Cowboy Cookies

If these were good enough for the president, they’ll be a nice treat for any guests you have over. The cookies are flavored with vanilla and cinnamon, as well as pecans and coconut, for a full-flavored cookie.

The name probably comes from the fact they were first created in the “Cowboy Capital” of Texas. Whatever they are called, they certainly are delicious and perfect for cookie lovers looking for a brand new flavor experience.

The story behind them is an interesting one. Family Circle magazine ran a bakeoff event every year there was a presidential election. Although the magazine often accepted recipes from presidential candidates’ family members, one year they published recipes from the wife of each candidate. Laura Bush shared her cowboy cookies recipe in 2000 and since then they’ve only become more popular.

There are plenty of mix-ins, including coconut, chocolate, pecans, and oats, and one of these cookies is never enough because they taste so good. 

Why You’ll Love the Recipe:

These are hearty cookies. They’re big and they’re full of flavor. A presidential favorite, these cowboy cookies definitely deserve a place on your plate next to your morning coffee or evening glass of milk. The kids will love them too.

How to Serve Them:

Serve the cookies with your favorite beverage or include them in a boxed lunch or as part of a picnic. You can also crumble them over anything from a cheesecake to cupcakes or even an ice cream sundae.

Ingredients:

• all-purpose flour
• baking soda
• eggs
• baking powder
• salt
• light brown sugar
• ground cinnamon
• softened butter
• sweetened coconut flakes
• old-fashioned rolled oats
• chopped pecans
• white sugar
• vanilla extract
• semisweet chocolate chips

How to make Cowboy Cookies:

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Step 2. Beat the butter until creamy, using an electric mixer.

Step 3. Beat in the white and brown sugar, bit by bit, until well mixed in.

Step 4. Add the vanilla and eggs, beating well between each egg addition.

Step 5. Mix the flour with the baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.

Step 6. Pour the flour mixture into the egg mixture and beat on a low speed until just mixed.

Step 7. Next, stir in the oats, coconut, pecans, and chocolate chips.

Step 8. The dough is quite stiff, so use your hands to knead and squeeze the dough if the electric mixer isn’t up to the job.

Step 9. Drop the dough, ¼ cup at a time and 3 inches apart, on to ungreased baking trays.

Step 10. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, rotating the baking trays halfway through cooking.

Step 11. When the cookie edges are just beginning to brown, remove them from the oven.

Step 12. Cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

These are giant cookies, since the recipe calls for ¼ cup of dough for each one, but in Texas (home to this recipe) bigger is better, so you might still want to make them that way. You’re going to love these big, satisfying cookies with plenty of add-ins in every bite.

Can You Make Them Ahead?

You can make these in advance if you like.

Storage Instructions:

Keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature and eat within a few days. They’ll keep for up to a week but will get softer over time.

Variations and Substitutions:

If you’re out of baking soda, you can use 4 teaspoons baking powder or a teaspoon of potassium bicarbonate. You can also omit the coconut, nuts or chocolate if you want. Sub walnuts for the pecans, or try adding dried cranberries or blueberries if you like. Peanut butter chips or butterscotch morsels would also be amazing. As these cookies are large, you might want to use a regular size scoop: that way you’ll get 36 to 48 cookies instead.