I felt guilty for trash-talking my mom’s Ranger Cookies because it had been so long since I’d even eaten one, I couldn’t really remember what they tasted like–only that I hadn’t been a fan. So this morning, I got up early and baked a batch. I figured it was good timing. I have a fridge full of cookie doughs that my kids like for later in the week, and I’m pretty sure anything that includes raisins and nuts is going to be off Morgan’s to-do list. Might as well make them now.
I suspect this popular 50s/60s era recipe was first put out either in a women’s magazine or by a cereal company. They’re made with oatmeal and Rice Krispies (though some Ranger Cookie recipes use Corn Flakes instead). My mom used Rice Krispies.
You can make these cookies with butter, margarine, or shortening, but I’m positive my mom used shortening or margarine. She would never use That Devil Butter. Some Ranger Cookie recipes offer chocolate chips as an option, but my mom never made them that way. She made hers with raisins and chopped pecans. I figure you could use just about anything you like, such as chopped dried cherries, coconut, walnuts, butterscotch chips, whatever you want.
That won’t make them any better, though.
Okay, okay, they are actually tasty little cookies, but now that I’ve eaten one (okay, OKAY, I forced myself to eat SEVERAL…and will probably eat some more), I remember what I don’t like about them. I don’t like the texture of the Rice Krispies in the cookies (and I doubt cornflakes would make me like them more).
There’s really nothing wrong with these cookies, they’re just not my cup of tea. If you think you might like them, I posted the recipe on Farm Bell Recipes here:
Ranger Cookies.
Have at it!
This cookie culpa moment is now concluded.
Leah says:
Thanks for the laugh this morning. Where did that little laughing cat icon go? I need it. Ranger cookies are not my cup of tea either, maybe thats why I’m laughing so hard! :sun:
On December 12, 2010 at 9:50 am
Nancy K. says:
I don’t have time to make cookies that I LIKE, let alone cookies that I don’t like!
It does warm up the house though…
😉
On December 12, 2010 at 9:59 am
texwisgirl says:
Baking by guilt! Too funny! Eating by guilt too! 🙂
On December 12, 2010 at 10:12 am
Sheila Z says:
So who is going to eat this batch, the goats?
On December 12, 2010 at 10:19 am
Sheryl says:
Mama always used corn flakes in her Ranger cookies. They were one of my favorites. We always had home made cookies in the cookie jar. I always asked for Ranger cookies. I guess I will have to make some.It has been many years since I have had them.
On December 12, 2010 at 10:19 am
claudia w says:
You are so sweet to do this! Now, I know what Ranger Cookies are, and I think in your honor I will make a small batch. I’ll probably like them and then gain some weight. Oh well, it is the holidays!
On December 12, 2010 at 10:32 am
Deb says:
We always had Ranger cookies at church camp and I wasn’t too fond of the cereal in them either. One time they even made them with potato chips! That wasn’t any better in my opinion, although my brother loved them.
On December 12, 2010 at 11:03 am
Urbanite says:
How funny that you had to make Ranger cookies, Suzanne! I looked at your recipe because I, too, had wondered what Ranger cookies are. It turns out they are what we call Cereal cookies in my family. The only differences are that we use corn flakes instead of Rice Krispies and coconut instead of raisins. They are one of my top 5 favorite cookies. Sometimes I add cinnamon just because I love cinnamon, but that isn’t part of the recipe.
On December 12, 2010 at 11:11 am
Kristina says:
You may be incorrect about the corn flakes. The cookie stores in the mall make a chewy pecan cookie. It is most fabulous and it melts in your mouth. They are much like heaven and force you to make moaning sounds ordinary cookies would never do. I searched frantically for the recipe and found a knock off of them specifically. I was surprised that it used crushed corn flakes in them. The other secret was brown sugar versus white. I guess this rambling is to say that crushed corn flakes would be undetectable and utterly delectable, although if the cookies above use whole corn flakes… well… I wouldn’t know.
On December 12, 2010 at 12:11 pm
Sherie Adams says:
My Mom used BRAN FLAKES! yuk! in EVERYTHING! So, a cookie with cereal in it, just doesn’t sound good – although, I believe I ate a Ranger Cookie at summer camp – but it didn’t taste like bran flakes! She also put All Bran is everything – I think she was just trying to keep things healthy!
On December 12, 2010 at 12:15 pm
Tasi says:
This might be the cookie recipe of my grandma’s that was lost with her when she passed away!
None of my cousins remembered her making it, and she used chocolate chips, and corn flakes…and yes, maybe some rice crispies, too. I LOVED those cookies. No, I think it was corn flakes…and oatmeal.
So, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
PS You should do corn flakes and chocolate chips on a lark.
On December 12, 2010 at 1:37 pm
Joy says:
I never cared for Ranger Cookies either, Suzanne. :moo:
On December 12, 2010 at 2:22 pm
Mother of a ROCKSTAR says:
i am taking my mother to a cookie exchange on Wed. I think I will make these along with Clover and my favorite. Thank you again for such great recipes.
On December 12, 2010 at 3:03 pm
Bev says:
Oh I remember those COOKIES…. My mother made them with Corn Flakes. I think the reason she made them was they lasted much longer than other cookies.
I also :no: remember that I didn’t like them much either!!
On December 12, 2010 at 10:25 pm
Pete says:
Ahhh, too funny! The “Ranger Cookies” I’ve made have no crispies (and I would never have made them if they had!) but at least oatmeal, choc chips, raisins or cranberries, coconut, and whatever else is around at the time. And we really like them.
On December 13, 2010 at 8:42 am
Ramona says:
They look good!
On December 13, 2010 at 12:29 pm
Micah says:
Hi Suzanne – I think you have the wrong idea about ranger cookies, but I think I can shed some light for you. I have two copies of the recipe, both identical. One is the original print, and is cut from the side of either a baking soda box or a baking powder can (of course I couldn’t find it when I looked to make sure). I believe it is earlier than you thought. I would think it dates to the early 50s, when oleo (vegetable margarine) became available. The other copy is my Grandmother’s recipe, which notes that she got the recipe from her mother. Her mother died in 1964, so it definitely predates then.
The second point is that they are not meant to be cookies like we think of them. They are more what we would consider to be energy bars or granola bars, a high energy snack to be carried in your pockets while you were out in the woods logging or hunting, not a sweet treat. For that purpose, they are just the thing. The original calls for 1 cup of coconut and 2 cups of cornflakes by the way. I’ll post it in the comments of your ranger cookies on the farm bell site.
On December 13, 2010 at 3:23 pm
turtle says:
so this will be my second official post, wow, i am very new to this…and still on the computer rather than baking myself, but i had to comment: they sell ranger cookies at our local kroger (yes, i know, store bought), but they are fantastic! they have no nuts or fruit, but rather shredded coconut…i’m not sure they even have oatmeal…so, anyone know how to make this version of the ‘ranger’ cookie?
On December 16, 2010 at 11:34 am