Vegan Cowboy Cookies

I don't know about you, but I'm a huge fan of oatmeal cookies.  I love the fact that they're actually filling and have some substance to them.  But until recently, I have never heard of cowboy cookies - oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips, pecans, and coconut.  How the name came about, no one really knows, although I'm pretty sure cowboys have nothing to do with these cookies.

At any rate, these little suckers were a huge hit at my house.  I love that the addition of the shredded coconut - they give a nice texture to the chewy cookies.  And anything with pecans (and of course, dark chocolate) is fine by me any time.  Unfortunately, I was fresh out of pecans when I made these, so I had to sub in walnuts.  But I'll definitely be using pecans the next time (and there certainly will be a next time).

So why vegan?  Well I've been experimenting a lot with vegan baking recently, partly because I'm just curious to see how much it differs from regular baking and whether (and how) the substitution of vegan ingredients affect the taste.  I've always perceived vegan baking as fussy, complicated, and requiring special expensive ingredients.  But I've actually found tons of easy vegan recipes that use fairly simple and cheap substitutions for animal by-products.  This recipe for cowboy cookies is one of them.  In this recipe, canola oil replaces butter and ground flax seeds take the place of eggs.  I've also been dabbling in vegan baking because I want to expand my repertoire. When I start my own bakery in the future (and I will make sure of it), I want to reach out to the vegan and gluten-free crowds as well.  So I have to start prepping for that, no?

Anywho, whether or not you're vegan, if you're a fan of oatmeal cookies like me, I think you'll find these cowboy cookies to your liking. 

Vegan Cowboy Cookies 
(Adapted from Vegan Cookies Invade your Cookie Jar)

Yields 2 dozen large cookies

2 cups quick cooking (not instant) oats
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup canola oil
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup nondairy milk (I used almond milk)
1 tbsp ground flax seeds
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped toasted pecans

Preheat oven to 350 F, and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, stir together the oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat together oil, sugars, milk, flax seeds, and vanilla.  Fold in half of the dry ingredients to moisten and then fold in remaining half. Just before the mixture is completely combined, fold in coconut, chocolate chips, and pecans.

For each cookie, drop golf ball-size amounts of dough onto prepared cookie sheets, 2 inches apart.  Flatten slightly, and bake 14-16 minutes until edges start to brown.  Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.