Ranger Cookies:Chewy, Sweetness 1970's style

Anyone remember these: Ranger Cookies sometimes called Cowboy Cookies? After lots of research I think these may have come on the scene some time in the 70's. Following the model of transparency used by congress and the current Presidential administration my research consisted mainly,OK, solely, of asking a friend around my age if she remembered these cookies. Together we both remember eating them as children and since we were both children in the late 70's early 80's we decided they are a recipe from the 70's give or take a few decades. 

First start with great ingredients. Yes, that's butter flavor Crisco. I love butter, the real stuff, but find that with many cookies shortening lends a better result (less cookie spread) Plus BFCrisco does give baked goods a buttery taste that is missing if you just use vegetable Crisco. So, cream together your wet ingredients.

Next, add the dry and then the fun stuff, coconut, oats and cereal flakes. This is where you can let your 1970's creativity come through. You can substitute chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, or any flaked cereal ( I used bran flakes here). Old fashioned oats lend a chewy, toothsome texture so I'd stay away from instant oats as some of the texture would be lost.

Grab your sous chef, spoon, cookie dough and cookie sheets. Place cookies about 2 inches apart on your cookie sheets.

It should look something like this. But this being a recipe from the groovy 70's it doesn't have to be exact, especially if your sous chef is under the age of two.

It's always a good idea to have EXTRA sous chefs around to taste stuff like beaters and spoons. The rocking horse in the background is preheating my oven.

Sweet,chewy with a nice nutty flavor and boy, do they smell good baking. These sturdy little cookies make great take along snacks or have your kid be the envy at the lunch room by packing a few of these for school!

There are many, many forms of this recipe floating around. I grabbed this from allrecipes.com