Cowboy Cookies

I am typing this from home.  I haven't gone home for Thanksgiving for seven years.  I have only been here for a couple of days, but it has been really enjoyable.  

I usually just come home for Christmas, but this year I am doing both.  It has been wonderful to see family and see how much my nieces and nephews have changed in less than a year.

I made these cookies a couple of weeks ago for a friend's party.  She has a annual soup potluck.  People bring different soups, bread, or desserts.  I think I tried four different types of soup.

Someone made homemade sourdough bread, which was delicious.  I ate several large chunks.

I have such a sweet tooth that I often bring desserts to pot lucks and work.  It is a unhealthy habit that I should probably work on breaking.  I should, but I doubt I'll actually try.

During the 2000 presidential election, Family Circle published two cookie recipes from the presidential candidates' wives.  Tipper Gore's recipe was for Ginger Snaps, and Laura Bush's recipe was for Cowboy Cookies.

Readers voted for which recipe was their favorite, and Laura Bush's recipe won handily.  

This cowboy cookie recipe came from Saveur.  There were other version online, but most of them made many cookies.  This version only made 24.

The ingredients are 3/4 cup flour, 3/4 teaspoon baking powder, 3/4 teaspoon baking soda, 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 6 tablespoons butter, 6 tablespoon sugar, 6 tablespoon baked brown sugar, 1 egg, 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, 3/4 cup rolled oats, 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips, 1/2 cup chopped pecans, and 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut.

I beat the butter until it was smooth.

I beat in the sugars until the mixture was light and fluffy.

I added the egg and vanilla and mixed them in until the batter was smooth.

I added the baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and flour.   I stirred until well incorporated.  

I stirred in the oats, chocolate chips, pecans, and coconut.

I made one and a half tablespoon mounds of dough on greased baking sheets.  The mounds of dough were about two inches apart.

I baked the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes at 350 degrees.  I let them cool slightly on the pan before letting them cool on a wire rack.

These were delicious cookies.

 They were packed full of yummy, sweet, chewy, and crunchy bits.

 They were golden and chewy.  Their texture was varied and delightful.

They were sweet and hearty.

They are similar to an oatmeal chocolate chip cookies but even more delicious.

I couldn't help myself from eating several.