Several years ago, I had a job I so excelled at that I would finish my work well and always have plenty of downtime. I found myself bringing a magazine occasionally or bringing my iPad to listen to sermons or podcasts during the day. Oftentimes though I would surf the internet for new ideas and recipes. One day, I stumbled upon this collection of Laura Bush’s recipes from the White House Archives online. You better believe I printed them aaaaall out! But it was her recipe for Cowboy Cookies (similar to Ranger Cookies and Monster Cookies) that struck me as having all. the. right. stuff!

Many variations of this cookie exist, but this one stands out to those who love coconut and pecans in their cookies. Ever since I made and shared them, my SIL asks me if I’m making them every time I mention baking cookies!

I recently came across this slightly different version with some like ingredients that would be a crowd-pleaser for those who aren’t necessarily partial to coconut or pecans in their cookies. This one is more of an elevation of your standard oatmeal chip or oatmeal raisin. I found the recipe in my Good Housekeeping Bridal Edition Cookbook and they were equally enjoyed by all.

This recipe called for tart cherries or raisins and I have a little secret to share with you. Whenever I see a recipe calls for a certain amount of x or y, I usually split the amount between x and y to mix things up a bit! So 1c of dried tart cherries or raisins turned into 1/2c dried tart cherries and 1/2c raisins. The unexpectedness of it leaves the eater with anticipation and excitement of what the next bite will hold.

I made a big batch for my SIL as a hostess gift since she graciously opened her home to host Christmas this year. I baked off a pan and froze the rest in dough balls to put in a resealable freezer bag so she would be able to pull one (or several) out whenever she wanted cookies! It was a big hit and the pre-baked ones didn’t last long!

What is one thing you make that gets repeated requests?