Coconut oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are sweet, chewy, and full of texture! Your favorite oatmeal chocolate chip cookie gets an upgrade with plenty of sweetened, shredded coconut.
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Coconut is one of my favorite ingredients for baked goods. Think donuts, German chocolate cake, and magic cookie bars. YES.
When I used to work at a deli we would make gigantic coconut oatmeal chocolate chip cookies that I couldn’t keep my hands off. This recipe is a recreation of that – big, thick, chewy, and loaded with chocolate.
What makes these the best coconut chocolate chip cookies
This recipe is easy to make with mostly pantry ingredients and a stand mixer. You could also mix this by hand if needed.
The cookies come out large (or make tiny ones to make them more shareable!), thick, and dripping with melted chocolate. I love the texture of the center where the coconut, oatmeal, and cookie base all combine into a soft, chewy dream.
Ingredients
- Butter
- Packed light brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Pure vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
- Baking soda
- Cinnamon
- Sweetened shredded coconut
- Dark chocolate chips
- Old fashioned oats
- Finely chopped pecans
How to make
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars until creamy.
- Mix in eggs and vanilla and beat another minute.
- In another bowl combine the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and coconut.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet and beat until combined.
- Add the chocolate chips, oats, and pecans and mix gently until just incorporated.
- Place one inch balls of dough on the prepared cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until just beginning to brown. Let cool for several minutes on the cookie sheet before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Top tips
How to measure flour for cookies
Careful measurements will help you achieve the best results and help prevent dry cookies. To measure flour, use a spoon to stir your flour, then scoop it into the measuring cup.
Use the flat side of a butter knife to level out the top. Do not compact the flour into the cup or you’ll end up with too much flour.
Don’t overmix or overbake
Overmixing the cookie dough and overbaking can both result in hard, dry cookies. Be careful to mix the dough just until the dry ingredients are incorporated, finishing by hand if necessary. The cookies are done baking when the tops no longer look wet and the edges have turned a light, golden brown.
How to get picture perfect cookies
Sometimes you just need a cookie and it doesn’t matter what it looks like, but every now and then you might be out to impress someone with a cookie that looks straight out of a bakery.
To achieve this, start by rolling the dough into evenly sized balls. You may want to use a kitchen scale to do this.
After you have your dough balls on the baking sheet, press a few extra chocolate chips into the top so the puddles of chocolate stand out in this finished cookie. I think odd numbers look best (don’t ask me why), but using different amounts on different cookies can help it look a little more natural.
Finally, once your cookies are baked and fresh out of the oven, grab a large glass, turn it upside down over the top of each cookie, and swirl it in a circular motion. The cookie should spin around inside the glass, perfecting the edges into a circular shape. Just make sure your glass is larger than your cookie!
How to store
These cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. They also freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. Allow the cookies to cool completely before storing or freezing.
Tips for customizing
- Swap the dark chocolate chips for semisweet or white chocolate
- Roll the dough into smaller balls for bite-sized cookies, adjusting the baking time as needed
- Omit the nuts, or swap them for walnuts
- Use vegan butter and chocolate chips to make these vegan coconut oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
- Swap the light brown sugar for dark brown sugar for even more richness
FAQ
I do not recommend using quick cooking oats in this recipe because it would change the texture of the cookie.
Technically you could use unsweetened coconut for this recipe, but I don’t think it would taste very good. Using large, flaked coconut would also give you a different taste and texture that I don’t necessarily recommend.
Premium chocolate chips such as Ghirardelli and Guittard really do make a difference in the quality of your cookie. However, pretty much all chocolate chips are good chocolate chips, so feel free to use whatever you have on hand.
Yes! Freezing the dough allows you to always have hot and fresh cookies just a moment away.
Start by placing dough balls on a baking sheet and freezing until solid. Transfer the frozen dough to a zip top freezer bag and seal, removing as much air as possible. There is no need to thaw frozen cookie dough before baking, simply add a few extra minutes of baking time.
More cookie recipes
- Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Whole Wheat Chocolate Fudge Cookies
- Peanut Butter Pretzel Cookies
- Buttery Bourbon Cherry Cookies
- Pillowy Maple Nut Breakfast Cookies
- Christmas Cut Out Cookies
- Nutmeg Ginger Apple Snaps
- Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Giant Ginger Cookies with Icing
If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 ½ cups dark chocolate chips
- 2 ½ cups old fashioned oats
- ½ cup finely chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars until creamy.
- Mix in eggs and vanilla and beat another minute.
- In another bowl combine the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and coconut.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet and beat until combined. Add the chocolate chips, oats, and pecans and mix gently until just incorporated.
- Place 2 inch balls of dough on the prepared cookie sheet. If you want a flatter cookie, gently flatten each mound with the palm of your hand. Bake 10-12 minutes or until just beginning to brown. Let cool for several minutes on the cookie sheet before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.
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