Laura Bush's Texas Governor's Mansion Cowboy Cookies

I had an opportunity to bake 2 dozen cookies (ya, only 2 dozen, which most batches are a lot bigger!) For our District's DCE (Director of Christian Education) meeting.

And wondered what kind of cookies I should bake ... hmmm ... I decided to make one of my family's favorite cookies that they request HIGHLY! I've made these through the years for my daughter Dana's Volleyball team, birthdays, and just when my family needs that extra comfort and love when going through stressful times. Amazing how food is such a comfort to us, especially MY FAMILY !

This cookie recipe was given to me by friend Robin. When George W.Bush running in his first term. I know we all have political differences but when it comes to this recipe, IT'S A WINNER BY ALL who have tasted these delicious treats! It was in Family Circle magazine with their Presidential wives cookie contest. You'll notice, it does have a lot of ingredients, and makes a HUGE BATCH TOO! But SO WORTH IT !

My family isn't a big coconut fan, I LOVE COCONUT! But in this cookie recipe for some reason, they LOVE IT! Must be the combination & amount of sugars, chocolate chips (a lot of them but oh so chocolaty ! which is a big plus in our family!) So if you don't like coconut, please DO GIVE THIS RECIPE A TRY !

I chop up the pecans in my trusty Cuisinart food immersion blender/chopper attachment, which saves on my hands and a time saver. I tend to chop finely,for my daughter Laura when she was younger didn't like nuts. But loved these cookies ! Now she likes nuts and was surprised to find out I snuck them in these.

Makes: about 3 dozen cookies Prep: 25 minutes Bake: at 350 degree F for 17 to 20 minutes

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, at 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 (8 ounces)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degree F.

2. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in bowl.

3. In 8-quart bowl, beat butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, 1 minute. Gradually beat in sugars to combine, 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each. Beat in vanilla.

4. Stir in flour mixture until just combined. Add chocolate chips, oats, coconut and pecans.

5. For each cookie, drop 1/4 cup dough onto ungreased baking sheets, spacing 3 inches apart.

6. Bake in 350 degree F oven 17 to 20 minutes, until edges are lightly browned; rotate sheets halfway through. Remove cookies to rack to cool.

Note: For 6 dozen small cookies, use 2 tablespoons dough for each. Bake at 350 degree F for 15 to 18 minutes.

The Set Up of IngredientsAdd Dry Ingredients: Flour,baking powder,baking soda,cinnamon, and salt.

Beat Butter on medium speed until smooth & cream,1 minute

Gradually beat in sugar: beat to combine, 2 minutes.

Add Brown sugar, notice the different colors!

Had to improvise a little, because I ran out of Light Brown Sugar!

Kind of neat though ... don't you think?

Mix till all is blended throughly

Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each. Beat in vanilla. Gradually stir in flour mixture until just combined.

Remember! This is a lot of batter!

Gets very thick,so use spatula to

press batter down, a couple of times.

Add the yummy chocolate chips, this is

Add in Oats.

Add in the special Coconut.

Remember! Just try it the 1st time you make these!

You won't be sorry!

Ooops! Almost forgot the PECANS!

Remember it was National Pecan Day!

Now set up while Baking time!

It's Batter up time! I love to use the ice cream scoop!

But this time, I'm using a medium sized one. So I can share

but I must admit the large scoop sure makes REALLY GOOD COOKIES !

For each cookie, they say drop 1/4 cup dough on

greased baking sheets, spacing 3 inches apart. But

as you can tell ... I improvised.

This is a little too gooey for me, back in it goes to the oven!

Waiting between batches...SMELLS SO GOOD!2nd Cooking Rack Up!Moving along here!

Aw ... last batch in the oven

Hmmm ... my treat !Thankful to Our God for giving us all we have!