First Lady Laura Bush's classic kitchen sink cowboy cookies won her cookie fame for a reason. They're made with oatmeal, pecans, coconut, and chocolate chips for an over-the-top cookie you can't resist.

Photography Credit: Elise Bauer

Back in the election year of 2000, Family Circle magazine had a cookie bake-off between Tipper Gore and Laura Bush.

While I’m sure Tipper’s gingersnaps were admirable, Laura’s big Texas cowboy cookies ran away with the prize. And for a good reason, these cookies are good!

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What are Cowboy Cookies?

Packed with oatmeal, pecans, coconut, and chocolate chips, these cookies aren’t shy. They’re big, hearty, now-that’s-a-cookie kind of cookie.

Mrs. Bush’s original recipe is huge, it can easily make 6 dozen cookies. So I’ve made some slight adjustments to cut the recipe in half, which still makes plenty. Feel free to double it back to the original proportions.

Ways to Adapt This Recipe

The bigger the cookie, the more chewy it can be. So if you like chewy cookies, make them big. If you want chewy cookies, cook them just until the edges are browned. If you cook the cookie until it is all nicely browned, it will be more crisp.

If you’d like, you could swap in a different kind of chocolate chip or nut in this recipe. You could also try decreasing the amount of either of these ingredients and adding some dried fruit, like raisins or dried cranberries.

If you’re not a fan of coconut, you could tinker with leaving it out. You could easily add another half cup of oats.

Storing and Freezing Cowboy Cookies

The baked cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for about 5 days, after which they tend to start to dry out. You can also wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, then in foil, place them in an airtight freezer container or bag, and freeze for up to a month.

The unbaked cookie dough can also be scooped out onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and frozen. Once the cookie dough balls are frozen, collect them into a freezer container or bag and freeze for up to a month. Bake as many as you like at a time as directed, increasing the baking time by a minute or two.

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