Texas Governor's Mansion Cowboy Cookies

I can't remember the first time I had these cookies. Either my mom made them during one of my visits or she brought them to some family function. But they left enough of an impression on me that I knew I would one day want to make them myself. They're big, just like everything in Texas. They're chock full of all your favorite cookie ingredients have in them. And they're so good, even liberals will like them.

If you do decide to rustle up a batch, take my mom's advice: Make sure you use a big bowl –you'll end up using your hands to mix the oats, etc., in.

Take mine first: wash those hands!

Texas Governor's Mansion Cowboy Cookies

3 cups all purpose flour
1T baking powder
1T baking soda
1 T ground cinnamon
1 t salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
3 eggs
1 T vanilla
3 cups semi-sweet choc. chips
3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
2 cups sweetened flake coconut
2 cups chopped pecans (8 oz.)

Heat oven to 350˚. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in bowl. In 8 quart bowl, beat butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, 1 minute. Gradually beat in sugars; beat to combine, 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each. Beat in vanilla. Stir in flour mixture until just combined. Add chocolate chips, oats, coconut and pecans.


For each cookie, drop 1/4 cup (yes, you read that right) dough onto ungreased baking sheets spacing 3" apart. Bake in 350˚ oven 17-20 minutes until edges are lightly browned; rotate sheets halfway through. Remove cookies to rack to cool.

Yields about 42 cookies.

Note: for 6 dozen smaller cookies, use 2T dough for each. Bake at 350˚ for 15-18minutes.