If you like textured desserts, you’ll love these Ranger cookies. The edges are crispy and chewy. It is characterized by the chewy texture and toastiness of the oats, and the crunchy rice cereal. Along with the nuttiness of coconut, the flavor of slightly bitter chocolate chips spreads further.
Appropriate mix-ins for Ranger cookies are hotly debated. It often contains oats, coconut, and cereals. Some people favor crunchy rice cereal, others favor cornflakes. Some contain chocolate chips, some do not. We’ve created a version of our favorites. I think you’ll love it too.
Learn how to make Ranger Cookies and share them with friends and family right after your meal.
ranger cookie ingredients
While you have the classic cookie ingredients like flour, sugar, and butter, you’ll also need a few other pantry staples. The contents of the Ranger cookie are as follows:
- Granulated sugar: When mixed with brown sugar, it adds sweetness to the cookies, but also helps with browning and dampening.
- Light brown sugar: Properly creaming the butter and sugar softens the cookies and gives structure to the dough.
- Unsalted butter: For making cream. If using salted butter, omit the extra table salt.
- Vegetable shortening: Cookies made with shortening are softer and have better structure.
- egg: It is important that the eggs are at room temperature so that they can easily dissolve into the batter.
- Vanilla extract: It is an essential ingredient in baking and helps enhance the flavor of cookie dough.
- All-purpose flour: This provides the perfect structure for these cookies and gives them a soft crumb.
- Baking soda and baking powder: These leavening agents help the cookies rise and spread during baking, making them fluffy and soft.
- Table salt: A small amount of salt is definitely required, but if you are using salted butter, you can omit it.
- Uncooked plain old rolled oats: The oats add a nice crunch to the cookies. Be sure to use Old Fashioned Oats. Instant oats may not retain their texture as well.
- Sweetened flaked coconut: Coconut isn’t always necessary in Ranger cookies (really, no one can decide what coconut is), but the delicate coconut flavor adds a fun accent to these cookies.
- Crispy rice cereal: For a slight crunch and texture. Substitute cornflakes if you like.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: I prefer a semi-sweet flavor here, but you can also use milk, white, or dark chocolate chips depending on your preference.
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
How to make ranger cookies
Grab a stand mixer or hand mixer. These cookies require a little more force to bind properly. Here’s an overview of the process: The complete recipe is below.
- step 1. Make the cookie dough: Cream the butter and both sugars and add the eggs and vanilla. Then add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Finally, mix in the oats, coconut, cereal, and chocolate chips. Mix until just combined without over-mixing the dough. If you mix too much, it will become thick and hard.
- Step 2. Scoop the cookie dough: Use a 2 tablespoon spring-loaded cookie scoop to separate and roll the cookie dough. You don’t necessarily need a special cookie scoop, but it’s really helpful to have one. Otherwise, using a tablespoon he makes 2 cups. Gently roll into a ball. Place the dough ball on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Step 3. Bake the cookies. Working with one pan at a time, bake cookies until lightly golden brown. Rotate pan halfway to ensure cookies bake evenly. Let the cookies cool on the pans for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Tips for Making the Best Ranger Cookies
I made several trays of these cookies to get just the right touch. Here are some additional tips to ensure your success.
- Shape up: If you want more even, round cookies, you can lightly press the edges of the still-warm cookies with a small offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
- Get the weight. If you have a kitchen scale at home, you can find out the weight of the dough in your scoop and use that scale to divide the rest to create the most evenly sized cookies.
- Fluffing factor: When measuring flour, first fluff it with a spoon. Next, spoon the flour into a measuring cup and use the back of a butter knife or the edge of an offset spatula to level it out. This will help you get the right amount of flour and avoid overcrowding.
Can I make Ranger cookies in advance?
Ranger cookie dough can be made and refrigerated overnight. To bake cookies straight from the refrigerator, separate the dough, roll into balls, lightly crush to about 2 inches in diameter (3/4 inch thick), and bake as directed.
Ranger cookie variations
The funny thing about Ranger Cookies is that there’s no wrong or right way to make them sweet, because no one can really define them. Here are some simple exchanges.
- Change serial: Some people claim that you can make true Ranger cookies by using cornflakes instead of Crisprice cereal. The cornflakes gave the cookies a chewy texture that we didn’t like, but you can replace them 1:1 with Crisprice cereal if you wish.
- Chocolate mix-up: Semi-sweet chocolate has a good balance of sweetness and bitterness, but no one prefers white, milk, or dark chocolate. You can also omit the chocolate completely.
- Very salty: If you like the crunch of flake salt on your cookies, feel free to sprinkle a little on top. The added saltiness is perfect for these treats.
How to store Ranger cookies
Store leftover cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months. If you want to eat it frozen, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
