Laura Bush’s Cowboy Cookies

Imagine biting into a cookie that perfectly balances chewy centers with crispy edges, packed with chocolate chips, hearty oats, crunchy pecans, and coconut flakes. That’s exactly what you’ll experience with Laura Bush’s Cowboy Cookies. These legendary Texas-sized treats gained nationwide fame when Laura Bush submitted them for a presidential cookie bake-off during her husband’s campaign. These aren’t just any cookies – they’re generous, wholesome, and packed with textures and flavors that capture the spirit of the Lone Star state. You’ll learn how to make these award-winning cookies that combine simplicity with spectacular flavor in your own kitchen.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Laura Bush’s Cowboy Cookies are beloved for good reason. First, they strike the perfect balance between chewy and crispy textures – the edges develop a beautiful golden crunch while the centers remain delightfully soft. The combination of oats, coconut, chocolate chips, and pecans creates a symphony of textures and flavors in every bite.

These Texas-inspired cookies are incredibly versatile. They’re sturdy enough for picnics and lunchboxes but special enough for holiday cookie exchanges. They’re equally at home at casual gatherings or wrapped as heartfelt gifts.

What’s more, despite their complex flavor profile, they’re surprisingly straightforward to make. The recipe is forgiving for beginners yet satisfying for experienced bakers. The dough can be prepared ahead of time, and the cookies maintain their quality for days, making them perfect for busy households or advance preparation for special events.

Ingredients

For Laura Bush’s Cowboy Cookies, you’ll need:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour (375g) – use unbleached for best flavor
• 1 tablespoon baking powder (15g)
• 1 tablespoon baking soda (15g)
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (15g) – Ceylon cinnamon offers a more delicate flavor
• 1 teaspoon salt (5g)
• 1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (340g)
• 1½ cups granulated sugar (300g)
• 1½ cups packed light brown sugar (300g) – fresh brown sugar ensures soft cookies
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (15ml)
• 3 cups semisweet chocolate chips (510g)
• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (240g) – not quick oats
• 2 cups sweetened flaked coconut (160g)
• 2 cups chopped pecans (220g) – lightly toasted for enhanced flavor

Pro Tips

Ingredient Temperature Matters: For the perfect Laura Bush’s Cowboy Cookies, start with room temperature butter and eggs. Cold butter won’t cream properly with sugar, leading to dense cookies, while room temperature ingredients blend seamlessly for that ideal texture. Plan ahead by removing butter and eggs from the refrigerator at least one hour before baking.

Don’t Overmix After Adding Flour: Once you add the dry ingredients to your butter-sugar mixture, mix just until combined. Overmixing develops gluten, resulting in tough cookies rather than the tender treat these cowboy cookies are known for. Use a gentle hand or your mixer’s lowest setting, and consider folding in the chocolate chips, oats, coconut, and nuts by hand for the best texture.

Perfect Your Portioning: These famous presidential cookies are meant to be substantial. Use a ¼-cup measuring cup or large cookie scoop for consistent sizing. Remember to leave ample space between each portion (about 3 inches) as these cookies spread considerably during baking. For picture-perfect cookies, roll each portion into a ball, then slightly flatten the top before baking.

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare Your Ingredients and Equipment

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and position racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Measure all ingredients ahead of time, and ensure your butter and eggs have reached room temperature for optimal results.

Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until well combined. This ensures the leavening agents and spices are evenly distributed throughout your Laura Bush’s Cowboy Cookies, giving them consistent texture and flavor in every bite.

Step 3: Cream Butter and Sugars

In a large bowl using an electric mixer (or in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment), beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add both the granulated and brown sugars and beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes. This crucial step incorporates air into the mixture, contributing to the perfect cookie texture.

Step 4: Add Eggs and Vanilla

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. The mixture might look slightly curdled – that’s normal! Mix in the vanilla extract until just combined. Your mixture should now be smooth and glossy.

Step 5: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients

Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture on low speed, mixing just until the flour disappears. Overmixing at this stage can make your Laura Bush’s Cowboy Cookies tough, so be gentle with your mixer.

Step 6: Fold in the Mix-ins

Using a sturdy spatula, fold in the chocolate chips, oats, coconut, and pecans until evenly distributed throughout the dough. This creates the signature flavor combination that made these cookies famous during the presidential cookie competition.

Step 7: Portion and Bake

Using a ¼-cup measure or large cookie scoop, drop rounded portions of dough onto your prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 3 inches apart. Slightly flatten each cookie with your palm. Bake for 14-17 minutes, rotating and swapping the baking sheets halfway through, until the edges are golden but the centers still look slightly underdone.

Step 8: Cool and Enjoy

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. The cookies will continue to set as they cool, giving you that perfect balance of crispy edges and chewy centers that Laura Bush’s Cowboy Cookies are famous for.

Variations

Chocolate Lover’s Cowboy Cookies: Transform Laura Bush’s Cowboy Cookies into a chocolate enthusiast’s dream by using half white chocolate chips and half dark chocolate chunks instead of all semisweet. Add 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder to the dry ingredients for a deeper chocolate base. The contrast between the white chocolate sweetness and the rich cocoa creates an irresistible flavor profile while maintaining the classic cowboy cookie texture.

Gluten-Free Adaptation: Make these Texas favorites accessible to those with gluten sensitivities by substituting the all-purpose flour with a high-quality gluten-free 1:1 baking flour. Ensure your oats are certified gluten-free as well. The generous amount of mix-ins in Laura Bush’s Cowboy Cookies helps mask any textural differences, making this one of the most successful gluten-free cookie conversions.

Tropical Twist: For a vacation-inspired variation, replace the pecans with macadamia nuts and add ½ cup of finely chopped dried pineapple or mango. The tropical fruits complement the coconut beautifully while maintaining the spirit of these hearty cookies.

Storage and Serving

Laura Bush’s Cowboy Cookies maintain their quality remarkably well when stored properly. Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking. For longer storage, these cookies freeze beautifully for up to 3 months – simply thaw at room temperature for an hour before serving.

The dough itself can also be frozen for convenience. Portion it into balls, freeze them on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake directly from frozen, adding 2-3 minutes to the baking time for fresh-baked cookies anytime.

For serving, warm a cookie in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to recreate that just-baked experience with melty chocolate chips. These substantial cookies pair wonderfully with cold milk, hot coffee, or vanilla ice cream. For an elevated dessert, sandwich softened vanilla or butter pecan ice cream between two cookies for a cowboy cookie ice cream sandwich that’s sure to impress.

FAQs

Can I make smaller cookies instead of the large Texas-sized ones?
Yes! You can use a standard 2-tablespoon cookie scoop for smaller Laura Bush’s Cowboy Cookies. Reduce the baking time to 10-12 minutes and watch them carefully as smaller cookies bake faster.

Why did my cookies spread too much?
Excessive spreading typically occurs when the butter is too warm or there’s not enough flour. Chill your dough for 30 minutes before baking, and make sure you’re measuring flour correctly by spooning it into measuring cups rather than scooping directly.

Can I leave out the coconut?
While coconut is signature to Laura Bush’s Cowboy Cookies, you can omit it. Consider increasing the oats by ½ cup to maintain the cookie’s structure and texture.

How do I know when the cookies are done?
The cookies should have golden brown edges while the centers appear slightly underdone. They’ll continue to cook on the hot baking sheet after removal from the oven, resulting in the perfect chewy center.

Can I use natural peanut butter as an addition?
Adding ½ cup of peanut butter to the butter-sugar mixture creates a delicious variation. Ensure it’s well incorporated before adding the dry ingredients for consistent flavor throughout the cookies.

Conclusion

These Laura Bush’s Cowboy Cookies are comfort food at its finest — substantial, wholesome cookies that balance multiple textures and flavors in each magnificent bite. They’re the kind of treat that connects us to traditions and stories, carrying the legacy of White House baking competitions while remaining accessible enough for any home baker to master. Whether you’re baking them for a family gathering, a cookie exchange, or simply to satisfy a sweet craving, these iconic Texan treats deliver satisfaction in every bite. As Laura Bush herself proved, sometimes the simple pleasure of a perfectly executed cookie can bring people together across all divides.

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