Wyoming Statehood Day Cowboy Cookies

State #44 · July 10, 1890 · The Cowboy State

Part of the Ethan & Oliver Adventures State Cookie Series — one cookie for every statehood day, all 50 states.

Ethan looked at the ingredient list and said, “This is too many things for one cookie.”

Oats, coconut, pecans, chocolate chips, brown sugar. Wyoming is a big state with a big personality, and a small, polite cookie was never going to cut it.

Cowboy cookies are built the way Wyoming is built. Substantial. A little rugged. Made for people who need something that’s going to last through a long day outside.

Oliver ate two and immediately asked if real cowboys ate these on cattle drives. They did not. Cowboy cookies are a 20th-century recipe, not an Old West one. We told him this. He was unmoved. “They should have,” he said. We let it go.

A Little About Wyoming — State #44

Wyoming joined the Union on July 10, 1890, becoming the 44th state — “The Cowboy State.”

Yellowstone was the first national park in the entire world. Established in 1872; 18 years before Wyoming even became a state. Every national park that exists anywhere on Earth, in any country, owes something to what happened here first.

Wyoming was the first government in U.S. history to grant women the right to vote. That happened in 1869, while Wyoming was still just a territory; 51 years before the 19th Amendment extended that right nationwide. The territory’s nickname, “The Equality State,” comes directly from this.

The Tetons rise sharply with no foothills. Most mountain ranges build up gradually. The Tetons don’t. You’re on flat plain, and then suddenly: mountains, straight up, with nothing in between to soften the transition. It’s one of the most dramatic skylines in the country.

Devils Tower was the first national monument in the United States — designated by Theodore Roosevelt in 1906. It’s a volcanic rock formation rising 867 feet straight out of the prairie, sacred to several Native American tribes including the Lakota, Cheyenne, and Crow.

Wyoming NPS stops:

• Yellowstone National Park
• Grand Teton National Park
• Devils Tower National Monument
• Fossil Butte National Monument
• Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area

Every Kid Outdoors passes work at all federal NPS sites — free admission for 4th graders and their families.

The Cookie Moment

These cookies take a little longer than most of our State Cookie Series toasting the coconut, chopping the pecans, getting everything mixed without the dough falling apart. Ethan called it “a lot of steps.” Oliver called it “worth it.” Both were right.

There’s something fitting about a cookie that takes effort representing a state built on hard, honest work. Wyoming doesn’t do easy. Neither does this cookie.

Yield: 30

Wyoming Cowboy Cookies

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We bake these every July 10th for Wyoming Statehood Day; oats, coconut, pecans, and chocolate chips in one substantial cookie. Built for people who mean business. Oliver ate two and immediately asked if cowboys ate these on the trail. They did not. But we let it go.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 13 minutes

Total Time 33 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup shredded coconut, toasted
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Spread shredded coconut on a dry baking sheet. Toast at 325°F for 5–7 minutes, stirring once, until golden. Watch closely — it burns fast. Let cool.
2. Whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
3. Beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
4. Beat in eggs one at a time, then vanilla, until fully combined.
5. Mix in flour mixture on low speed until just combined.
6. Fold in oats, toasted coconut, pecans, and chocolate chips by hand until evenly distributed.
7. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
8. Scoop rounded portions onto prepared sheets, spacing 3 inches apart.
9. Bake 11–13 minutes until edges are golden brown and centers look just set.
10. Cool on baking sheet 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Notes

Notes:
Don't skip toasting the coconut; raw coconut tastes flat, toasted coconut makes the whole cookie work. Space cookies at least 3 inches apart; they spread. Toast your pecans too if you have time -- 5 minutes in a dry pan deepens the flavor significantly. These freeze beautifully; make a double batch and freeze half the dough in scooped portions.

From the E&O Kitchen:
Ethan called this cookie "a lot of steps." Oliver called it "worth it." Both were right. Oliver ate two and immediately asked if cowboys ate these on cattle drives. They did not. He was unmoved. "They should have," he said. We let it go.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

30

Serving Size:

2
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 650Total Fat: 38gSaturated Fat: 17gUnsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 245mgCarbohydrates: 76gFiber: 8gSugar: 41gProtein: 9g

These recipes are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to replace professional dietary advice. Nutrition may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes. Please adjust recipes for allergies or dietary needs as needed for your family.

Wyoming Cowboy Cookies

Makes about 30 cookies · Prep: 20 min · Bake: 11–13 min

Oliver’s verdict: “These should come with a hat.” Ethan’s verdict: “That doesn’t make sense.” Oliver’s response: “It makes sense to me.”

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup shredded coconut, toasted
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Toast the coconut. Spread shredded coconut on a dry baking sheet. Toast at 325°F for 5–7 minutes, stirring once, until golden. Watch closely as it goes from golden to burnt fast. Let cool.

2. Mix dry ingredients. Whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

3. Cream butter and sugars. Beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.

4. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time, then vanilla, until fully combined.

5. Add dry ingredients. Mix in the flour mixture on low speed until just combined.

6. Fold in the mix-ins. By hand, fold in the oats, toasted coconut, pecans, and chocolate chips until evenly distributed.

7. Preheat and prep. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

8. Scoop. Using a large cookie scoop, drop rounded portions of dough onto prepared sheets, spacing 3 inches apart-ish these cookies spread.

9. Bake. Bake 11–13 minutes until edges are golden brown and centers look just set.

10. Cool. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Tips from the Kitchen

• Don’t skip toasting the coconut. Raw coconut tastes flat. Toasted coconut adds a depth that makes the whole cookie work.
• Space them generously. These cookies spread more than a typical drop cookie — 3 inches apart minimum.
• Toast your pecans too, if you have time. A quick 5 minutes in a dry pan deepens the flavor.
• These freeze beautifully. Make a double batch and freeze half the dough in scooped portions for a future statehood day or emergency cookie need.

The Notebooking Prompt

After the cookies cool, pull out your notebooks.

Debrief questions for your kids:

• Wyoming gave women the right to vote 51 years before the rest of the country. Why do you think a small western territory led on this before larger states did?
• Yellowstone became a national park 18 years before Wyoming became a state. What does that tell you about how people valued this land?
• The Tetons rise with no foothills — straight up from flat plain. Why do you think that makes them feel so dramatic?
• Devils Tower is sacred to several Native American tribes. What does it mean for a place to be sacred?

This Is Part of a Series

The Ethan & Oliver State Cookie Series celebrates every statehood day with a cookie tied to the state’s history, agriculture, or culture and a lesson your family can do right in the kitchen.

Coming up: 🗽 New York. July 26 — Black & White Cookies

Save this post, pin the recipe, and follow along as we bake our way through all 50 states.

📌 Pin this recipe for your next Wyoming study day!