I’m back!!

I know that you know this if you follow me on Twitter. Luckily, I made and wrote about so much Texas food before I left that I am still posting about it now. That gives me time to readjust, let the last two weeks sink in, and most importantly spend time with my big sister who is visiting Minneapolis for the first time.

Just so you know, we had the most magical experience in Austin. More on that later. For now, I need to go and spend time with my sister while I can!

Could the name of these cookies possibly be any cooler? I don’t think so. We had Texas sized cookies served after dinner at our wedding. Preceding the blackberry cobbler. And the wedding cake. What, you don’t think three desserts is normal at a wedding? Psht. You should know me better.

But Texas sized cookies are different from Texas Cowboy Cookies. The first just adhere to the old adage that everything’s bigger in Texas (it is, in case you’re wondering).

Cowboy cookies are not necessarily big, although if you like ‘em that way, please be my guest. What makes these cookies cowboy-esque is everything you pack into ‘em. The stand out ingredients are brown sugar, oats, chocolate, cinnamon, and nuts. Maybe even some shredded coconut and raisins if you’re feeling frisky. Wowzers.

Well, I had to make these my own. I wasn’t in the mood for coconut shreds, or raisins. In terms of nuts, pecans seemed pretty Texas-appropriate (pecan pie, anyone?) but I only had walnuts on hand. Chocolate chunks were chosen over chips, because dang it, I just prefer having more chocolate in every bite. In retrospect, I do think some coconuts shreds would be lovely in these. Let me know if you make some!

Texas Cowboy Cookies

adapted from Saveur

Ingredients

• 3⁄4 cup all purpose flour
• 3⁄4 tsp. baking powder
• 3⁄4 tsp. baking soda
• 3⁄4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1⁄4 tsp. 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
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1⁄2 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)

Directions

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

2. In a large bowl, beat butter until smooth. Add sugars and beat until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat until smooth.

3. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients; beat to form a dough. Stir in oats, chocolate, and pecans. Form dough into 24 balls; divide between 2 parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until cooked through, 16–18 minutes. Let cool.

Makes 24 cookies.