Grandma’s Ranger Cookies ~ Gluten-Free & Vegan Options
My Grandma’s Ranger Cookies are full of memories and have continued to be the most popular cookie recipe on my site so far. Good memories and good eats…that’s what these ranger cookies are.
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Do you have a favorite cookie recipe from your childhood?
No chocolate chips here, but you will find oats, nuts, coconut, and crispy rice, which are the perfect combination for these delightfully sweet and chewy cookies.
I love a good nut chopper when you don’t need large quantities of chopped nuts! The find printed measurements on the container are super helpful.
Ranger cookies can be made gluten and dairy-free easily too. Replace the flour with a gluten-free flour blend that has xanthan gum or guar gum in the blend. One-to-one or measure-for-measure on the gluten-free flour label will produce the best results.
To make dairy-free cookies, use coconut oil, shortening, or a similar buttery-flavored product like Earth Balance Buttery Sticks.
Why I Line My Cookie Sheets:
~Using silicone liners or parchment paper on cookie sheets prevents a funny aftertaste of non-stick sprays and eliminates the need to grease the cookie sheets.
~Cookies will never stick.
~Prevents over-browning on the bottom of the cookies.
~Parchment paper is moisture resistant.
~Saves scrubbing the pans. Silicone liners go right into the dishwasher.
Here are two more delicious ideas for Grandma’s Ranger Cookies:
1. Try these frozen, too, because Grandma’s Ranger Cookies will make an awesome ice cream sandwich. Put a scoop of vanilla ice cream between two frozen cookies and gently push them together. Refreeze or enjoy immediately : )
2. As you might already suspect, these are also amazing with vanilla frosting!!
I hope you try these and love every bite!
To Make Grandma’s Ranger Cookies, You Will Need These Ingredients:
- Butter or a non-dairy substitute
- Sugar
- Brown sugar
- Eggs ~ Substitute for egg-free like EnerG Egg Replacer or Aquafaba
- Vanilla
- Flour ~ or gluten-free flour blend like King Arthur Measure for Measure
- Salt
- Baking soda
- Baking powder ~ corn-free if needed
- Oats ~ gluten-free if needed
- Crispy rice cereal ~ gluten-free if needed
- Shredded coconut
- Chopped nuts ~ omit if needed
Try this delicious version with chopped apples, Chewy Apple, Oat, and Raisin Ranger Cookies.
Enjoy!!
Grandma's Ranger Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened or dairy-free butter or shortening like Earth Balance Buttery Sticks
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs ~ egg substitute if needed (see notes)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups flour ~ gluten-free like Pamela’s Artesian GF Flour or King Arthur Measure for Measure
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder corn-free if needed
- 2 cups oats I use old fashioned (gluten-free if needed)
- 2 cups crispy rice cereal gluten-free if needed
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 1 cup chopped nuts I use walnuts or pecans ~ omit for nut-free
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375
- Cream together butter, sugar and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla, mix well.
- Add flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder, mix until just combined. Add oats, coconut, crispy rice cereal and nuts. Gently mix or stir to combine.
- Form into walnut-sized balls or a medium scoop and flatten slightly with a fork or your hand.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let sit after removing from the oven for about 1 minute.
- Cool completely on wire racks.
Notes
If you like Ranger Cookies, you might also like Toasted Oat & Chocolate Chip Cookies.
A nut-free cookie with chocolate chips.
This looks like an interesting site – and I think I would love the Ranger Cookies with gluten free options – however, advertisement covered the left hand side of the recipe – and there was no option to close it! Frustrating. Might try your site again, but will probably stick with my other faves. (And, I know you need to earn revenue from ads, but they shouldn’t cover copy with no option to close.)
Hi Mary,
I appreciate your sharing this with me. The ad actually does have a close feature, but if you are using a smaller-sized screen the top of the ad where the close button is found will be cut off and therefore result in some of the posts being cut off. We did move the ad hoping this will help you and others view my grandmother’s delicious cookie recipe. I hope you will visit our site again. If you like I would be happy to send you the recipe by email. Take care…Mary
These are wonderful cookies that are always a family favorite! Our grand children absolutely loved them to the point we had to hide them so they would have room for dinner. Thank your for all your great recipes!
Hi Charles,
Thank you, and you’re welcome. It’s very rewarding to share recipes especially when I know they are enjoyed so much.
These turned out beautifully! I even added a few dried cranberries to a bit of the dough and made about a dozen like that, with a white chocolate drizzle…. so good either way!
Terry, those sound yummy. I have added white chocolate chips and dried cranberries to my oatmeal cookies and the combination is fantastic. I always like adding drizzle…love that idea!!