Cowboy Cookies

Hailee watched an episode of Dora The Explorer, where they apparently made "cowboy cookies". I didn't see the episode myself, so whether these are anything like what she was referring to, I don't know. However, she asked me for days to make her some "cowboy cookies", so this is what I came up with. Actually, they turned out so good that I'm very glad she asked me to make them! Now I have a new recipe I'm sure to use again and again! I took a standard oatmeal cookie recipe (from America's Test Kitchen) and threw in "cowboyish" things like nuts & sunflower seeds and then topped them with frosting. Oh. My. Gosh. Trust me, these are good. So, here you go.

Cookies
1 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
16 Tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted Butter, softened
1 Cup Light Brown Sugar, packed
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
2 Large Eggs
3 Cup Oats
1/2 Cup Walnuts
1/2 Cup Sunflower Seeds, seeded (obviously)
1/2 Cup Raisins (optional-I don't like raisins in my cookies, but if you do, they'd go in here nicely).

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg together in a medium bowl and set aside.
3. Beat the butter and sugars together in a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.
4. Beat in the eggs until combined.
5. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly mix in the flour mixture until combined. Mix in the oats, nuts and seeds until just incorporated.
6. Working with 1/4 cup of dough at a time, roll the dough into balls and lay on two baking sheets spaced about 2 1/2 inches apart.
7. Flatten the cookies slightly using your palm.
8. Bake until the tops of the cookies are lightly golden, but the centers are still soft and puffy, 22 to 25 minutes, rotating and switching the baking sheets halfway through baking.
9. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before frosting.

Frosting
2 8-oz. pkgs. Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 Cup butter, softened
2 Cups Powdered Sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla

1. Mix all ingredients with an electric mixer until combined.
2. Frost cookies.