A recipe from the 1930’s, these crispy and chewy Butterscotch Ranger Cookies are something a little unexpected and totally memorable!
One day in the grocery store bakery I bought what I thought were chocolate chip cookies. When we opened them we realized really quickly that they were something completely different and wonderful.
The label said “Ranger Cookies” and the texture was completely unexpected. Crispy but chewy with oats, coconut, cornflakes, nuts and chocolate chips. One of the best accidental purchases ever!
The only thing that we improved on was the use of butterscotch chips in our version instead of chocolate chips. They are now Butterscotch Ranger Cookies but with either chocolate or butterscotch, these are awesome!
What are Ranger Cookies?
The bakery label on the cookie package read “Ranger Cookies” so I started to research where the recipe came from and how I could make my own at home.
This recipe appears to have originated in the 1930’s and points to Texas as the state where this recipe was born. By most accounts these cookies were known as “Lone Ranger” cookies or “Texas Ranger” cookies. The variation of ingredients makes them similar to kitchen sink cookies – you can pretty much throw anything into them and they will be great.
There are many variations of this recipe out there but these are something a little unexpected and totally memorable!
What you’ll need to make Butterscotch Ranger Cookies
- All purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Sweetened coconut flakes
- Old fashioned oats
- Corn flakes (or rice krispies)
- Butter
- Large eggs
- Sugar
- Brown sugar
- Chopped walnuts (or chopped pecans)
- Butterscotch chips (or chocolate chips)
How to make Butterscotch Ranger cookies
One of the best things about this cookie recipe is that it is easy to put together and to swap ingredients. No need to go to the store – use what you have on hand. Swap out for chocolate chips or Rice Krispies, create your own flavor combinations by adding raisins or cranberries. Whatever works!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, coconut, oats and cornflakes. Stir until combined.
In the bowl of an electric mixer cream together the butter, eggs and sugars.
Pour the butter mixture into the dry mixture and using a spoon or a spatula, stir just until combined.
Add the butterscotch chips and chopped walnuts and stir until incorporated.
Chocolate chips or another kind of baking chips can be used if you prefer.
Scoop dough by rounded tablespoons onto a lightly greased baking sheet (or use a silicone pad).
Place them far enough apart (about 2 inches) so that they can spread a bit and still not touch.
Bake 12-15 minutes on the middle rack of the preheated oven until the cookies have a light golden brown appearance with slightly browned edges.
Allow to cool on a wire rack before serving. Enjoy!
Other Sweet & Snacky Recipes You May Like
Fruity Pebbles Marshmallow Treats – Colorful, fruity, and fun, these are great for parties and potlucks.
Air Fryer Apple Pie Egg Rolls – What to do with those leftover egg roll wrappers? Make apple pie egg rolls in your air fryer to use them up. So easy and weirdly good!
Pizookie – If you don’t know what this is, you should! Warm, gooey cookie baked in a skillet, crazy good!
Three Ingredient Butterscotch Fudge – Sweet decadent deliciousness – and only three ingredients!
Cinnamon Toasted Almonds – Just like the roasted almonds at the fair, these have a crispy, cinnamon sugar exterior and are roasted to perfection in the oven!
Butterscotch Ranger Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- 1 cup corn flakes crushed
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/2 cup butterscotch chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, coconut, oats and cornflakes. Stir until combined.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer cream together the butter, eggs and sugars.
- Stir the butter mixture into the dry mixture until well combined.
- Add the butterscotch chips and chopped walnuts and stir until incorporated.
- Scoop dough by rounded tablespoons onto a lightly greased baking sheet (or use a silicone pad).
- Bake 12-15 minutes on the middle rack of the preheated oven until the cookies have a light golden brown appearance with slightly browned edges.
- Allow to cool on a wire rack before serving. Enjoy!
Nutrition *
* The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.
Tawny says
My family’s favorite cookie! Small changes I made: sub rice krispies for corn flakes due to allergy; pecans for walnuts. I have also made them with chocolate chips. Kids love it. Overall perfect texture and taste – they are all gone in minutes!!
The Bandit says
Those substitutions sound awesome. Thanks so much for sharing! 🙂
Chochs says
A very nice cookie.
The Bandit says
Well thank you! I would probably like them just as much with chocolate chips! Have you tried any variations?