I'm not sure why I never posted Laura Bush's Cowboy Cookies, but here's the recipe for anyone interested in Texas size cookies made with oatmeal, chocolate chips, nuts, coconut and most importantly -- a full tablespoon of cinnamon. I think that's what makes Mrs. Bush's cookies special.
Laura Bush Cowboy Cookies History
A little history on the recipe. Laura Bush's Cowboy Cookies are from the 2000 Family Circle First Lady vs. First Lady cookie contest in which Laura Bush’s Texas Governor’s Mansion Cowboy Cookies went up against Tipper Gore’s Ginger Snaps. Laura Bush's cookies beat the Ginger Snaps, but that's probably because the Bush cookie have chocolate and it's not really fair to put up anything chocolate against ginger anyway, right?
Also, the Cowboy Cookies are very large. Large cookie vs. Gingersnap? Tipper would have been on a more level playing field if she'd entered Colossal Ginger Cookies. Seriously, they are the best ginger cookies but I'm biased. Back to Cowboy Cookies. Here's the dough before I baked it into a giant cookie.
You can stick with the 6 large cookies or make 12 smaller ones. That’s right, only 6 or 12 cookies. This is a small batch recipe -- ⅓ of the original to be exact. You can make a batch of Laura's AND a batch of the Colossal Ginger Cookies mentioned above. Maybe throw in a batch of Monsters.
Recipe
Laura Bush’s Cowboy Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 125 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ scant teaspoon salt ¼ if using salted butter
- ½ cup unsalted butter 114 grams
- ½ cup granulated sugar 100 grams
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar 100 grams
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- ⅔ cups flaked coconut sweetened or unsweetened
- ⅔ cups chopped pecans lightly toasted if you have time
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy. Add both sugar and continue beating for 2 minutes, scraping the side of the bowl. Add the egg and beat just until mixed, then beat in the vanilla.
- With a heavy duty scraper, stir in the flour mixture until fully blended, the then stir in the chocolate chips, oats, coconut and nuts.
- Divide the dough into 12 portions. Shape into balls and press them down slightly to make disks. Bake immediately or chill and bake a few dough portions at a time. Bake time should be about 15 minutes for smaller cookies (12) or 18 minutes if you make the cookies large size.
Sue
These are really good cookies. I was skeptical about that quantity of cinnamon but it turns out it’s just right. I made a half batch of the original recipe. On day one they bake into great cookies. On day two they’re even better, The rest of the dough Is frozen into balls ready for baking another day. I’m really glad you made them and posted about them on Cookie Madness.
Anna
C, I got the idea to make them from Sue :). I do hope you try the Colossal Ginger. The secret, unfortunately, is the shortening. It's what makes them good.
C L
Thank you for posting this recipe for Laura Bush's Cowboy Cookies, Anna. 🙂 You have reminded me it's been too long since i have baked these. This cookie is a favorite among the family and friends here. The cinnamon really does make these special. Although now that you mention the Colossal Ginger Cookies and the Monsters...it looks like i will be doing a bunch of baking soon. 🙂