I Learned How to Make Ranger Cookies at Camp (and I've Been Making Them Ever Since)

These cookies have it all.

By
Laurel Randolph
Laurel Randolph
Laurel Randolph
Laurel has over 10 years of experience developing recipes and writing about food. She is the author of 4 cookbooks, including the bestselling "The Instant Pot Electric Cookbook."
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Published December 01, 2025
Laurel Randolph
Rows of freshly baked ranger cookies with nuts chocolate chips and dried fruit as visible ingredients

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek
  • Packed with oats, toasted coconut, chocolate chips, and dried fruit, these cookies deliver tons of texture and flavor.
  • Toasting the coconut and nuts adds a rich, nutty depth and extra crunch to every bite.
  • The cookie dough can be frozen and baked straight from the freezer for warm, satisfying cookies anytime.

One glorious summer years ago, I spent two weeks at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Deer Isle, Maine. I was in my 20s and eager to learn, but low on cash. After applying, I received a work-study scholarship, which allowed me to attend my desired class and stay on the breathtaking campus for free in exchange for helping out in the cafeteria kitchen.

Under normal circumstances, say at a kid’s camp or a college, this would be fine but not ideal. But this is Haystack we’re talking about, basically an art camp for adults. Art-loving people from all over the country and the world come to take classes there from artisans and artists, and spend their evenings around big, long tables, enjoying delicious food and gazing at the pristine ocean. 

In other words, it was a gift to work in that kitchen. While I mostly cleaned dishes, I got to hang out with the local retired ladies who kept things running. They served up superior food, meal after meal, but the cherry on top was the big platters of homemade cookies they set out every afternoon.

A batch of cookies with chocolate chips pecans and cranberries arranged on a baking tray with a spatula underneath one

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

My absolute favorite of the cookie line-up was the ranger cookie. I think I ate my weight in those cookies over the two weeks I was there. I asked the ladies for the recipe, and they handed me a copy of a handwritten recipe card. The recipe made 150 cookies with the option to double it for 300! 

After I got home, I did some math and scaled down the recipe to make a reasonable 40ish cookies. And now I make them regularly. They might just be my favorite cookie.

What Makes These Ranger Cookies Special

There are many variations on ranger cookies, with some containing a cereal like corn flakes or rice cereal, but this one contains neither. Not that it is short on mix-ins! Packed with oats, toasted coconut, chocolate chips, and dried fruit, these cookies are full of flavor and texture. They’re chewy and a bit caramel-y like a good oatmeal raisin cookie, loaded with chocolate and sweet but not cloyingly so.

There are a few things that I think make these cookies especially special:

  • Toasted: The coconut and the nuts are toasted. This makes the cookies taste so deliciously toasty and gives them better texture. It’s worth the extra step!
  • Chocolate: The recipe is generous with chocolate chips, and I love chocolate. Enough said.
  • Espresso or coffee powder: Coffee adds amazing flavor that pairs perfectly with the chocolate, nuts, and coconut without overpowering everything.
Rows of freshly baked ranger cookies with nuts chocolate chips and dried fruit as visible ingredients

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

How to Freeze

I love having balls of cookie dough in the freezer for a moment when I need a warm cookie, but I don’t want to whip up a batch of dough. Ranger cookies freeze beautifully. After making the dough, scoop it onto a lined cookie sheet and freeze solid, at least one hour. Transfer the dough balls to a zip-top freezer bag and store for up to three months. 

When you’re ready to bake, space your desired number of cookies out on a lined baking sheet and preheat the oven. You’ll need to bake for an extra 2 to 3 minutes—keep a close eye on them.

More Flavor-Packed Cookies

A plate of ranger cookies with chocolate chips and dried fruit

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

Ranger Cookies

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 45 mins
Servings 30
Yield 35 to 40 cookies

Here’s a handy guide for toasting the nuts. Coconut takes less than 5 minutes to toast in the oven, so keep a very close eye on it, stirring halfway through. Remove it as soon as the flakes are light brown, since they will continue to toast out of the oven on the hot pan.

Keep Screen Awake

Ingredients

  • 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

  • 3/4 cup (160g) packed brown sugar

  • 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar

  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature

  • 1 tablespoon instant espresso or coffee powder

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1 cup (113g) rolled oats

  • 1 cup (75g) shredded or flaked coconut, sweetened or unsweetened

  • 2 cups (340g) semisweet chocolate chips

  • 1 cup (120g) chopped toasted pecans or walnuts

  • 3/4 cup (140g) raisins, dried cranberries, or dried cherries

  • Flaky salt, for topping, optional

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

    Arrange two oven racks in the upper-middle and lower-middle positions. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

  2. Make the cookie dough:

    In a stand mixer, beat the softened butter on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat on medium speed until well-combined and pale, about 2 minutes.

    Add the eggs one at a time, beating just until combined after each one. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then add the espresso powder and vanilla and beat until well combined.

  3. Add the dry ingredients:

    Add the flour, salt, and baking powder and beat on low just until mostly combined; there should still be some streaks of flour remaining. Add the oats and coconut and beat on low until combined, less than 1 minute. 

    Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a large rubber spatula or wooden spoon to stir in the chocolate chips, nuts, and dried fruit until combined. Scrape the bottom of the bowl and make sure all of the mix-ins are well distributed.

  4. Portion the cookies:

    Use a cookie scoop or a spoon to form 2-tablespoon-sized balls of dough, adding them to the parchment-lined pans and spacing them about 2 inches apart. You should be able to fit about 12 on each baking sheet. If desired, sprinkle with flaky salt.

  5. Bake:

    Bake until the tops have just barely turned matte (no longer shiny), rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom halfway through, 14 to 17 minutes. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack. Repeat portioning and baking with the remaining dough.

    Store cooled leftover cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

    Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
253 Calories
15g Fat
31g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 30
Amount per serving
Calories 253
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g 19%
Saturated Fat 8g 38%
Cholesterol 29mg 10%
Sodium 97mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 31g 11%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 19g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 30mg 2%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 140mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.