These coconut chocolate chip cookies are soft in the middle, crisp at the edges, and packed with toasted coconut and melty chocolate. Freshly milled soft white wheat keeps the flavor nutty and sweet, so they taste like a classic chocolate chip cookie with a tropical twist.
The dough comes together in one bowl with no chilling, and the cookies bake in about 12 minutes. Toasting the coconut first is the small step that makes a big difference, because it adds a deep, almost caramel flavor.
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Why This Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe Works
Brown sugar and white sugar do different jobs in coconut chocolate chip cookies. Brown sugar keeps the centers soft and chewy, while white sugar helps the edges turn crisp and golden. Together with softened butter, they give you cookies that stay tender for days.
Soft white wheat is the best whole grain for cookies because it is low in protein and mild in flavor. It gives a tender crumb instead of a dry, dense one, and the toasted coconut and chocolate cover any hint of whole grain bitterness.
Ingredients for Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated cane sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 270 grams freshly milled soft white wheat flour (about 2 cups)
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks
- 1/2 cup coconut flakes, toasted
Unsalted butter. Soften it until a finger leaves a dent but the butter is not greasy. This gives the right spread and chew.
Brown and white sugar. The mix of the two makes cookies with chewy centers and crisp edges.
Toasted coconut. Toasting brings out nutty flavor. Watch it closely, because it browns fast.
Chocolate chips or chunks. Chunks make bigger pools of chocolate. Semi-sweet balances the sweet coconut.
How to Make Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies
1. Prep. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the coconut flakes on a small pan and toast for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring once, until lightly golden. Let them cool.
2. Cream the butter and sugars. In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth and creamy.
3. Add the egg. Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined.
4. Mix the dry ingredients. In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt.
5. Combine. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture a little at a time, mixing just until no flour streaks remain.
6. Fold in the extras. Stir in the chocolate chips and cooled toasted coconut.
7. Scoop. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto the baking sheet, leaving a few inches between cookies.
8. Bake. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden. Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then move to a wire rack.
How to Serve Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies
Serve coconut chocolate chip cookies warm with a cold glass of milk or a cup of tea. They also make a great ice cream sandwich, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream between two cookies.
For a full cookie platter, add soft Christmas cookies, cinnamon roll cheesecake cookies, madeleine cookies, and a bowl of red velvet edible cookie dough.
How to Store and Reheat Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies
Store cooled coconut chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Add a slice of bread to the container to keep them soft.
Freeze baked cookies in a freezer bag for a few months, or scoop the dough into balls, freeze them, and bake from frozen with an extra minute or two.
Tips and Variations for Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies
Toast the coconut. It brings out flavor and keeps the coconut from tasting raw.
Measure flour by weight. Freshly milled flour is light, so a cup can vary. Use 270 grams for consistent cookies.
Do not overmix. Mix the flour just until combined for tender cookies.
Use room temperature butter. Cold butter does not cream, and melted butter makes flat cookies.
Keep raw dough safe. Skip the dough nibbling, because raw flour and raw eggs can carry germs. Ohio State University explains the risk in its raw dough safety article.
Underbake slightly. Pull the cookies when the edges are golden and the centers look set but soft. They finish on the pan.
Make them vegan. Use a flax egg and plant-based butter for a vegan version.
Try a variation. Swap the chocolate for white chocolate or butterscotch chips, or add chopped nuts.
Frequently Asked Questions About Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies
Can I make coconut chocolate chip cookies with all-purpose flour?
Yes. Use the same amount by weight, and the cookies will be slightly lighter in color and softer.
Do I need to toast the coconut for coconut chocolate chip cookies?
You do not have to, but toasting adds deeper flavor and keeps the coconut from tasting flat.
How do I keep coconut chocolate chip cookies soft?
Do not overbake them, and store them in an airtight container with a slice of bread.
Can I use sweetened coconut?
Yes, but the cookies will be slightly sweeter, so you may want to reduce the sugar a little.
Can I freeze the dough?
Yes. Scoop the dough into balls, freeze them, and bake from frozen for a minute or two longer.
Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies with Freshly Milled Flour
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Wire rack
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated cane sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 270 grams freshly milled soft white wheat flour about 2 cups, or all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks
- ½ cup coconut flakes toasted
Instructions
Cooking
- Toast. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Toast the coconut for 3 to 5 minutes, then cool.
- Cream. Beat the butter and both sugars until smooth, then beat in the egg and vanilla.
- Add dry. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt, then mix into the butter mixture until just combined.
- Fold. Stir in the chocolate chips and toasted coconut.
- Scoop. Drop spoonfuls onto a parchment-lined sheet, a few inches apart.
- Bake. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are golden. Cool on the pan briefly, then on a rack.
