| | | | | | | | | |

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.

DisclosureSome of the links below are affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you, I will receive a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Read our full affiliate disclosure here.

Do you have a favorite cookie recipe from your childhood?

grandma's ranger cookies

There are no chocolate chips here, but you will find oats, nuts, coconut, and crispy rice, 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 printed measurements found on the container are super helpful.


Ranger cookies can easily be made gluten—and dairy-free. Replace the flour with a gluten-free blend containing xanthan gum or guar gum. I have found the best results are produced using one-to-one or measure-for-measure type flour blends.

To make dairy-free cookies, use coconut oil, shortening, or a similar buttery-flavored product like Earth Balance Buttery Sticks. I also like Country Crock Plant-Based Butter for baking.

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!

grandma's ranger cookies with gluten-free and vegan options

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!!

Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Grandma's Ranger Cookies

These cookies have a slightly chewy and crunchy combination of coconut, oats, nuts, and crispy rice cereal.
Prep Time12 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Total Time24 minutes
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Grandma's Ranger Cookies
Servings: 30 Cookies
Calories: 209kcal
Author: Mary Krick

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

Egg-Free ~ EnerG Egg Replacer
Earth Balance Buttery Sticks
Pamela's Gluten-Free All-Purpose Artisan Blend or King Arthur Measure For Measure
Grandma's Ranger Cookies will make an excellent ice cream sandwich. Put a scoop of vanilla ice cream between two frozen cookies and gently push them together. Refreeze or enjoy immediately : )

Nutrition

Serving: 1Cookie | Calories: 209kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 139mg | Potassium: 80mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 206IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg

If you like Ranger Cookies, you might also like Toasted Oat & Chocolate Chip Cookies. 
A nut-free cookie with chocolate chips.

grandma's ranger cookies with gluten-free and vegan options
SaveSave

Similar Posts

9 Comments

  1. 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.)

    1. 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

  2. 5 stars
    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!

    1. Hi Charles,
      Thank you, and you’re welcome. It’s very rewarding to share recipes especially when I know they are enjoyed so much.

  3. 5 stars
    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!

    1. 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!!

  4. This recipe looks so delicious. I will make a batch to take with us on our vacation next week. Nothing like a good cookie when traveling. I don’t have old fashioned oats, but I have Steel-cut Quick 3-minute oats. Can I use this instead?

    1. Hi Linda,

      That is a great question! I honestly have never made cookies with regular or instant steel cut oats. For one reason I have yet to find a brand of steel cut instant oats that is 100% certified gluten-free. I do however know that the texture will be different if you use instant steel cut oats in a cookie recipe. The steel cut instant oats will give you a flatter and slightly crunchier cookie. I will have to try this out, but until I do this is what I suggest…
      Make the recipe as written and try one tester cookie. If it is too flat add 2 tablespoons more flour to the remaining dough and try another tester cookie. If you have a blender, I suggest grinding up some of the instant steel cut oats to make an oat flour, and use that as the added flour.
      Otherwise just add a gluten-free flour blend. Do not add more of the instant steel cut oats though.

      I ordered some instant steel cut oats from Bob’s Red Mill (I live in a remote area) and plan on trying this soon, but I would love to hear how your cookies turn out if you make some before I do. I will let you know my results as soon as possible.

      Have a wonderful vacation!

      Mary

      1. Linda, I’m sorry that took me longer than expected. I hope you get a chance to read this. I wasn’t sure if you wanted to make the regular or vegan cookie option. I made the vegan gluten-free option and will be sharing it as a post soon. Until that time make the recipe as is but add 3 Tbsp of extra flour. I used a flax egg (1 Tbsp ground flax seed with 3 Tbsp water) to substitute the egg, one-to-one gluten-free baking blend for the flour, and Plant-based Country Crock sticks in place of the butter. Bake the cookies at 350 instead of 375 for gluten-free and let them sit after baking before removing them from the pan.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating