A soft, chewy oatmeal cookie loaded with gooey dark chocolate and shredded coconut. Cookie perfection!
Confession: I don’t even like coconut that much. Never been a huge fan. But, I’m a baker for the people, and I know the people like the coconut. So I embarked on a courageous journey and baked with coconut.
Next confession: I really like these cookies, therefore in this instance I really like coconut. Dark chocolate + shredded coconut + oatmeal = the chewiest, gooiest, most balanced, most comforting cookie ever. I made these right before I went on a family vacation to Colorado, & now that I’m back I’m ready to throw some more of these right into the oven.
Wanna know what I love about these cookies? They have all sorts of texture to them. Crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside thanks to the oats & coconut, and super gooey on the inside thanks to the loads of dark chocolate packed inside. And I mean packed. Like the chocolate to cookie dough ratio is out of bounds. It’s delightful.
Throw these together & you won’t be mad about it. And maybe you’ll be a coconut-convert, too. Happy baking, friends!
What you’ll need to bake these cookies:
Butter: Adds moisture, flavor, & helps cookies spread in the oven.
Coconut oil: Adds moisture & a subtle coconut flavor.
Brown sugar: Adds moisture, sweetness, and a little chewiness.
Sugar: Adds sweetness, tenderizes the cookie dough, and helps cookies spread in the oven.
Eggs: For structure and binding. Using an additional yolk adds extra richness & chewiness.
Vanilla: For added flavor.
Old fashioned oats: Oats give these cookies great texture & extra chewiness. Be sure to use old fashioned oats, not quick oats or steel cut oats.
Flour: For structure.
Shredded coconut: Similar to the oats, shredded coconut adds texture and chewiness. The flavor of coconut adds some depth & zhush to these cookies! I use sweetened, but you could use unsweetened if you prefer.
Baking soda: For leavening.
Ground cinnamon: Cinnamon adds a nice touch of warmth & depth to these cookies.
Kosher salt: To balance out all the sweetness. TIP: While I recommend kosher salt, if you don’t have it on hand, use ½ the amount of table salt.
Cornstarch: Adds softness.
Dark chocolate chips: I love how the slight bitterness of dark chocolate balances out the sweetness of the coconut in these cookies! You could use semisweet chocolate chips if you prefer.
FAQs:
Why is this recipe primarily listed in grams? I develop my recipes in grams because weighing your ingredients is the best, most accurate way to bake. Baking is a science and precision is key to success! Measuring cups are not standardized, and what’s more, the way each baker uses them varies drastically, which ultimately gives you inconsistent (and sometimes negative) results. For instance, did you know that scooping flour out of a cannister can give you 50% more flour than what’s called for in the recipe? By weighing your ingredients rather than using measuring cups, you can confidently know that you are using the correct amount of each ingredient, giving you greater success & delicious results. I highly recommend using a kitchen scale, like this one when you bake. Plus, it makes clean up a lot easier!
Can I use unsweetened coconut? The cookies may be a little less sweet, but unsweetened coconut will work just fine. You still get that great chewy texture & the subtle coconut flavor!
Can I freeze the dough? Yep! Just be sure to chill the dough as directed prior to freezing, otherwise you’ll lose the benefits of letting the dough rest in the fridge. Once chilled, scoop the dough onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper & place in the freezer for 20 minutes, or until frozen. Place frozen dough in an airtight container or zip-top bag for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, just add 1-2 minutes to your bake time.
A few notes before you bake:
There are A LOT of chocolate chips in these cookies. It’s one reason I love them so much. But feel free to reduce to 330 gm (1 1/2 cups) chocolate chips if you like a little more cookie & a little less chocolate.
Rotate the cookie sheet halfway through your bake time. Because of the high sugar content in these cookies, they tend to brown quickly. Rotating the pan ensures that the cookies will brown evenly.
These cookies don’t spread a ton in the oven, which makes them thick, chewy & delicious. But to help them spread a little bit, carefully bang the cookie sheet on the counter a few times after you remove them from the oven. This will help the cookies “deflate” & spread a bit more as they cool.
PrintDark Chocolate Coconut Oatmeal Cookies
- Prep Time: 10 minutes (plus 60 minute chill time)
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Dessert, Snack
Description
A soft, chewy oatmeal cookie loaded with gooey dark chocolate and shredded coconut. Cookie perfection!
Ingredients
- 140 gm (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened*
- 56 gm (4 tablespoons) coconut oil
- 240 gm (1 cup, firmly packed) light brown sugar
- 100 gm (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 240 gm (3 cups, spoon and leveled) old fashioned oats
- 219 gm (1 3/4 cups, spoon and leveled) all-purpose flour
- 60 gm (1/2 cup) sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 440 gm (2 cups) dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix butter and coconut oil together on medium-high speed until combined and creamy. Add brown sugar and sugar & mix on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down sides of the bowl. Add egg and egg yolk, mixing in one at a time. Mix in vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, combine oats, flour, shredded coconut, baking soda, cinnamon, kosher salt, and cornstarch. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in 2-3 additions, mixing on low speed until just combined.
- Add in chocolate chips & gently fold in by hand. Alternatively, you can let the mixer do a few turns on low speed to incorporate. Be careful not to overmix.
- Cover dough & chill in the fridge for 30-60 minutes. In the meantime, preheat oven to 350°F and line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Using a #16 spring-loaded cookie scoop, scoop dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2-3″ apart. Bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through bake time to ensure even browning. Once removed from the oven, carefully bang cookie sheet on counter to “deflate” cookies a bit. Cookies will continue to spread a bit more as they cool.
- Allow cookies to set on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
*Softened butter: The right consistency for softened butter is soft, but still firm. When you press your finger into the butter, it should leave an indentation, but shouldn’t be shiny or greasy. If you really want to get technical, use an instant read thermometer: your butter should be between 65-67°F.
Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 5-7 days.
Freezing: Chill the dough as directed prior to freezing, Then scoop the chilled dough onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper & place in the freezer for 20 minutes, or until frozen. Place frozen dough in an airtight container or zip-top bag for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, just add 1-2 minutes to your bake time.
