By ChinRes 
It is possible for the election season to get rather passionate; nevertheless, if there is one item that has the potential to bring nation back together, it is dessert.
Back in 1992, Family Circle magazine came up with the idea of holding the First Lady Bake-Off in the hopes of bringing a little bit of sweetness to the advertising campaign. Readers were given the opportunity to vote on cookie recipes that were submitted by First Ladies (or First Lady candidates), so gaining a glimpse inside the First Ladies’ homes via the dishes that they deemed to be the finest.
Voters were swayed by the chocolate chip cookies that Hillary Clinton offered throughout the first two election cycles. As a result, when Laura Bush entered the campaign in the year 2000, she needed something that was distinct from the conventional cookie-cutter script.
She introduced her Cowboy Cookies to the ballot, which are a combination of substantial, home-style ingredients with a taste that is as robust as the Lone Star State. Bush’s Cowboy Cookies were inspired by her Texas origins.
Despite the fact that Tipper Gore’s gingersnaps put up a valiant effort, the popular vote was finally won by Bush’s Cowboy Cookies, which continue to be remembered as the most popular cookies in the history of bake-offs.
The Cowboy Cookies: What Are They?
These traditional American cookies, also known as Ranger Cookies or Cowboy Cookies, are renowned for the robust and savory ingredients that they include. There is a lack of clarity on the origin of the word, although there are hypotheses that indicate that the full and gratifying combination of tastes is what makes these sweets suitable for a cowboy.
It is the chewy oatmeal cookie foundation that is the common denominator that binds the “cowboy cookies” genre together. Aside from that, the idea is very adaptable, since it enables you to create a wide variety of taste combinations each time you bake; you may think of it as the Wild West of cookie recipes.
If you want to take a “everything but the kitchen sink” approach, you may add chocolate chips or butterscotch chips, pecans that have or chopped walnuts, and even throw in toffee pieces or crushed pretzels. All of these options are available to you.
There are a number essential characteristics that have contributed to the legendary status of Laura Bush’s cowboy cookies, which are formally known as the Texas Governor’s House Cowboy Cookies. The first thing to note is that they are enormous (after all, everything is larger in Texas). Coconut, pecans, and chocolate chips are the three ingredients that make up the holy trinity of mix-ins that they include. This combination provides the ideal equilibrium of sweetness, nuttiness, and depth in a single package.
In addition, the incorporation of cinnamon into the cookie imparts an unanticipated sense of warmth and comfort, which is one of the reasons why it is so popular all throughout the nation. The fact that her recipe is simple and has stood the test of time ensures that it will continue to excite fans throughout the next election seasons.
How to Prepare the Cowboy Cookies that Laura Bush Loves
Depending on the size of the cookies, the recipe that was used by the former First Lady may produce up to six dozen of them. If you want your cookies on the chewier side, you should make them Texas-sized to get the desired texture. The bigger the cookies, the chewier they will be.
Combine butter that has been softened, sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl and mix them together. Include a spoonful of vanilla extract and three eggs, mixing well after each addition until the eggs are completely absorbed into the mixture.
The dry ingredients, which include flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon, should be mixed together in a separate basin using a whisk. The next step is to combine the dry components with the liquid ones until the mixture is uniform. After incorporating the oats, coconut, chopped pecans, and the chocolate chips, drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto a baking sheet that has been prepared. Bake for ten to twelve minutes at a temperature of 350 degrees Fahrenheit, or until the edges are a light golden color.
As was noted before, there are a lot of different ways to change up this recipe, and there are pretty much no incorrect answers. If you are willing to take some chances, you could end up winning the popular vote.