Christmas Cowboy Cookies (in a Jar opt.)
With holiday M&Ms, chocolate chips and oatmeal these Christmas Cowboy Cookies are a sure-fire hit. Bake straight or fill a jar for gifting!
Even a cookie can get its 15 minutes of fame.
Cowboy Cookies entered the spotlight in 2000, when Laura Bush’s version beat Tipper Gore’s ginger snaps in the legendary candidates’ wives cookie bake-off.
I decided to add a “Cookie in a Jar” twist, inspired by the blog Bakerella, but tweaked just a bit. But jar or no jar, this is a fun and flavorful cookie!
Of course, even though this particular cookie is dressed up with red and green holiday M&Ms, it is fun and tasty all year round. Just go with multi-color M’s or match it to any holiday!
Why I Love Cookies In a Jar
These cookies are a tasty treat made directly (as Tipper Gore proved), but I also wanted to provide an “in a jar” option for gift giving.
That’s because I still remember my first cookie in a jar kit and how it saved the day. It was a Christmas gift from a coworker who made them for everyone on our team. It struck me as fun at the time, but it was a couple months later when I really appreciated it.
You see one (very long) Saturday afternoon, my youngest had a new friend over for a play date–and things weren’t going well. Games were boring, crafts were a bust… and Mom was out of ideas.
Finally I remembered the cookie kit and set the girls to work. Flour went flying, dough was snitched and the afternoon was saved! And we all got some tasty cookies!
What You’ll Need
Ingredients
- Flour, Rolled oats
- Baking powder, baking soda
- Salt
- M&Ms, Chocolate chips, sweetened coconut
- Brown sugar, white sugar
- Cinnamon
- Optional pecans
Special Equipment
- No special equipment is required unless you are doing the “in a jar” method. Then you’ll need a 1 quart jar with a lid. If you’d like to decorate, you can add fabric and/or ribbon as well.
Step by Step Overview
In a large mixing bowl stir together the dry ingredients except M&Ms, chocolate and nuts if using. (Note that if you are using the “in a jar” blend, the M&Ms, chocolate, and possibly nuts will already be together in the jar.)
In a separate bow, beat together egg, vanilla and slightly melted butter. Add wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and combine.
Stir in the M&Ms, chocolate and nuts (if using). I sometimes use my hands to get well combined.
Roll into 1 1/2 inch balls. Place on a greased or parchment covered baking sheet and bake Bake just slightly golden but do not brown or they will be dry. (I put 9 cookies per cookie sheet.)
Let cool on pan briefly then move to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Filling instructions for “in a jar” option
Start with a clean quart-sized canning or other jar that has a tight fitting lid. (I have used old glass mayonnaise jars and canning jars)
Layer ingredients, alternating colors. I settled on the following order:
- Brown sugar mixed with cinnamon
- White sugar
- Chocolate chips
- M & Ms
- Oatmeal
- Flour mixed with baking soda, baking powder & salt
- Coconut
- I left out the nuts–the kids are lukewarm about them & I was out of space though a different jar might be different
Tamp down each layer tightly or you will run out of space. Pay special attention around the edge of the glass which is the area that shows. I found a melon baller worked well for this. And for a narrow mouthed jar, a canning funnel may make pouring easier.
To bake the “in a jar” option, pour the jar contents into a bowl, then mix in beaten egg, slightly melted butter and vanilla. Bake according to regular directions.
Cover with a tight fitting lid–perhaps decorated with festive fabric or ribbon!
Tips and FAQs
If you like soft chewy cookies, be sure not to overcook your Christmas Cowboy Cookies.
I tested keeping these cookies for 2-3 weeks and found that even sealed air tight, they continued to dry out. The flavor was still good, but they became crunchier. Interestingly, while I preferred them soft, my husband liked them even better crunchy.
Cover with lid. I decided to top a canning lid with a approx. 6 inch square of fabric, then twisted a canning ring around and added a ribbon.
And for more tasty #ChristmasCookieWeek recipes, check out today’s contributors below. And be sure to check back all week for more!
- Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread by That Recipe
- Honey Roasted Peanut Chocolate Kiss Cookies by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
- Lime Shortbread with Dried Cherries by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
- Coffee Chocolate Chip Cookies by Blogghetti
- Christmas Cowboy Cookies (in a Jar) by Art of Natural Living
Christmas Cowboy CookiesÂ
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup cooking oats
- 1/2 cup M&Ms
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/3 cup sweetened coconut
- 1/3 cup pecans optional–and they may not fit in a quart jar
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 1 /2 cup butter slightly melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl stir together the dry ingredients except M&Ms, chocolate and nuts if using. (Note that if you are using the "in a jar" blend, the M&Ms, chocolate, and possibly nuts will already be together in the jar.)
- In a separate bow, beat together egg, vanilla and slightly melted butter.
- Add wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and combine.
- Stir in the M&Ms, chocolate and nuts (if using).
- Scoop a generous tablespoon of dough and roll into 1 1/2 inch balls. Place on a greased or parchment covered baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven. Bake just slightly golden but do not brown or they will be dry. I put 9 cookies per cookie sheet.
- Let cool on pan briefly then move to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
Updated from the original post, dated December 23, 2012.
I love jar cookie mixes to have on hand (to save the day if need be) to gift this time of the year. The cookies are also one of my favorites
I miss the days when Cookies in a Jar were more common. It was always such a fun gift…both to give and receive. This version looks DELICIOUS!!!
These Christmas Cowboy Cookies are a fun, festive twist on a classic! I love how versatile they are, perfect for the holidays specially with those red and green M&Ms
I always wish someone would gift me cookies in a jar but they know I’m a baker so they never do. I’ll have to make them for myself!
Hi. I love these cookies and they are so good. I was wondering if I could link your recipe to my blog. I’m an author of a series called the Second Chance Series. You can visit my website. Basically I want to start a blog on all things cowboy as I am a cowgirl at heart.
Hi Ruthie–yes, you can use a photo and brief extract (like title, description) with attribution and a link back. Good luck with your blog!
Hi, I was wondering how long these last in a jar due to the coconut.
Good question Katie. I had to go look up the answer. On this site, http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/shredded-coconut-bad-38081.html, it says that packaged shredded coconut will last 4-6 months at 70 degrees F (though I’ve kept mine longer) and can be sealed and refrigerated to last 6-8 months. I don’t think our cookies in a jar ever made it past 6 months!
Pingback: Whole Grain Ginger Chunk Cookies - Art of Natural Living
Hi! Just wanted to say what an amazing cookie this makes! Thanks so much.
Really wanted to make these as gifts but worried about buying jars to large (1.4lts instead of 1lts) but they fit wonderfully and loiked beautiful. Thanks so much for sharing….!
I am glad this worked out for you! Thanks for the tip on the jar size, since the smaller is quite tight.
What a yummy recipe! They look great!
Thanks! I want to make them again now with the Valentine’s Day M&M’s 😉
That’s a fun gift Inger! I’ll try for next year!
Thanks Tammy! I’m pretty sure I’ll be doing this again.
edible gifts are my favorite, and this is a really great idea!
Thanks Grace! They were fun to put together!
Oh Goodies!!! Another recipe in jar to add to my growing collection! These sound wonderful Inger. Thank you so much for sharing…A Very Merry Christmas to you and Yours, Inger!!! Louise
Merry Christmas Louise! I cooked (too much) last night and I think we’ll be eating leftovers for the next week–which is perfect! Enjoy your special time with your family in Idaho!
I love food gifts, especially this version with festive M&Ms, which is sure to please anyone that receives it. Hope you’re having a wonderful Christmas!
Just finishing cleaning up after dinner for 17 here–with enough leftovers to feed us for another few days! Hope your Christmas is wonderful as well!
What fun !! Wishing you a very Merry Christmas x
And a Merry Christmas to you too!
What a great food gift idea! Merry Christmas!
Thanks! Merry Christmas to you too!
How unique. I’ve never heard of these Christmas Cowboy cookies, but they caught my attention because of my “cowboy” grandsons. They would love these cookies! Merry Christmas, Inger, to you and yours. I really enjoy your blog.
Merry Christmas to you too Freeda! I do hope you get to share these cookies with your grandsons at some point (even if you need to change the color of the M &Ms 😉 I am enjoying your blog (and your comments) as well.