Cowboy Cookies

Updated February 2, 2025

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Total Time
35 minutes
Rating
5(628)
Comments
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This recipe came to The Times in 2000 during the Bush-Gore presidential campaign when Family Circle magazine ran cookie recipes from each of the candidates' wives and asked readers to vote. Laura Bush's cowboy cookies, a classic chocolate chip cookie that's been beefed up with oats, pecans, coconut and cinnamon, beat Tipper Gore's ginger snaps by a mile. Here is an adaptation of that winning recipe. Marian Burros

Featured in: It's Ginger vs. Chocolate in the Presidential Cookie Race

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Ingredients

Yield:3 to 3½ dozen cookies
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 tablespoon baking powder

  • 1 tablespoon baking soda

  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 ½ cups (3 sticks) butter, at room temperature

  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar

  • 1 ½ cups packed light-brown sugar

  • 3 eggs

  • 1 tablespoon vanilla

  • 3 cups semisweet chocolate chips

  • 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

  • 2 cups unsweetened flake coconut

  • 2 cups chopped pecans (8 ounces)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving

38 grams carbs; 31 milligrams cholesterol; 307 calories; 6 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 17 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 159 milligrams sodium; 4 grams protein; 24 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 350 degrees.

  2. Step 2

    Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in bowl.

  3. Step 3

    In a very large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth and creamy. Gradually beat in sugars, and combine thoroughly.

  4. Step 4

    Add eggs one at a time, beating after each. Beat in vanilla.

  5. Step 5

    Stir in flour mixture until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips, oats, coconut and pecans.

  6. Step 6

    For each cookie, drop ¼ cup dough onto ungreased baking sheets, spacing 3 inches apart.

  7. Step 7

    Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, until edges are lightly browned; rotate sheets halfway through. Remove cookies from rack to cool.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
628 user ratings
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Comments

Delicious! But made a TON (I got 58 cookies). I literally didn't have a mixing bowl big enough, had to use the lid to my cake carrier. To scale by 1/3: 1 c flour 1 t baking powder 1 t baking soda 1 t cinnamon 1/4 t salt (heaping) 1 stick butter 1/2 c sugar 1/2 c brown sugar 1 egg 1 t vanilla 1 c choc chips 1 c oats 2/3 c coconut 2/3 c pecans

I think every butter cookie recipe should come with a link to this article: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/17/dining/17bake.html?_r=0 I printed it out and stuck it in my recipe binder when I first ran across it, and I reread it for tips almost every time I try a new butter dough recipe. I also think the suggestion to reduce the butter would help keep the cookies from flattening, and will try that.

Chill the dough for 24 hours, and your cookies will be crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Made the recipe as posted, with 1/2 cup less sugar and no coconut. Took them on a camping trip and they were greatly enjoyed.

Made a half recipe (just one egg). A hugely heaping tblsp of dough about 2" apart, flattened slightly. Baked 13 minutes. Made 3 dozen crunchy, chewy cookies.

Turned out so delicious! It’s hard to put faith into a random cookie recipe. My friend recommended this recipe and I am so pleasantly surprised! I made the entire batch and split them up for three different friends and coworkers. Definitely worth the try!

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Credits

Adapted from Laura Bush

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