Cowboy Cookies

Frank spotted a recipe for Cowboy Cookies in a back issue of Saveur, specifically the Texas issue. He requested that I try to make them earlier this year, and this recipe has been on heavy rotation in our house ever since. These yummy cookies are filled with coconut, oats, pecans, chocolate chips and made extra special with cinnamon. Apparently this is George W's favorite cookie, but I won't hold that against the cookies.

Also, I got a new cookie scoop, which is awesome! It is larger than what I was using for these cookies though, and now I need to get the small version too. This is the OXO medium cookie scoop.

Here is the recipe as written on Saveur's website. I double this and use 1 tablespoon of dough for each cookie. I have frozen the formed dough balls and baked later as well. *When doubling, it helps to note that 12 tbsp = 3/4 cup.

3⁄4 cup flour
3⁄4 tsp. baking powder
3⁄4 tsp. baking soda
3⁄4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1⁄4 tsp. kosher salt
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
6 tbsp. sugar
6 tbsp. light brown sugar
1 egg
3⁄4 tsp. vanilla extract
3⁄4 cup rolled oats
3⁄4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1⁄2 cup chopped pecans
1⁄2 cup sweetened flaked coconut (I used unsweetened coconut)

1. Heat oven to 350°. In a bowl, whisk first 5 ingredients; set aside.

2. In a large bowl, beat butter with a hand held mixer until smooth. Add sugars; beat until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat until smooth. Add flour mixture; beat to form a dough. Stir in oats, chocolate, pecans, and coconut. Form dough into 24 balls; divide between 2 parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until cooked through, 16–18 minutes*. Let cool.

MAKES 24 COOKIES

*I also bake my cookies for only about 8 minutes, I found 16 to be way too long in my oven with 1 Tbsp. size cookies.