The Best Homemade Cowboy Cookies Recipe
The best homemade cowboy cookies recipe brings together everything you love about a cookie in one big, chewy bite. Packed with oats, coconut, pecans, and chocolate chips, these cookies are hearty, rich, and perfect for sharing—or not.
What Is in the Cowboy Cookie?
A classic cowboy cookie includes ingredients that add texture and depth:
- Old-fashioned oats for chew
- Sweetened flaked coconut for a touch of sweetness
- Roughly chopped pecans for crunch
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips for richness
- Browned butter and a mix of brown and white sugar to bring everything together
The dough is typically built on a base similar to a chocolate chip cookie, but the mix-ins make it something special.
Why Is It Called a Cowboy Cookie?
No one knows for sure, but the most common theory is that cowboy cookies earned their name from their rugged, filling nature. With a mix of hearty ingredients, they’re the kind of cookie you could imagine packing for a long day of work—or a long day of snacking.
Why Did Laura Bush Make Cowboy Cookies?
During the 2000 presidential campaign, Family Circle magazine hosted a First Lady cookie contest. Laura Bush submitted her cowboy cookie recipe, which beat out Tipper Gore’s ginger snaps. The contest—and the win—brought national attention to cowboy cookies and made them a household name.
Storage Instructions
- Room Temperature: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days. They’ll stay soft and chewy.
- Refrigeration: Not necessary, but they’ll keep a few extra days chilled. Let them come to room temp before serving.
- Freezing: Freeze baked cookies in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. You can also freeze dough balls and bake them directly from frozen—just add 1–2 minutes to the baking time.
Cowboy cookies are the kind of treat that feels familiar but still stands out. Whether you’re baking for a holiday, a picnic, or just because, this recipe will quickly become a favorite.
- 1/2 cup unsalted browned butter
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1/2 large egg yolk
- 1 and 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/6 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 7/8 cup old-fashioned oats
- 3/8 cup sweetened flaked coconut
- 1/4 cup pecans roughly chopped
- 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the browned butter and both sugars for about 2 minutes, until well blended. It’s okay if the mixture looks slightly separated.
- Add the eggs and egg yolk, whisking for about 45 seconds until smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- In another large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, oats, coconut, pecans, and chocolate chips.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold them together just until everything is combined.
- Scoop the dough into 2-inch balls and place them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between each one to allow for spreading.
- Bake one sheet at a time for 12 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the centers still look slightly soft.
- If you’d like, press a few extra chocolate chips and pecans on top of each cookie right after they come out of the oven. Sprinkle with sea salt for a finishing touch, if desired.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.
