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Small batch cowboy cookies inspired by Laura Bush’s famous recipe, packed with oats, chocolate chips, and pecans. Chewy centers, buttery crisp edges, and ready to bake without chilling the dough.
Featured Comment
“Joanie, these cookies are fire!!! My family, friends and coworkers really enjoy them. They’re my favorite cookies. Thank you for sharing.”
– Carlos
Quick Look
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Total Time: 48 minutes (includes 15 minutes cooling)
- Equipment: Rimmed baking sheet, electric hand mixer
- Cook Method: Oven
- Servings: 18 large cookies (12 to 18 depending on how large you scoop them)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Flavor Profile: Buttery, chocolate-rich, and nutty
These cowboy cookies eat like a loaded oatmeal cookie, with warm cinnamon and a classic touch of coconut rounding things out.
Why You’ll Love These Texas Cowboy Cookies
I found Laura Bush’s cowboy cookie recipe in our local newspaper years ago, back when my family lived in Austin. Around town it went by two names, Cowboy Cookies and Laura Bush’s Texas Governor’s Mansion Cookies, and her version had just won the 2000 Family Circle cookie contest against Tipper Gore’s ginger snaps. The first batch I pulled from the oven told me why.
A cowboy cookie is an oatmeal cookie with everything good folded in. This one carries semisweet chocolate, chopped pecans, and coconut, with cinnamon threaded underneath. And these are big, true to their Texas-sized name, with centers that stay soft and chewy while the edges turn buttery and crisp.
We developed it as a small batch from the start, so you get that big cowboy cookie flavor without dozens of cookies crowding the counter. Everything mixes from scratch easily, and the dough goes straight onto the baking sheet with no chilling.
I’ve baked these for years. They hold up in the mail, so I send them to my kids at college in finals-week care packages, and they disappear fast at any cookie swap. Fresh from the oven, with the chocolate still soft and a cold glass of milk alongside, you’ll taste why this one has kept its spot in my kitchen.
Want more small batch cookies to bake next? Try our oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal cookies, or chocolate chip cookies.
Ingredient Notes
This half batch cowboy cookie recipe comes together with everyday baking staples, and here’s what each one does in the dough. If you have anything left over, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
Butter: Use softened salted butter. Creaming soft butter with the sugars traps air, and that air is what gives the cookies their lift and tender crumb. I use salted butter and skip added salt, since at this batch size it seasons the dough just right.
Brown sugar and granulated sugar: Using both balances the cookie. The molasses in brown sugar brings moisture and a soft, chewy center, while granulated sugar helps the edges bake up crisp. Low on brown sugar? Make a quick batch with our brown sugar recipe.
Egg plus an egg yolk: The whole egg binds the dough and gives it structure, and the extra yolk adds fat that keeps the centers rich and chewy. Save the leftover white for an egg white recipe like mini Texas sheet cake or a small white cake.
Vanilla and cinnamon: Vanilla rounds out the sweetness, and a little cinnamon is the background note that makes a cowboy cookie taste like more than a plain chocolate chip cookie.
All-purpose flour: Flour gives the cookies their structure and holds all those mix-ins together.
Baking powder and baking soda: Using both gives the cookies their lift. The baking soda also helps them brown, while the baking powder adds a little rise so they don’t bake flat.
Chocolate chips: Semisweet is the classic pick. Dark, white, or butterscotch chips all work if you’d rather. Extra chips can be used to make a single chocolate chip muffin or a deep dish chocolate chip cookie.
Old-fashioned oats: Rolled oats give cowboy cookies their hearty chew. They hold their shape in the oven, while quick or instant oats break down and soften that texture. Use extra oats in peanut butter oatmeal or small batch oatmeal bars.
Shredded coconut: Coconut is optional, but it’s part of what makes these taste like the original. I use unsweetened, and sweetened works too if you like them a little sweeter. Not a coconut fan? Leave it out. Leftover coconut is good in a small batch of ambrosia.
Pecans: Chopped pecans add crunch. Toast them first if you like, though I don’t find it necessary. Walnuts are a good swap. Extra pecans? Make a mini pecan pie.
Recipe Variations
These Texas cowboy cookies are easy to make your own, whether you’re working in a different mix-in or scaling the size up or down.
Nut-Free Cowboy Cookies: Leave out the pecans and stir in 1 cup of extra oats or sunflower seeds in their place. The oats keep the cookies hearty and full of texture.
Gluten-Free Cowboy Cookies: Swap the all-purpose flour for the same amount of a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend, one made to replace flour cup for cup.
Add Dried Fruit: Stir in ½ cup of dried cranberries or raisins for a chewy, tart bite against the chocolate. Cut the chocolate chips back by the same amount so the dough isn’t overloaded.
Smaller Cookies: Scoop the dough with a heaping 2 tablespoon scoop instead of the ¼ cup for smaller cookies and a bigger yield. Reduce the baking time and remove them from the oven when the edges are lightly browned.
How To Make Small Batch Cowboy Cookies
This half recipe of Laura Bush’s cowboy cookies mixes up fast, and the dough bakes straight from the scoop with no chilling.
Start by creaming the softened butter with both sugars until the mixture is smooth and light. Beat in the whole egg and the extra yolk, then the vanilla, until everything is combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix on low just until the dough comes together. Stop there, since overmixing makes the cookies tough.
Fold in the chocolate chips, oats, coconut, and pecans until they run evenly through the dough. Scoop ¼ cup portions onto a lined baking sheet, spacing them 3 inches apart to give them room to spread.
Bake at 350°F for 15 to 18 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 2 minutes to set, then move them to a wire rack to cool.
Expert Tips
Soften the butter the easy way. Set the butter on the counter about 30 minutes before you start. It’s ready when it gives to a light press and holds the dent without your finger sinking through. Butter at that stage creams smoothly with the sugars.
Spoon and level your flour. Spoon the flour into the dry measuring cup and level the top with a straight edge rather than scooping straight from the bag. Scooping packs in extra flour, and too much flour is the main reason cowboy cookies bake up dry and crumbly.
Pull them a little early. Take the cookies out when the edges are set and lightly browned but the centers still look slightly underdone. They keep cooking on the hot sheet, so a 5 minute rest firms the centers while keeping them soft and chewy.
Scoop them the same size. A cookie scoop keeps every portion equal, so the whole sheet bakes at the same rate. Mixed sizes leave you with browned small cookies and underdone big ones on the same tray.
Troubleshooting
If your cowboy cookies aren’t turning out quite right, here is how to fix common issues like cookies that spread too flat, dry and crumbly dough, or a tough, dense texture.
Why are my cowboy cookies dry and crumbly?
Dry, crumbly cowboy cookies usually mean too much flour or the wrong oats. Spoon and level the flour instead of scooping, so you don’t pack in extra, and use old-fashioned rolled oats rather than quick or instant, which soak up more moisture.
Why did my cowboy cookies spread too flat?
Cowboy cookies spread too flat when the butter is too soft going into the dough. Softened butter should give to a light press and hold the dent, not look greasy or melted, so if it slid past that point, let your next stick sit for less time before creaming. On a hot day the scooped dough can warm up and soften on the counter, and a quick 15 minutes in the fridge before baking keeps the cookies from going thin.
Why are my cowboy cookies tough or dense?
Tough, dense cowboy cookies come from overmixing the dough once the flour goes in. Mix on low just until the flour disappears, then stop, since extra mixing builds gluten and toughens the crumb. Fold in the oats, chocolate chips, coconut, and pecans by hand to keep the dough tender.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cowboy cookies are loaded oatmeal cookies packed with chocolate chips, pecans, coconut, and a little cinnamon. They bake up heartier and more textured than a plain chocolate chip cookie, with chewy centers and crisp edges.
Store cowboy cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. There’s no need to refrigerate them.
Yes. Freeze baked cowboy cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 months, with parchment between the layers so they don’t stick. You can also freeze the unbaked dough: scoop it into balls, freeze them solid on a sheet, then bag them and bake straight from frozen, adding a couple of minutes.
Yes. Cowboy cookies are sturdy and hold up well in the mail, which makes them a solid pick for care packages and gifts. Cool them completely, then stack them in a tin or airtight container with parchment between the layers.
Yes. Mix the dough, cover it, and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze scooped dough balls for up to 3 months. Let refrigerated dough sit at room temperature for a few minutes before baking.
RELATED: The Best Cookie Recipes For One
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this small batch cowboy cookie recipe or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Small Batch Cowboy Cookies
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons salted butter – softened to room temperature (1 ½ sticks)
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ cups semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1 ½ cups old fashioned oats
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup pecans -chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with an electric mixer on medium until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Beat in the egg and egg yolk until fully combined, then mix in the vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix on low just until the dough comes together, stopping before it looks fully smooth so you don't overmix.
- Fold in the chocolate chips, oats, coconut, and pecans by hand until evenly distributed.
- Scoop ¼ cup of dough per cookie onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them 3 inches apart.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned and the centers still look slightly underdone.
- Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to set, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Joanie, these cookies are fire!!! My family, friends and coworkers really enjoy them. They’re my favorite cookies. Thank you for sharing.
I’m so glad you’re enjoying them, that’s wonderful to hear!
I made these today and they are fabulous!!! I had to use sweetened coconut flakes (out of unsweetened in my store). I considered reducing the sugars a little bit because of that, but decided to use the full amount. They’re not overly sweet – just right! I also used quick oats. Next time I make these (and there will be a next time), I will use two whole eggs instead of 1 and 1 yolk. I was so happy my 30 year-old 4.5 quart KitchenAid mixer could handle everything. I love these cookies. Kudos to Laura Bush!
I’m so glad you loved them! They really are such a special cookie. I love hearing that they turned out just right for you.
I’ve been promising my husband I would make. Finally did and oh my according to him they’re naughty. ❤️
Best he had ever eaten.
I love this so much—“naughty” might be the best compliment a cookie can get! I’m so glad they were a hit, and thank you for sharing his reaction. That absolutely made me smile!
A hit for the Christmas cookie exchange at work.
I won a cookie contest at my chiropractor’s office from among 10 entrants. There were 4 categories for each person to judge: taste, appearance, creativity, and something else. I got a 98% rating.
Congratulations on your win—that’s amazing! I’m so thrilled to hear the recipe was such a hit. Thank you for sharing your success!
I’m excited to make these since it’s gotten such great reviews, however the person I’m making them for requested no nuts. How could I alter the recipe so that the dough is still stable and they don’t come out too thin? Should I add a little more flour? Thank you!
If you want to leave out the nuts, just add a little more shredded coconut and/or chocolate chips.
keep everything the same, just omit nuts. Doesn’t affect forming the cookies.