Laura Welch Bush

6/22/2025

Laura and Cowboy Cookies

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First Ladies - 2000 to 2025

Laura Welch Bush*

President George W. Bush*

Laura, George, Jenna, and Barbara*

First Lady Laura and President George W. Bush
First Lady - 2001 - 2009
Quotes from Laura -

"For a first lady, there are moments of maximum political controversy, and they often strike without warning."
"The power of a book lies in its power to turn a solitary act into a shared vision. As long as we have books, we are not alone."
"A love of books — of holding a book, turning its pages, looking at its pictures, and living its fascinating stories — goes hand-in-hand with a love of learning."

Factoid - Laura and George W. Bush were engaged and married within three months of meeting — a whirlwind romance that has lasted nearly five decades.
Bio -

Laura Welch was born in Midland, Texas to a middle-class family. Her family instilled a lifelong love of reading in Laura. Laura earned a bachelor's degree in education from Southern Methodist University and taught second-grade in Dallas and Houston. She then received her master's degree in library science from the University of Texas and worked as a school librarian in Austin.
Laura met George W. Bush in Midland, when they were both 30, at a backyard barbecue arranged by mutual friends. However, she remembered him from 7th grade as "...someone who talked a lot." Three months later they married. Together, they had twin daughters.
Laura knew that, as the son of a politician, George's political career was a given. He was elected Governor of Texas and then like his father, President of the United States. Laura helped George W. on the campaign trail, even giving speeches.
As First Lady, Laura advocated strongly for education, literacy, and women's health. She created initiatives like the National Book Festival and supported teacher training and school libraries. Her Ready to Read, Ready to Learn Initiative influenced and supported early childhood development. Laura maintained a quiet but influential role during her husband's presidency, particularly after 9/11. Her influence was evident in her travel to more than seventy-five countries, as First Lady. Laura never sought the spotlight, but George W. Bush has often credited her with being a steadying influence and a trusted advisor.

About George W. - George W. Bush led the country during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, after which he launched the War on Terror, including wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. His presidency focused on national security, tax cuts, and education reform through the No Child Left Behind Act. He faced criticism for the handling of Hurricane Katrina and the 2008 financial crisis. Despite low approval ratings when he left office, public opinion of him has improved over time.

Cowboy Cookies

In the first First Lady bake-off in 1992, Hillary Clinton's chocolate chip cookies beat out Barbara Bush's still-delicious chocolate chip recipe. In 2000, Laura Bush debuted her Texas Governor's House Cowboy Cookies, and they beat out Tipper Gore's gingersnap cookie recipe. Here's the recipe from Southern Living Magazine...

Yield - 24 LARGE cookies
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 & 1/2 cups butter, softened to room temperature
1 & 1/2 cups sugar
1 & 1/2 cups light-brown sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups sweetened coconut flakes
2 cups pecans, chopped

Steps

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cookie sheets lining with parchment paper - do not grease!
In a bowl, whisk together: flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt - set aside.
In another large mixing bowl, beat butter on medium until smooth and creamy. Slowly beat in white and brown sugar.
Beat in eggs, one at a time; add in vanilla.
Add the flour mixture and and stir until combined. Next, stir in chocolate chips, nuts, oatmeal, and coconut.
These are LARGE cookies, made for hungry cowboys and cowgirls! Scoop 1/4 cup of dough for each cookie and drop onto cookie sheets, 3-inches apart.
Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 17 - 20 minutes until lightly browned around the edges. You may want to rotate the cookie sheets halfway through baking, to ensure even baking.
Cool 10 minutes on cookie sheet, then remove to a rack to finish cooling.

Photo Credits*
Laura Bush - Portrait in orange suit - White House photo by Krisanne Johnson, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons; With George and twins - Series: Photographs Related to the George W. Bush Administration, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
George W. Bush - Portrait - Draper, Eric, photographer / Official portrait of President George W. Bush, 2003. Public Domain - Released by the United States Department of Defense