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Classic chocolate chip and oatmeal cookies when loaded with oats, nuts, raisins, gluten free flours, and cinnamon turn into tasty gluten free cowboy cookies.

Gluten Free Cowboy Cookies Reimagined

One day, the recipe for Laura Bush’s Cowboy Cookies came across my feed and I knew that I had to create a gluten free version. Mrs. Bush’s cowboy cookies recipe were obviously not gluten free and they were packed with oatmeal, pecans, coconut, and chocolate chips.

We are a large gluten free family with a variety of food sensitivities and a couple of us have celiac disease. You can read more about our journey here.

I really wanted to make this recipe safe for all of the members of our family, so I omitted some of the original ingredients and reimagined this cowboy cookies recipe without coconut, butter, pecans, almonds, or most importantly flour.

To Make Gluten Free Cowboy Cookies You Will Need…

Some of the ingredients are not naturally gluten free, so if you need to avoid gluten, be sure to check the labels on all of the ingredients, especially the nuts, rolled oats, and chocolate chips. These are often labeled that they may contain wheat.

If you omit the hazelnuts, this recipe can be made nut-free.

What is tigernut flour?

Tigernut flour is not actually made from nuts, it is a starchy powder made from the tubers that grow on the yellow nutsedge plant. It is an ancient food that has recently become quite popular.

Tigernut flour is a gluten free, grain free, nut free, paleo, low carb, keto, or vegan alternative to wheat flour. It is high in fiber and antioxidants and rich in vitamins C, and E, and minerals including calcium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, zinc, and folic acid.

If you are looking for an alternative flour that acts very similar to almond flour in gluten free recipes, tigernut flour is a great choice. Tigernut flour works well in cookies, and it is my flour of choice in pie crust.

Equipment used for this recipe

Baking Cowboy Cookies Step-By-Step

In under 30 minutes, you can have 2 dozen fully loaded gluten free oatmeal cookies fit for a cowboy or anyone who wants a cookie snack.

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350F or 175C and line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Step 2

In a stand mixer or a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat together lard, golden sugar, and cane sugar until smooth and creamy.

Step 3

Add in an egg and vanilla extract and beat again until blended together.

Step 4

Add the tigernut flour, tapioca starch, cinnamon, and baking soda to the dough and stir until a smooth batter forms.

Step 5

Add in the oats, hazelnuts, raisins, and gluten free semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips. Mix the dough until all of the add-ins are evenly distributed.

Step 6

Scoop the dough using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon forming small balls and place them on the cookie sheets. Leave 2 inches of space between them. Flatten them slightly and bake in a preheated oven for 13-15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Step 7

Remove cookies from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes before moving them to a cooling rack. When the cookies are completely cool, store them in an airtight container.

Substitutes and Alternatives

If you are not sensitive to dairy or coconut, substitute the lard with the same amount of butter or coconut oil. The cookies will much flatter and spread more on while baking.

If you don’t have tigernut flour or aren’t in need of a nut-free cookie recipe, almond flour is a great alternative. Substitute the same amount of almond flour in place of the tigernut flour.

Use your choice of nuts in place of the hazelnuts. Pecans are quite nice. If you can tolerate coconut, omit the raisins and replace them with the same amount of unsweetened shredded coconut flakes.

Leave a comment below and let me know what you think of our gluten free cowboy cookies and if you happen to make some, tag me @underthreeacres on Instagram.

Other gluten-free recipes you might enjoy!