Okay, I have to tell you the truth. These chewy coconut chocolate chip cookies only happened because I had shredded coconut in the pantry and a general inability to leave a perfectly good chocolate chip cookie recipe alone (you know how I am, haha).

The result? A soft, chewy cookie packed with chocolate chips and coconut that somehow feels a little more interesting than a classic chocolate chip cookie without requiring any extra effort. Which, as you know, is my favorite kind of recipe.

If you’re the type of person who sneaks coconut straight from the bag while baking, you’re really going to like these.

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Why You’ll Love These Chewy Little Cookies

These cookies are soft, chewy, easy to make, and loaded with chocolate and coconut in every bite. The coconut adds a little texture and just enough flavor to make people ask what makes these cookies so good without immediately realizing it’s the coconut.

Ingredient Notes

• As usual, we’re using unsalted butter so we we can control the level of salt in the cookies.
• You can use either light or dark brown sugar, but I almost always use dark brown sugar for more chew and that rich caramel-y flavor that’s the best in cookies. These cookies also have more brown sugar than white sugar for a chewier cookie. It’s very much intentional.
• Use sweetened shredded coconut. It stays soft and blends beautifully into the cookie dough.
• I like to use semi-sweet chocolate chips (regular size or even super-sized, as pictured), but you could toss in whatever you have or love.

Mixing Bowls

These sturdy stoneware mixing bowls are perfect for baking, prepping, serving, and everyday kitchen use.

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Step-By-Step Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugar, and brown sugar together with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy.
3. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until just combined.
4. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt and mix until a soft dough forms. If some flour remains that’s okay, we’re going to mix it again when we fold in the chips and coconut.
5. Using a rubber spatula or a large spoon, fold in the chocolate chips and shredded coconut.
6. Using a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving a little space between each cookie for some spreading.
7. Bake the cookies for 10-11 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers still look slightly underdone. Thell settle as they cool.
8. If the cookies are wildly misshapen, carefully nudge them back into shape with the edge of a spatula or use a round cutter to gently swirl them until they’re round.
9. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.

Recipe Tips & Notes

• Fluff, spoon and level your flour rather than scooping directly from the bag. Too much flour will make these cookies thick and dense.
• Underbaking is the move here. To keep the chewy texture the cookies should come out when the centers are still soft, but the edges are set. They’ll continue setting as they cool.
• If you want a stronger coconut flavor, add 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract along with the vanilla extract. A little goes a long way.
• If you love coconut, sprinkle a little extra on top before baking (it makes them pretty too).
• This cookie dough freezes really well if you’d rather save some cookies for later. Future-you will appreciate the effort.

Storage & Reheating

Store the leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

For longer storage, freeze baked cookies in a freezer-safe container or Ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Let them thaw at room temperature or warm one in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds if you like a soft, fresh-baked texture.

To freeze the cookie dough, scoop the dough into balls and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze until solid, then transfer the dough balls to a freezer-safe bag or container. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.

When you’re ready to bake, place the frozen dough balls directly on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F. Add 1 to 3 extra minutes to the baking time. No need to thaw first, which is nice because cookie cravings rarely come with advance notice, haha.

Chewy Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

By: Kristine Underwood

Soft and chewy coconut chocolate chip cookies made with sweetened shredded coconut and chocolate chips. These easy homemade cookies have crisp edges, soft centers, and just the right amount of coconut flavor in every bite.

4.74 from 15 votes

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Course Sweets & Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 14 cookies

Calories 224 kcal

Equipment

• Baking sheets
• 3 tablespoon cookie scoop

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark, packed)
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup flour (all-purpose, spooned and leveled)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips (any kind, but I use semi-sweet)
• 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars together with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1–2 minutes, until light and fluffy.
• Add egg and vanilla extract and mix for another minute, until fully incorporated.
• Add flour, baking soda, and sea salt. Mix just until crumbly because we’re going to continue mixing it when we fold in the chocolate chips and sprinkles.
• Using a large spoon or rubber spatula fold in chocolate chips and shredded coconut and mix until a soft even dough forms.
• Using a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop dough onto lined cookie sheets 2 inches apart.
• Bake for 10-11 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through to ensure even baking.
• Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes prior to transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Store cookies in an airtight container for 3-5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

• Fluff, spoon and level your flour rather than scooping directly from the bag. Too much flour will make these cookies thick and dense.
• Underbaking is the move here. To keep the chewy texture the cookies should come out when the centers are still soft, but the edges are set. They’ll continue setting as they cool.
• If you love coconut, sprinkle a little extra on top before baking.
• This cookie dough freezes really well if you’d rather save some cookies for later. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1 cookieCalories: 224kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 2gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 140mgPotassium: 84mgFiber: 1gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 223IUVitamin C: 0.02mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 1mg