Chewy Cowboy Cookies

Have you ever had a cookie so good that after one bite you were already planning when to make the next batch? For me, that was these cowboy cookies.

I’ve been making these for years, but I can’t take credit for them.

This recipe comes from the former First Lady Laura Bush, and won a presidential bake-off (during a presidential election year, and held by Family Circle magazine).

After trying them, I could see why!! Her recipe made 2 dozen cookies, which is pretty standard, but the amount of dough was just overwhelming.

I have a really large stand mixer and it was almost too much for it! So I’ve pared down the recipe and adapted it slightly, so it should fit in a standard stand mixer, without sacrificing any of that amazing flavor.

How to make cowboy cookies?

This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.

1. Combine dry ingredients. Whisking them together lets them incorporate better into the dough, as well as removing any lumps.
2. Beat butter. This is called creaming the butter.
3. Beat in sugars.
4. Beat in other wet ingredients. This would be the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla.
5. Mix in dry ingredients. This is done in 3 stages, mixing well in between each stage.
6. Stir in add-ins. Some mixers can handle this (it’s a really thick dough), or you may need to stir them in by hand.

1. Scoop. These are jumbo sized cookies, so you’ll be using 1/4 cup of dough for each cookie.
2. Bake. Until edges are golden brown, then let them sit on the baking sheet for a few minutes.
3. Cool. Cool on a wire rack a little, but we love them warm!

Variations of this recipe

• Nuts – if you’re not a fan of pecans, but like walnuts, give those a try in these cookies. Use the same amount. You can also toast the nuts in a 350°F oven for about 5-7 minutes. This brings out their flavor and crunch.
• Chocolate – this recipe calls for semi-sweet chocolate chips, to account for the fact that these cookies are definitely sweet and rich. But if you’d like to switch it up, try dark chocolate or milk chocolate chips instead.
• Coconut – like the nuts, you can toast the coconut to really bring out it’s flavor and add a warmth and nuttiness to it. Spread out the coconut on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 5-7 minutes, or until lightly golden. Let it cool before using.
• Salt – to finish these cookies off with a bit of decadence, when the cookies are fresh out of the oven, try sprinkling them with a bit of flaky sea salt. Maldon is my favorite brand. The salt brings out all the flavors of the cookie!
• Chilled – as written, the dough doesn’t need to be chilled. But if you’d like even taller and softer cookies, try chilling the scoops of dough for an hour or two (or even overnight) before baking. They may need to bake a minute or two longer since they’ll be cold.

Making cowboy cookies ahead of time

This cookie recipe can also be made ahead of time! I don’t recommend baking them ahead of time, but the dough can be made, covered and refrigerated for a day or so.

You can also, mix up the dough ahead of time and freeze it into individual scoops.

That way when the baking mood strikes, all you have to do it pull out the pre-made dough and bake!

Bake as directed, adding an additional minute or two to the cook time.

Freezing

You can also freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months.

Storage

Leftover cookies should be kept in an airtight container at room temperature and enjoyed within 5 days.