Last updated on April 3rd, 2025

Ingredients
Dietary Substitutions
Equipment
Storage
Related Recipes
More cookies

These Cowboy Cookies with peanut butter are crispy on the edges, chewy in the center, and packed with hearty texture from toasted oats, coconut, and nuts. They are a satisfying treat perfect with a glass of milk or coffee or make a great addition to any holiday cookie tray.

My vintage inspiration.

I wanted to take a modern spin on this vintage 90’s peanut butter cowboy cookies recipe because of its rich history associated with the First Ladies of the United States. The recipe was shared during the 1992 presidential campaign when former First Lady Laura Bush’s shared her recipe in a baking competition against Hillary Clinton’s chocolate chip cookies.

How I baked it modern.

My recipe is for half of the original recipe.
Substituted some of the butter for peanut butter to add more flavor and richness.
I used less all-purpose flour and added Instant ClearJel for a light, more tender texture. The ClearJel will help with structure and moisture retention, and the slight flour reduction will allow for more spread and a chewier texture.
I eliminated the baking powder and added more baking soda for chewier cookie with more spread. Baking soda helps cookies spread and be chewy, while baking powder helps cookie rise which makes for softer, cake-like cookies.

Ingredients

butter: American butter is made from churned cream that contains 80% butterfat. European butter is churned longer and has a higher fat content (82%-85%), which is why it yields more flavor.
peanut butter: Ideally, look for either “all-natural” peanut butter which is typically made with just peanuts and a bit of salt. If purchasing regular peanut butter, look for one that has “fully hydrogenated oil”, minimal trans fats and no high fructose corn syrup. Some peanut butters may be labeled as “natural”, but they are actually a “Peanut Butter Spread” that contains palm oil. Homemade peanut butter is so easy to make from fresh roasted, salted peanuts in which you just place in food processor and blend to desired consistency. MAKE YOUR OWN! Buy roasted peanuts that are lightly-salted or no-salt peanuts. Use a food processor and grind them 2-3 minutes to find the consistency you like. Store in the fridge up to 3 weeks.
all-purpose flour: All-purpose unbleached flour is made by grinding the seeds of the wheat plant and removing the bran and germ. It has a moderate protein content of 10-12%, making it a versatile option for baking cookies, cakes, and pastries.
Oats: Oats are a whole grain that is high in fiber and commonly used for cereal or baked goods. Quick oats are pre-cooked and come in smaller pieces, while whole oats remain in their natural form and take longer to cook.
brown sugar: Brown sugar is granulated sugar with molasses added, providing deep flavor and moisture to baked goods. Light brown sugar contains 3.5% molasses, while dark brown sugar has 6.5% giving a more robust flavor profile.
sugar: Sugar is derived from sugarcane and provides sweetness to baked goods. The most common type being granulated white sugar. Cane sugar is a natural option that is less processed with a slightly courser texture.
eggs: Eggs are important in baking because their protein provides structure, they are a natural leavener trapping air that expands during baking, and they add moisture to baked goods.
Baking soda: Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a leavening agent that, when combined with an acid (like lemon juice, buttermilk, or vinegar) creates carbon dioxide gas to make baked goods rise.
salt: Use a fine-ground pink salt which adds essential minerals and nutrients to baked goods.
ClearJel: Add Instant ClearJel to baked goods for a light and tender texture. If ClearJel is hard to find, cornstarch is a good substitute. To swap: If the recipe calls for 1 T. cornstarch, use 1 1/2 T. ClearJel. If the recipe calls for 2 T. flour or tapioca, use 1 T. ClearJel.
vanilla extract: Vanilla provides hints of caramel and spice, enhancing the depth of flavor to baked goods. Always use a high-quality, all-natural brand that is made from real vanilla beans containing at least 35% alcohol. MAKE YOUR OWN! Purchase Grade B vanilla beans (also called extract-grade), which have less moisture and a more concentrated flavor. Place 8 oz. of bourbon (or vodka) in glass bottle or jar. Split 5-7 vanilla beans down the middle and add to bottle. Let it sit for 3-6 months in a cool, dark place. As you use it, continue to replace the bourbon and add more beans as it keeps for many years.
chocolate chips: Semi-sweet chocolate chips are typically the best choice to use in cookies because they balance the sugar in the recipe. However, you can also use milk or dark chocolate chips depending on the level of sweetness you prefer in a cookie. For texture, choose from regular size chocolate chips, mini-chocolate chips or chocolate chunks.
pecans: are a tree nut that grown on pecan trees in the United States and Mexico. They add texture and sweet nuttiness flavor to baked goods.
coconut: Coconut is the fruit of palm trees, found in tropical regions. Shredded coconut comes in various forms, like flakes, shredded and finely shredded, and can either sweetened or unsweetened. Sweetened coconut has added sugar along with its natural sweetness. To create a balanced flavor, blend together 2-parts unsweetened coconut with 1-part sweetened coconut.
cinnamon: Cinnamon comes from dried bark from the tropical Asian cinnamon tree and is available as whole cinnamon sticks or ground. There are two types: Cassia which has a warm, sweet flavor, and Ceylon known as “true cinnamon”, which has an intense spicy bite.

Baker’s Tips

For thick cookies, chill the batter for at least 10 minutes to overnight prior to baking and bake on Silpat baking mat to ensure less spread.
For thin and crispy cookies, use parchment paper, do not chill batter, and bake right away to create more spread.
To incorporate even more flavor, toast the nuts before adding to the cookies. Rough chop them in mini food chopper. Place chopped nuts on a baking sheet and bake at 350° for 5 minutes.
Use a light-colored, aluminum cookie sheet 18×13 half-sheet pans lined with a Silpat or parchment paper. Aluminum is best for distributing and reflecting even heat during the baking process.
I’ve added peanut butter for some of the fat to add a subtle warm, nutty flavor. When you substitute out part of the butter for peanut butter it will not be an equal part substitution. Peanut butter has 50% fat whereas butter has 81% fat, so that is why I’ve added extra butter to my recipe.

Dietary Substitutions

For the past 12+ years, I have owned an all-natural specialty bakery converting conventional recipes to gluten free, vegan, wholesome, etc. Read more about it here.

TO MAKE GLUTEN-FREE

Here are some tips for gluten free baking

Be sure to let the batter rest to help eliminate grittiness. Even letting the batter sit 15 minutes will yield a light and tender baked good. You can let batter sit in the fridge overnight, and up to 3 days.
Use a premium gluten-free flour blend.
Add 1-2 tablespoons additional buttermilk to help hydrate the flour.
Reduce the oven temperature by 25°, as gluten-free flour is delicate and could burn before the center is done.
Gluten-free baked goods dry out quickly, so put them in a sealed container right away.

TO MAKE VEGAN/DAIRY FREE

Use oil or swap out the butter with unsalted vegan butter sticks.
Replace the dairy with unsweetened oat or almond milk or just use all water.
To replace the egg, place 1 tsp. of baking soda into your baked good and pour 1 T. white vinegar on top of the baking soda.

Equipment

Recommended tools: (affiliate links)

Storage

Pre-baked cookies:

You can make the batter and store until ready to bake.
Short-term, scoop the batter into cookie pucks/balls and place in storage container until use.
Long-term, place all of the mixed batter into a ziploc bag or storage container and let the batter come to room temperature before scooping into cookie pucks/balls.

Baked cookies:

Store baked cookies in airtight container on counter 1-2 days.
Seal in in freezer safe container for up to 6 months. Place cookies in layers lined with parchment paper. You can also individually heat seal cookies and place them in a larger container.
To thaw frozen cookies, allow them to come to room temperature before opening the container.