We Tried Laura Bush’s Winning Cowboy Cookies

Every election year since 1992, Family Circle magazine runs a Presidential Cookie Bake-Off. The two potential first ladies submit a cookie recipe, and the public votes on their favorite. In 2000, Laura Bush submitted her Texas Governor’s Mansion Cowboy Cookies; turns out, readers preferred them to Tipper Gore’s Ginger Snaps.

Out of all the cookies in the history of the contest, Mrs. Bush’s have circulated the most. When you google “Laura Bush’s Cowboy Cookies,” you’ll see that a ton of bloggers have tried her recipe and have dedicated entire blog posts to this cookie. I joined in on the fun, and this is how it went…

Laura Bush’s Texas Governor’s Mansion Cowboy Cookies

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, room temperature
• 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1-1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 2 cups sweetened flake coconut
• 2 cups chopped pecans

Editor’s Note: At first glance, I could tell this was going to be a hefty cookie. First of all, it calls for 3 sticks of butter. Three! Second of all, there’s a total of 10 cups of mix-ins—chocolate chips, oats, coconut flakes and pecans. Holy smokes! I better go work with a cowboy for a day before eating one of these big guys. Good thing I have a hungry husband who loves my baking.

Directions

Step 1: Prep the ingredients

First things first, I got the butter out of the fridge so it had enough time to soften. This is a very important step, so don’t skip it! Here’s how to soften butter quickly.

While the butter softened, I prepped all of my ingredients. This is called mise en place, and I highly recommend doing it. It’s more work upfront, but then it’s smooth sailing. I mixed the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a bowl. Instead of using measuring cups, I measured by weight. This gives a more accurate measure of the ingredients. Here’s a handy conversion chart that I printed out and stuck on my fridge.

Step 2: Cream the butter and sugar

Once the butter was softened, I beat it for one minute. Then, I added the sugars, and beat for another two minutes. Next, I added the eggs, beating after each one, and then the vanilla.

Step 3: Add the dry ingredients and mix-ins

Once the wet ingredients were mixed, I gradually added the flour mixture. Finally, I mixed in the goodies—chocolate chips, oats, coconut and pecans.

Step 4: Bake

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At this point, the upcoming task was a little daunting. There was a mound of dough in the bowl and each batch bakes for 17-20 minutes at 350ºF. That’s a lot longer than the standard 10-12 minutes! Plus, these are oversized cookies (1/4 cup of dough per cookie), so I could only bake 4 cookies on a pan.

How Did These Cookies Turn Out?

Thank you, Mrs. Bush! I give these cookies a 10/10. I thought 10 cups was a lot of mix-ins, but it turned out to be the perfect amount. The cookies were humongous (because everything’s bigger in Texas, right?), and each bite had a little bit of everything. The crisp edges melted in your mouth, and the coconut and chocolate flavors paired well with the crunch of the pecans.

As one of my co-workers who’s a self-proclaimed cookie critic said, “I have high standards for cookies, and I loved these!” The votes are in: Our staff loved Laura Bush’s Texas Governor’s Mansion Cowboy Cookies!

Turns out the love of food and cooking runs in the Bush family. Check out Barbara Bush’s favorite foods.

Add These Cookies to Your Collection

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Jumbo Brownie Cookies Total Time: 35 minutes Main Ingredients: Chocolate baking chips, chocolate chunks, butter, eggs, all-purpose flour Level: Intermediate Go to Recipe Get your essential cookie-baking supplies ready to make these cookie recipes. Then, make these deeply fudgy cookies for any party or potluck—or just for you. The trick is adding a little espresso powder to the dough to really bring out the chocolate flavor. Take these deeply fudgy cookies to a party, and you're sure to make a friend. A little espresso powder in the dough makes them over-the-top good. —Recipe contributor Rebecca Cababa, Las Vegas, Nevada

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The key to getting a puffy cookie with a rich, soft, chocolatey center is chilling the dough for at least three hours; it prevents the cookies from getting too flat while baking. You really want this to be almost truffle-like inside, and the slightly domed shape helps with that. Here's a snack for serious chocolate lovers. These enticing cookies are crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, somewhat bittersweet and very chocolaty. I usually make them to share at get-togethers. Otherwise, I'd eat them all myself! I'm always asked for the recipe. —Recipe contributor Delaine Fortenberry, McComb, Mississippi

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Scottish ShortbreadTotal Time: 35 minutes Main Ingredients: Butter, brown sugar, flour Level: Intermediate

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A ribbon-winning family recipe, this classic Scottish shortbread is everything you want it to be: buttery, just crispy and wonderfully sweet. Instead of chilling the dough before rolling, you’ll chill it after rolling and cutting so it can go straight to the oven. My mother, who is of Scottish heritage, passed this shortbread recipe, along with other favorite recipes, on to me. When I entered this treat at our local fair, it won a red ribbon. —Recipe contributor Rose Mabee, Selkirk, Manitoba

Amish Sugar Cookies Recipe photo by Taste of Home

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This classic peanut butter cookie is made even better with the addition of chocolate and peanut butter chips. Use a small ice cream scooper to get consistently sized cookies on the baking sheet. "Hey, these are good!" is the surprised remark I hear when I bake these for the family. As simple as it may seem, all I do is follow directions. This works exceptionally well when it comes to making cookies. —Recipe contributor Ian Badeer, Hickman, Nebraska

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Snickerdoodles Recipe photo by Taste of Home

SnickerdoodlesTotal Time: 30 minutes Main Ingredients: Cinnamon, cream of tartar, baking soda, flour, butter Level: Intermediate

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S'more Sandwich Cookies Recipe photo by Taste of Home

S’more Sandwich CookiesTotal Time: 35 minutes Main Ingredients: Marshmallows, semisweet chocolate chips, graham cracker crumbs, 2% milk Level: Intermediate

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Such a genius move: Pop half of these marshmallow-topped sandwich cookies in the microwave for a few seconds, then smoosh with another cookie. The dough has graham cracker crumbs for a real s’mores flavor. Capture the taste of campfire s'mores in your kitchen. Graham cracker crumbs added to chocolate chip cookie dough bring out the flavor of the fireside favorite. Melting the cookies' marshmallow centers in the microwave makes them simple to assemble. —Recipe contributor Abby Metzger, Larchwood, Iowa

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Iced Orange CookiesTotal Time: 35 minutes Main Ingredients: Orange juice, orange zest, shortening, confectioners' sugar Level: Intermediate

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This old-fashioned drop cookie gets topped with a sweet, citrus-scented icing. A little zest and a dab of orange food coloring really brightens things up. I usually make these bite-size orange cookies at Christmastime, when Florida citrus is plentiful, but they're delicious any time of year. Whenever I sniff their wonderful aroma, I remember my grandmother, who shared the recipe. —Recipe contributor Lori DiPietro, New Port Richey, Florida

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Brown butter makes everything better, including the glaze that tops these chunky cookies. Use fresh cranberries instead of dried ones, which are usually sweetened. Fresh gives these a tart, zingy bite that pairs well with white chocolate chips and nuts. I won a baking contest with these chunky glazed cookies, which are so easy even novice bakers can pull off. What makes them special? Fresh cranberries. —Recipe contributor Laurie Cornett, Charlevoix, Michigan

White Chocolate Pistachio and Cranberry BiscottiTotal Time: 1 hour Main Ingredients: White baking chips, dried cranberries, pistachios Level: Intermediate

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While not specifically a holiday treat, crunchy biscotti dappled with white chocolate, pistachios and sweet dried cranberries make a fantastic gift around Christmastime. Make it easier for yourself—bake batches ahead and freeze the cookies until you’re ready to serve or pack up. Over the years, I've adapted my most-requested biscotti recipe to add some of my favorite ingredients: cranberries, white chocolate and pistachios. These biscotti keep and freeze well. —Recipe contributor Susan Nelson, Newbury Park, California

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Lemony Gingerbread Whoopie Pies Recipe photo by Taste of Home

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Never mind the debate over whether whoopie pies are cakes or cookies (they’re really cake-like cookies, so both sides win). These cookies are spiced just right. Roll the dough in sugar before baking for extra crunch. The lemony filling pairs nicely with the ginger. These spiced-just-right whoopie pies combine two popular flavors in one fun treat. The moist cookies are rolled in sugar before baking for a bit of crunch. —Recipe contributor Jamie Jones, Madison, Georgia

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Butter Cookies Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Butter CookiesTotal Time: 35 minutes Main Ingredients: Butter, vanilla extract, confectioners' sugar Level: Advanced

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Fudgy Mint CookiesTotal Time: 25 minutes Main Ingredients: Devil's food cake mix, eggs, chocolate-covered thin mint candies Level: Intermediate

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Swap in gluten-free flour for regular to make this classic cookie recipe, and use crunchy peanut butter for even more peanut flavor. For a change of pace, press a peanut butter cup in the center instead of a kiss. Guests will stand in line to kiss the cook when these treats are served! For a change of pace, try them with chunky peanut butter, too. —Recipe contributor Canada60, Taste of Home Online Community

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Giant Molasses CookiesTotal Time: 45 minutes Main Ingredients: Sugar, molasses, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, pecans Level: Intermediate

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Could a cookie name be any more perfect? These are giant cookies, sweetened with molasses and spice and sugared for a little sparkle. They’re soft, chewy and even ship well, making them a great holiday gift. Here's more on how to make molasses cookies. My family always requests these soft molasses cookies. These chewy cookies are also perfect for shipping as holiday gifts or to troops overseas. —Recipe contributor Kristine Chayes, Smithtown, New York

Coconut CloudsTotal Time: 55 minutes Main Ingredients: Coconut extract, sweetened shredded coconut, sour cream Level: Advanced

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These cakelike drop cookies have coconut inside and out. Brown butter, which serves as the base for the icing, pairs perfectly with shredded toasted coconut. Coconut lovers will have extra reason to celebrate when they taste these cakelike drop cookies. The generous frosting and coconut topping make them a hit at holiday cookie swaps. —Recipe contributor Donna Scofield, Yakima, Washington

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Peanut Butter Sandwich CookiesTotal Time: 30 minutes MainIngredients: Butter-flavored shortening, creamy peanut butter, brown sugar, confectioners' sugar Level: Intermediate

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While the peanut butter filling makes these sandwich cookies sweet and delicious, one commenter suggests filling them with dulce de leche spread. Now we can’t stop thinking of other fillings, like hazelnut spread, chocolate and more. I'm a busy mother of two young children. I work in our school office and help my husband on our hog and cattle farm. When I find time to bake a treat, I like it to be special. The creamy filling gives traditional peanut butter cookies a new twist. —Recipe contributor Debbie Kokes, Tabor, South Dakota

Tender Italian Sugar CookiesTotal Time: 30 minutes Main Ingredients: Shortening, sugar, flour, 2% milk, confectioners' sugar Level: Advanced

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Skirting the line between sugar cookie and shortbread, these little morsels are like a blank canvas for whatever extra flavors or colored icings you desire. Mini semisweet chocolate chips or a dash of almond extract in the dough? Sure! Red and green icing for Christmas? You bet! These traditional Italian cookies are moist and tender. —Recipe contributor Weda Mosellie, Phillipsburg, New Jersey

Chocolate Crinkle CookiesTotal Time: 25 minutes Main Ingredients: Semisweet chocolate chips, egg whites, confectioners' sugar Level: Intermediate

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Crinkles always look impressive, thanks to the powdered sugar the dough gets rolled in before baking. To make these your own, add dried cherries to the cookie dough or peppermint extract and peppermint candy for a holiday twist. When I baked this moist, fudgy chocolate crinkle cookie recipe for the first time, my three preschool children went wild over them! But I like them because they're lower in fat and easy to mix and bake. —Recipe contributor Maria Groff, Ephrata, Pennsylvania