These coconut chocolate chip cookies are packed with coconut flavor and will fill your kitchen with the wonderful aroma of chocolate and coconut. A delicious twist on the chocolate chip cookie!
I have a serious love affair with coconut. There was a time in my life when I bought coconut everything. Plug-in air fresheners, lotions, beauty products, and any coconut-flavored bit of food took all of my budget as a college student.
I never quite got over how much I love coconut since then. I've been making these coconut chocolate chip cookies since my college days when I swore I wanted to learn how to make all the things and be more like Martha.
They've always been pretty popular among my friends and my family. These coconut chocolate chip cookies are like biting into a buttery piece of coconut heaven.
What you are going to love about these coconut chocolate chip cookies is that they are irresistibly chewy with crisp, buttery edges. The coconut adds the most amazing sweet nuttiness to this otherwise traditional cookie.
These are truly the most irresistible cookies ever and I promise you won't be able to stop at just one.
A couple of notes on the coconut chocolate chip cookies...
It is really important to use unsweetened shredded coconut as you will get a more pronounced coconut flavor this way. Beating the toasted coconut into the butter and sugar helps intensify that coconut flavor throughout the cookies. It is what makes these coconut chocolate chip cookies amazing.
If you only have sweetened shredded coconut, I would recommend adding just half a teaspoon of coconut extract to help intensify the coconut flavor - although using coconut extract with the unsweetened coconut won't hurt you at all.
In my original recipe, I used regular chocolate chips, but I've recently fallen in love with using chopped dark chocolate in these cookies. The chopped chocolate gives you flecks of chocolate in every bite as well as pockets of warm, pools of chocolate. It's really something incredible!
Want More Cookies?
I always recommend everyone try my s'mores stuffed cookies, but my brownie-stuffed chocolate chip cookies are also amazing. I have a healthy coconut chocolate chip cookie and healthy chocolate chip cookie if that's your thing. If not, you might want to try my salted caramel stuffed cookies, cinnamon roll cookies, or even my German chocolate cookies. If you are baking for the holidays, you will love my cookie wreath. Go to my archive for all my cookie recipes!
Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups shredded unsweetened coconut
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ sticks ¾ cup unsalted butter, [room temperature]
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 cup packed brown sugar preferably dark sugar
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon coconut extract optional
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Place the coconut in a skillet and toast until most of the coconut is a light golden brown. Stir frequently. Allow to cool.
- Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl.
- Cream the butter, both sugars, and toasted coconut until the mixture is light and the coconut flavor is infused with the butter - about an additional 4 - 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs, one at a time to the batter. Beat well between each addition. Add in the coconut extract if desired, then add in the vanilla extract.
- Slowly add the flour in thirds until it is fully incorporated in the batter. Fold in the chocolate chips by hand.
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, preferably 1 - 2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll the cookie dough into balls that are 2 tablespoons big.
- Line the balls on the parchment paper about 2 inches apart and bake for about 10 - 12 minutes, or until the edges are golden and crispy.
- Allow to sit on the baking sheet for a minute before transferring to a wire rack, then allow to cool completely.
Debs says
Awesome! But I would ask to preheat oven AFTER letting us know to chill the dough.
Sue Rohlicek says
I love these cookies! I use Bob's Red Mill brown sugar and all high quality ingredients. Don't skip the coconut extract. Since I cream and beat ingredients entirely by hand, the timeline is longer for me, but well worth the effort. Great title too!
Joe says
Made this over the weekend and they turned out great! Thanks!
Kristin Haskins says
I practically LIVE for chocolate......and coconut is piggy-backing on it.
I know I'll love making these....even if I eat everything before I have the chance!
Picture the "Homer Simpson drool....."
Isaac says
Hi was wondering about the baking temperature of 325? i tried even though I'm accustomed to 375 for most cookie recipes and the cookies were underbaked. Wasn't sure how to correct this, raise temp? or just bake longer? I wound up raising temp to 375 and baking longer which corrected it but now I'm not sure if I should bake at 350 or 375. Also, they seemed just a tad too buttery but otherwise, awesome!!!! Could you explain what toasting the coconut does in terms of flavor? Not sure I understand the difference between toasting them and not toasting them. The most significant thing I learned from your recipe was to use coconut extract. Previous coconut chocolate chip cookie recipes I've tried have not included this ingredient so I never used it and never wound up with a truly coconut tasting cookie. I was always perplexed about why the coconut flakes didn't infuse the batter with coconut flavor. So I'll be using the extract from now on whether the flakes are sugar coated or plain. The extract also gave the cookies the aroma I've been looking to get. Bravo and thank you. Hope you're able to respond
Amanda says
Hi and thank you so much for your response! In regard to the temperature, I typically bake all my cookies at 325 degrees, but for this particular recipe I bake them at 325 because for me, it is supposed to help preserve some of the natural coconut flavor. Of course if for some reason they are underbaked for you, I recommend baking them for a minute or two longer (they should still be slightly under baked when you take them out as they continue to cook on the baking sheet and it also helps with chewiness). The toasting is supposed to bring out the oils in the coconut and intensify the flavor of the coconut - at least this is the theory! When it is toasted and beaten with the butter and sugar, the coconut flavor should infuse within the ingredients. I agree with you that sometimes the coconut is still too subtle which is why I recommend the extract.
Melanie | Melanie Makes says
Love how the addition of coconut automatically "summer-fies" these classic cookies!
Josie says
Love coconut! Just pinned these yummy cookies for later, can't wait to try them! 🙂
Lucy @ Bake Play Smile says
These look great! I'm a huge fan of coconut in choc chip cookies!
Arman @ thebigmansworld says
Amanda, I love the combination of coconut with chocolate- I need to try this out!
April says
Just made these and they are delicious! 🙂 I did add in some pecans to it and i love them. Thanks for this great recipe!
Amanda says
I'm so glad you enjoyed them! Pecans sound like a great addition!! I must try it next time!!
Robert F says
The cookies are tasty. However, Step 4 does not differentiate brown sugar from white sugar.
Amanda says
You are right, thank you for pointing that out! I am fixing it now!
Amallia @DesireToEat says
mmm coconut chocolate chips cookies. Perfect combo. This is my favorite:-) yummy.
Kendra says
Running to the nearest oven.....!! 🙂
Denise says
These look amazing, can't wait to try. You're photography is beautiful!
Amanda says
Thank you so much! Please let me know how they turn out if you make them!