This is the Only Cookie for the Coconut Obsessed

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Chewy, golden, and absolutely packed with coconut, these Chewy Coconut Cookies are one of my newest favorites. They have toasted coconut inside the dough and are rolled in shredded coconut before being baked. And, the result is a cookie that’s soft, chewy, and stays that way for days. Coconut lovers, this is YOUR cookie.

Chewy coconut cookies are piled high on a black ceramic plate over a wooden tabletop.

My friends, I couldn’t hide my love for coconut desserts if I tried. Coconut is central to so many of my favorite recipes. These coconut pecan cookies are a fabulous example. And, I’ve got a whole list of all my favorite coconut desserts ready and waiting for you to try next.

So, when I say these cookies are a coconut lover’s dream, I mean it. There are three forms of coconut in these cookies: toasted coconut folded directly into the dough, untoasted coconut rolled on the outside, and even a splash of coconut extract!

Chewy Coconut Cookies

The magic of pudding cookies like these is in how chewy they get in the oven, and how long they stay chewy. Usually, I do that with a package of pudding mix. But, for this recipe, we actually don’t use pudding at all!

The trick is cornstarch. A spoonful of cornstarch, a little extra sugar, and an extra splash of vanilla, and you get the same fantastic pudding cookie texture along with all that lovely chew. Three to four days later? Still soft and chewy. And, that’s the kind of kitchen magic that I just have to share!

Coconut and toasted coconut are mixed into the cookie dough in a stand mixer.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Butter and Eggs – I use salted butter in my baking, unless otherwise noted. And, pretty much every baked good is going to include eggs. Forget them once, and you’ll see why!

Sugars – I use only light brown sugar for these cookies instead of a mix of sugars. The molasses in it adds moisture, which is part of why these stay chewy so long.

Flour and Cornstarch – You want regular all-purpose flour for these cookies. I also add cornstarch, which is what replaces the pudding mix. It traps moisture which is what gives them such pillowy, chewy texture.

Extracts – I add plenty of vanilla extract and a bit of coconut extract too. The coconut extract may be optional, but if you love coconut as much as I do, it’s really not.

Baking Soda – I use baking soda for the leavener.

Toasted Coconut – Two and a half cups of toasted sweetened shredded coconut goes into the dough. Toasting it first brings out a nuttier, deeper coconut flavor that the raw coconut just doesn’t have.

Untoasted Coconut – This is what you roll the dough balls in before baking. It stays lighter and softer on the outside of the cookie while they bake.

Chocolate Chips – The chocolate is optional. But, I typically include them. Because chocolate and coconut together are definitely more than the sum of their parts.

Notes on Equipment

Large mixing bowl
Hand mixer or stand mixer
Baking sheet
Cookie scoop – I like using an actual cookie scoop to measure out the dough because it helps to make sure the cookies come out the same size. And, that means they cook at the same rate!
Parchment paper
Stackable wire cooling racks – I didn’t realize how much I would love these racks, until I used them. I can bake multiple trays back-to-back without having cookies cooling all over my countertops.

A cookie scoop rests atop the cookie down in a mixing bowl next to a baking sheet.

How to Make Chewy Coconut Cookies

Preheating: Set the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Creaming the Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. This takes a couple of minutes with a hand mixer or stand mixer.

Adding the Wet Ingredients: Add the eggs, vanilla, and coconut extract. Beat until fully incorporated.

Mixing the Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, you can measure in the flour, corn starch, and baking soda. Give them a good mix.

Combining: Slowly add in the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ones. Make sure it’s well incorporated before moving on. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if you need to.

Folding in the Coconut: I add the toasted coconut (and chocolate chips, if you’re using them) and gently stir to mix them throughout the dough. It will be thick and chunky.

Scooping and Rolling: Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon amounts and roll into balls. Place the untoasted coconut in a shallow dish and roll each dough ball in it before placing on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Give them some space to breathe on the sheet pan.

Baking: You’re going to want to pop them into the oven for 11-12 minutes, until barely cooked through.

Cooling: Let them cool for a minute on the tray and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

A top down close up of cookies on a blue and black plate with a tea towel around it.

Expert Tip

The number one enemy of this chewy coconut cookies recipe is too much time in the oven. Do NOT let these cookies brown. For a perfect cookie, you want to remove them from the oven when they’re still puffy (only the slightest golden edge visible at the bottom), and then let them cool on a wire rack. They’ll continue to set up as they cool. If you wait until they look done in the oven, they’ll be overbaked by the time they hit the rack. When in doubt, pull them a minute early.

Toast the Coconut First – The toasted coconut needs to be ready before you start the dough. Toast it in a dry skillet until golden. Let it cool completely before adding it to the dough for these cookies.

Don’t Skip Rolling – Rolling each dough ball in untoasted coconut before baking gives the outside of the cookie a different texture than the inside. You get that softer, lighter coconut on the surface and the deeper, toasted coconut throughout. It’s like getting two cookies in one.

Freeze the Dough – This cookie dough can be frozen until ready to bake. Scoop into balls and flash freeze on a paper plate or tray. Transfer the frozen dough to a zip-close freezer bag. Bake from frozen (add an extra 2-3 minutes) or thaw and then bake.

Creaming the Sugar: There’s actual science behind what it means to cream the butter and sugar together. The idea is that you want the butter and the sugar to meld into one cohesive soft consistency. Even if you think it’s finished, beat it for at least 2 minutes, because this adds air to make them even lighter and fluffier.

Serving Suggestions

Are you a cookie lover? Are you a coconut lover? Just add these chewy coconut cookies to the lineup with my kitchen sink cookies, coconut lime sugar cookies, and blueberry oatmeal cookies and you’ll have the ultimate coconut cookie lover’s tray in no time.

If you are making these cookies into a full on event, then you absolutely need to try them with my caramel pumpkin milkshake. Or, for something lighter, you could go with my cherry milkshake or this strawberry banana milkshake.

Coconut cookies (some with chocolate chips) cool on a multi-level wire rack.

Make Ahead & Storage

Make Ahead: The dough for these cookies freezes beautifully. Scoop it into balls, flash freeze on a tray, and transfer to a freezer bag. Having a bag of these in the freezer means fresh cookies whenever you want them.

How to Store: Store completely cool cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. They genuinely stay chewy for 3-4 days. No exaggeration.

How to Reheat: If you’re making these from the freezer, just be sure to add a few extra minutes to the cook time in the oven. Or, thaw the dough first.

More Coconut Recipes

Why do these cookies stay chewy for so long?

This is the magic of cornstarch. It does the same thing pudding mix does in a pudding cookie, which is trap moisture and inhibit gluten. That’s why they’re soft days later.

Can I use unsweetened coconut?

You can, but the cookies will be less sweet. And, sweetened shredded coconut is softer and moister, which contributes to the chewiness. If you go unsweetened, you might want to add a little extra sugar to compensate.

Do I have to toast the coconut?

For the coconut that goes IN the dough, yes. Toasting brings out a deeper, nuttier flavor that raw coconut just doesn’t have. The coconut you roll the balls in stays untoasted on purpose. Trust me, you want that contrast.

My cookies spread out too much. What happened?

It could be several things. Not enough flour. The butter and/or dough was too warm. Your baking soda might be too old. Any of these can contribute to the issue. Start by chilling the dough to see if that fixes things. If not, add some more flour. If that doesn’t work, it’s likely the leavener.