I thought Laura Bush’s famous cowboy cookies were the perfect recipe to share today on the first day of school for us here in Chattanooga, Tennessee. They really are fantastic. Basically, for Laura Bush’s Famous Cowboy Cookes you take traditional chocolate chip cookie dough and stuff it with oats, coconut, pecans and a sprinkling of cinnamon. Resulting in these oh-so-chewy, flavorful and delicious cookies! Trust me –they will take your cookie game up a level! I know my boys will be thrilled to come home to this treat today! Have the kids gone back to school where you live or are you still enjoying summer break?
We had the best summer welcoming a new family member with the birth of our second little grandson–Cooper Bradley. Born on our 27th wedding anniversary. It was the best gift ever!!
We are all pretty in love with this little guy! I am excited to make him cookies someday. I remember my Grandma always had a cookie jar full of homemade cookies whenever we visited her. It is such a fun memory and a tradition that I plan to continue with my grand babies!
The Story Behind these Cookies
According to Southern Living Magazine:
“Starting in 1992, Family Circle magazine orchestrated a political bake-off during every presidential election year. It was already commonplace for presidential candidates to release family recipes during their campaign—it helps to humanize the candidates and let voters get to know them more. But Family Circle decided to up the ante by publishing cookie recipes from the wives of each candidate and asking readers to try baking both and then vote on their favorite. The bake-off results have interestingly almost always predicted the winner of the presidential election, save a couple outliers.
n the first First Lady bake-off in 1992, Hillary Clinton’s chocolate chip cookies beat out Barbara Bush’s still-delicious chocolate chip recipe. In 1996, Hillary’s chocolate chip recipe won over Elizabeth Dole’s Pecan Roll cookies.
In 2000, Laura Bush debuted her Texas Governor’s House Cowboy Cookies, and as expected, they beat out Tipper Gore’s ginger snap recipe. Laura switched up her recipe during her husband’s second presidential campaign in 2004 to a similar oatmeal chocolate chunk recipe, but it’s her first Cowboy Cookie that has become so famous.
As with most things in Texas, Bush’s Cowboy Cookies are enormous and wholly stuffed with so many mix-ins: oats, coconut, pecans, and of course, chocolate chips. They’re sure to win over any crowd.”
These cookies freeze beautifully so you can always have some on hand when needed! I think you will find lots of opportunities to serve these wonderful cookies. EVERYONE loves them!
Recipe note: We usually leave out the pecans, and they are still amazing! Also this recipe makes a lot! I use a standard cookie scoop and fill it to heaping (over filled a bit) and I get 76 cookies out of the recipe. See the size below.
Other Favorite Cookie Recipes:
Classic Chocolate Chip (the BEST)
Chewy Peanut Butter Monster cookies (Gluten Free)
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Laura Bush’s Famous Cowboy Cookies
- Yield: 76 cookies
Description
This takes the traditional chocolate chip cookie to a whole new level! The dough is stuffed with oats, chocolate, pecans and coconut–yum!!!!
Ingredients
Instructions
Heat oven to 350 degree F.
Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in bowl. Beat butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
Add sugars, and combine until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each. Beat in vanilla.
Stir in flour mixture until just combined.
Add chocolate chips, oats, coconut, and pecans.
Bake in 350 degree F oven 13 to 17 minutes, until edges are lightly browned.;Remove cookies to rack to cool. Enjoy!
Recipe Source: Bushcenter.org
Delicious, my family enjoyed them. Thank you!
These are delicious!! I made a few minor changes. I used mini chocolate chips and only used 2 cups. It was plenty! Before I added the pecans, I split the dough in half and added 1 cup pecans to one half, and to the other half I added 1 cup rice krispy’s. (Grandchild with nut allergy) So now I have Cowboy Cookies AND Ranger Cookies! I made them smaller 2T and shortened the bake time. About 10-11 minutes. Don’t over bake!! They brown fast!! The ones with the nuts came out a little darker in color. I wonder why??
I’ve made the recipe several times, they’ve always been Amazing!! I do have a question, the last two times the dough has been a dark brown. Does anyone have any ideas why that would happen? They still taste great, just don’t look like the pictures.
Always delicious. Our favorite cookie
I have never made those changes but I bet the cookies would still be good. I have decreased the sugar by 1/4-1/2 in other recipes with good results but it is trial and error. Please let me know–leave a comment if you do try to make those changes. I’m interested!
Can I decrease the amount of sugar and can I use whole wheat flour instead -Pam
I don’t have that on my site but I think if you input it on the Lose It app–it will tell you
How about some nutrition information 🤔. Carbs and calories. Need them for my diabetic husband.
Hi Kim,
You can absolutely leave out the pecans. I usually do becuase my husband is not a fan of nuts. They are fabulous either way!!
Hi. These sound divine. Wondering if I can make and omit the pecans?
Thank You
My daughter and I decided to try this recipe tonight. Instead of the oats, we used 3 packages of cinnamon and brown sugar oatmeal. We used an ice cream scoop (cause cowboy cookies) and we got 23 cookies.
They’re insanely delicious, and we will definitely be using this recipe again and again.
Hi susie,
I always use salted butter. And yes I think you could make the dough ahead of time. Chilling cookie dough is always a great idea before baking. I like to freeze this dough in cookie balls and bake from frozen. You just increase the bake time and they turn out great!!
Hi, gonna make these for our family vacation. Do you use salted or unsalted butter and can i make the dough ahead of time and keep it in the fridge?
I love that!!! What a great memory! These cookies really are the best!
The first time I ate these cookies was at Auburn University in the cafeteria that my brother worked at. They were so delicious! After that first time if the ladies knew I was coming in, they always made sure that I had at least a dozen to take with me. I’m definitely going to make these.
yes that is right! It makes a lot!!!
Is tablespoon of baking powder and baking soda correct. It seems like a lot?
I made these cookies awhile back and everyone loved them. One friend said they were the best cookies she ever had so I’m making them for her today as a gift for her retirement. I remember they made way more than a normal recipe because I wrote a note to myself to 1/2 the recipe and make cookies smaller (I should have written how many they made!). I think I’ll leave it as is because I need a lot. Love this recipe!!!!
Oh my, what a delicious cookie!! I did omit the pecans and added raisins instead. My husband is a chocolate chip cookie connoisseur and said this is the best cookie ever!!
Thanks for sharing!!
March 4th I made a double batch of the Laura Bush cowboy cookies following your recipe exactly. I I had planned to chill the dough before shaping and baking, but realized I would only get six cookies per cookie sheet, which meant I would not have enough time to cook the cookies all together on Monday night. I have divided the dough into 4 ounce balls, slightly packed. With all the goodies in the dough, I didn’t want the dough separating. This yielded me 50 cookies, approximately 5 1/2 inches in diameter, I bake the cookies at 385° for 10 to 11 minutes. I removed the cookie sheet from the oven and set it on top of a cookie rack and let the cookie set for approximately five minutes then I transferred the cookies to parchment paper on another cookie cooling rack. If any cookie was slightly irregular and not many were I used a wooden spoon with a curved edge to tuck any protrusions back in so the cookies were as perfectly round as I could possibly make them.
The cookies were a medium brown And somewhat pliable. and most importantly, they were delicious.
ok I made these cookies today and I got 76 cookies using a standard cookie scoop that I generously filled (as in heaped).
oh wow! that sounds like a great treat to serve. I am really not sure exactly how many you will get at that size. Maybe do a test run. Next time I make them I will use a scoop that size, count how many I get and update the recipe. Good luck!! thanks so much for being such a loyal follower of my little blog! xoxoxo
yes you definitely could! I think they would still be great!!
Can you omit the coconut?
I am in charge of an event in March and our entertainment will be Frontier Marshalls from Payson, Utah. I want to serve these cookies as part of the refreshments afterwards. For 55-60 adults, using a generous 21/2” scoop, how many cookies does this recipe make?
P.S. One of my daughters and I have been following you for years. Thank you
HI Martha! I am so happy you love these cookies as much as we do! xoxo
Best new cookie recipe I’ve tried in forever. Can’t believe I didn’t try them during the gubernatorial years since I was living in Texas in those years.
yes you can! I think that butter makes a better tasting cookie but margarine will definitely work!
Could I use margarine instead of butter
I am so happy to hear that!! Thanks for letting me know Trudy! xo
Made these cookies and they are with out a doubt the best I’ve ever made and I use sugar free ‘sugars’ ( Diabetic boy friend) and they are Great!!!!!!!!!!
These are delicious. I have been making them for years.