Texas Governor’s Mansion Cowboy Cookies
During the 1992 Presidential election, a reporter asked Hillary Clinton if it was ethical for her Arkansas law firm to get government business while her husband was the governor of the state. She responded by saying, “I suppose I could have stayed home and baked cookies and had teas.” Her comment didn’t go over too well, but Family Circle magazine decided to capitalize on it by holding a cookie baking contest between the wives of the two candidates, and that contest has now become a tradition during each presidential election. That first year Hillary and Barbara Bush both made chocolate chip cookies, and Hillary won with 55% of the votes. In 1996, Hillary used the same cookie recipe to beat out Elizabeth Dole, who made pecan roll cookies. Four years later, Laura Bush was up against Tipper Gore and her ginger snaps. Mrs. Bush won the contest with her Texas Governor’s Mansion Cowboy Cookies, and in January 2005, during the second presidential inauguration of her husband, George W. Bush, 250 dozen of these cookies were served at one of the inaugural balls. I’m sure you’ll agree they’re delicious. To make them, you’ll need chocolate chips, oatmeal, coconut, pecans, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Start by mixing the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl.
In a mixer bowl, beat the butter on medium speed for 1 minute until smooth and creamy.
Gradually beat in the sugars to combine for 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each. Beat in the vanilla.
Preheat the oven to 350. Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir in the flour mixture until just combined.
Add the chocolate chips, oats, coconut, and pecans.
Using an ice cream scoop, level off the dough and place onto baking sheets lined with paper, spacing 3 inches apart. I just use the same kind of paper that I put in my printer. It keeps the cookies from getting too brown on the bottom.
Bake 13-15 minutes or until slightly underdone. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 2-3 minutes before removing to paper towels.
Recipe By: Laura Bush/Slightly Adapted by Winner Dinners
Makes about 45 cookies
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1-1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 cups quick rolled oats
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
2 cups chopped pecans
Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. In a mixer bowl, beat the butter on medium speed for 1 minute until smooth and creamy. Gradually beat in the sugars to combine for 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each. Beat in the vanilla. Preheat the oven to 350. Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Add the chocolate chips, oats, coconut, and pecans.
Using an ice cream scoop, level off the dough and place onto baking sheets lined with paper, spacing 3 inches apart. I just use the same kind of paper that I put in my printer. It keeps the cookies from getting too brown on the bottom. Bake 13-15 minutes or until slightly underdone. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 2-3 minutes before removing to paper towels.
Those look amazing!!!
Yes…. All my favorite things in a cookie.. My boy will love them.
What kind of ice cream scooper do you use? I have ruined so many scoopers trying to dip thick cookie dough. Thanks! Can’t wait to try these.
I have two ice cream scoops that I use, and I have never had any problems with either one—even with cookie dough. The first one is by Good Cook and here is a link to see it at amazon.com: Good Cook Ice Cream Scoop. The second one is by Giada De Laurentiis. I noticed the reviews on Giada’s weren’t all good (averaging 3 stars out of 5), but like I said, I have never had any problems with it. Here is the link to see hers at Target: Giada’s Ice Cream Scoop. (Update: The link to Giada’s Ice Cream Scoop has been removed because it is no longer sold at Target.)
I made these for our first “BurCreMil Cookie Exchange Party”! They were a big hit! Won best all-round cookie!
I used parchment paper & went exactly by your recipe. They tended to stick to printer paper, but not too bad at all & no one noticed!
Thank you for the recipe!
Y’all have a Merry Christmas!
Thanks for your comment, Linda. I’m not positive, but I think the original recipe may have called for using parchment paper and I changed it because I thought the printer paper did a better job of keeping the bottoms of the cookies from over-cooking and turning too brown.