapioca flour, almond flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Whisk to combine. Slowly add the flour mixture, stirring as you go, into the coconut oil mixture, until thoroughly combined.
Stir in the chopped pecans, oats, and chocolate chips. Allow the dough to sit for 3-5 minutes before scooping.
Step 2: Using a spring loaded cookie scoop (or tablespoon), scoop the dough and place them on the prepared cookie sheets, spacing them 2-3 inches apart. Bake the cookies one pan at a time until the edges of the cookies are golden and set and the tops are also golden 14-15 minutes.
Want more oat flour cookies? These oat flour chocolate chip cookies are ones to try!
More gluten-free cookie recipes
Love this recipe? Please consider leaving a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating on the recipe card below and let me know what you think in the comments!
📖 Recipe
Gluten-Free Cowboy Cookies (Vegan)
Ingredients
- 2 flax eggs 2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds + 6 tablespoons warm water
- 8 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- ¾ cup raw pecans
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- ¼ cup organic cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup + 1 tablespoon gluten-free oat flour
- ¼ cup tapioca flour/starch
- ½ cup almond flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup gluten-free old-fashioned rolled oats
- ¾ cup dairy-free chocolate chips I recommend mini chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Prepare your flax eggs in a small bowl, set aside for at least 5 minutes.
- In a glass measuring cup or small microwaveable bowl, melt your coconut oil in the microwave for 30-second intervals, until oil is almost completely melted.
- Spread the pecans on a small sheet pan and toast in the oven, 5-6 minutes. Let cool completely, then chop roughly.
- Place the sugars in a large bowl and stir in the melted coconut oil. Let cool slightly, 1-2 minutes, then whisk in the flax egg and vanilla extract.
- In a medium size bowl, add the oat flour, tapioca flour, almond flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Whisk to combine. Slowly add the flour mixture, stirring as you go, into the coconut oil mixture, until thoroughly combined.
- Stir in the chopped pecans, oats, and chocolate chips. Allow the dough to sit for 3-5 minutes before scooping.
- Using a spring loaded cookie scoop (or tablespoon), scoop the dough and place them on the prepared cookie sheets, spacing them 2-3 inches apart. Bake the cookies one pan at a time until the edges of the cookies are golden and set and the tops are also golden, 14-15 minutes.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the pans.
Katie
Hi. Is there anything that I could use to substitute for the tapioca flour/starch?
Tessa
Hi! You could substitute arrowroot starch!
Kristin
Can you use all coconut sugar instead of both coconut and cane? Thank you!
Tessa
Hi Kristin! Yes, that should work just fine. It will slightly change the flavor/sweetness but I think will still be delicious. :)
Cara
Thank you for this recipe. I've made it for family gatherings and it's been a hit with non-vegans/GF folks too.
Tessa
Thank you, Cara! I'm so glad! :)
NANCY
I've been bringing your almond cookies to family gatherings for a while an decided I was bored (they are still our favorite though) I made these cowboy cookies and the blondies - SO GOOD! Thank you so much for the best dessert recipes that also happen to vegan and gluten free!!!
Tessa
Hi Nancy! That's so great to hear! I am so glad you and your family have found some favorites. :) Thank you!!
Janie
Our neighbor brought these cookies to a block party a couple months ago, and a number of us had to have the recipe. I finally got around to making them myself and it is definitely one of my very favorite cookies so helpful to have recipes for friends, who need to be gluten-free and dairy free. Thank you for a cookie recipe. That is absolutely delicious!
Tessa
Hi Janie! That is so great to hear, thank you!!
Christina Bianco
I split the batch into 2 then added raw pumpkin seeds to the 2nd batch and it was delicious! Thanks for another great recipe!
Tessa
I love the pumpkin seed addition. I will have to try that too! <3
Jerilyn
Great looking cookies! Can I use chicken eggs instead of flax eggs? Thank you.
Tessa
Thanks, Jerilyn! Yes, I think that would work just fine - just watch your baking time a little closer. If you try it, I'd love to hear how it worked.
Jerilyn
Thank you for your reply!
Jerilyn
Hi, I made the cookies with chicken eggs & they turned out great. The bake time was quicker so instead of 14-15 minutes they were baked through in 10-12 minutes depending on the type of baking tray I used...light vs dark.
Tessa
That's fantastic! Thank you for reporting back - I appreciate it!