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Oatmeal Coconut Cookies are a deliciously tropical twist on the classic oatmeal cookie. They are so tasty, it’s impossible to only eat one!
Just a little bit of coconut really steps up the game on these cookies! If you enjoy the flavor and texture of coconut, you might like Coconut Cream Pie, or Coconut Cake as well!
A coconut-y twist
We love baking cookies in our home, like A LOT!! The kids love helping and we all love eating!!
One of our all-time favorites is this Oatmeal Coconut Cookies recipe (they’re different from our Classic Oatmeal Cookies recipe, which we love too).
I will admit that I was a little hesitant to try them at first because they seemed so plain, but they were good!! And what’s crazy is I do not think it’s possible to eat just one. Seriously!
There is something so addicting about these oatmeal cookies that it’s so hard to contain yourself and not eat too many. They’re soft, chewy and so flavorful!
We got the recipe from my mom’s friend, Pat, years ago and have been making them ever since. Yes, I understand that many like to have those extra ingredients like chocolate chips or M&Ms, but these Oatmeal Coconut Cookies are perfect as is.
These Oatmeal Coconut Cookies are simple to make too which makes them even more popular. 😉
How to make Oatmeal Coconut Cookies
Like I said – they’re so easy!!
WET INGREDIENTS. Cream together butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla. Set aside.
DRY INGREDIENTS. Mix all dry ingredients together in a separate bowl. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix well.
BAKE. Spoon onto greased baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes.
That’s it – simple and SO good. WARNING: Try not to eat more than 5! 😉
coconut cookie FAQ
If your cookie dough seems dry, add 1/2 tsp liquid such as applesauce, vegetable oil, milk or butter. Be very careful not to add too much.
Also, be aware that adding ingredients may cause a flavor change. Your best bet is to use an ingredient that is already listed in the recipe.
Sweetened or unsweetened coconut: The two are interchangeable. If a recipe doesn’t clarify which to use it generally means to use sweetened as it is more widely known and available.
However, if a recipe specifically calls for one or the other I would stick to their suggestion as the other ingredients may have been adjusted to take the coconut into account.
Oatmeal: Since quick oats are just smaller pieces of rolled oats you can use them interchangeably. Deciding which to use depends and what texture you are going for. You can even use half of one and half of the other.
Baking time: Every oven is so different, but it just depends on yours and where you live. Sometimes these cookies bake in 7 and sometimes 10 which is a huge difference, so you may just need to keep an eye on them until they are very slightly browned. 🙂
Storing Tips
Storing Cookie dough
STORE the dough in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
To FREEZE, form the dough into balls, place them on a baking sheet and freeze for about 2 hours. Then, transfer the dough balls into an airtight freezer safe container. You can freeze them for 3-6 months
STORE cooled cookies to cool and store in an airtight container. The cookies will keep for 3-5 days at room temperature or for 6 months in the freezer.
Let me know if you decide to try these coconut cookies out. Although there is a cup of coconut, it’s not super coconut-y. And they always turn out so soft!!
For more oatmeal cookies, check out:
- Chocolate Coconut Oatmeal Cookies
- Old-Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
- Oatmeal Cookie Energy Bites
- Two Chip Oatmeal Cherry Cookies
Oatmeal Coconut Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup coconut
- 2 cups oatmeal
- 1 teaspoon almond extract optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cream together butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla. Set aside.
- Mix all dry ingredients together in a separate bowl.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix well.
- Spoon onto greased baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes. ENJOY!
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made these cookies; used a cookie scoop that was 1 Tbsp and flattened them a bit before baking. They were delicious! Thank you. But wonder if I could add some spice to the mix to heighten the flavour… maybe allspice? Cinnamon? Nutmeg?
I’m glad you enjoyed the cookies. You can certainly add your own twist and add spices to the batter.
My husband and I are trying to be good but both of us felt like a snack. Not much in the house but remembered I bought coconut and always have oats so I came across your recipe and found these cookies and was so impressed I actually had everything including the organic almond extract!!! They were easy and so tasty! I made exactly as written but I saved half the dough and I’m going to experiment with perhaps some toasted coconut or chocolate chips or sandwich between a layer of seedless raspberry jam or use as my “ bread” for a kick ass ice cream sandwich! I think this would be great as a cookie base for any cream cheese dessert concoction. So excited about this one. It’s a keeper. Thank you!
You’re welcome! I’m so glad that you found the recipe and enjoyed it! All of your variations sound delicious too.
Just made these tonight and I’m not sure if they will last until tomorrow. Lol I followed the recipe perfectly and they turned out amazing!!! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
You’re welcome!! I’m so glad you enjoyed the cookies!
My family loves these cookies. I made the cookies per your recipe with unsweetened coconut and they were delicious. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
You’re welcome!! Glad to hear they were delicious with the unsweetened coconut too.
I had to make substitutions based on what I had on hand. With that being said, these are amazing. I used 1/2 butter and 1/2 shortening. I substituted the vanilla extract for 1tsp of coconut. I also used sweetened coconut shred in place of the coconut (assuming it was supposed to be fresh coconut). I didn’t have to chill the dough- just used a cookie scoop and baked at 350 for 10 min. They’re on the softer side and I think could handle 11-12min for those who like a more well done cookie. Thankfully they didn’t come out too flat as I have seen other people comment. I’m unsure if it’s because I used a silicone baking sheet – or because I did 1/2 butter and 1/2 shortening. None the less- thank you for sharing this awesome recipe.
You’re welcome! Thanks for sharing what you did. I’m glad you enjoyed the cookies!
These cookies were so good and easy. I made 2 minor changes: toasted coconut and I rolled dough in sugar (added little crunch).
Thank you!
My cookies flattened out to paper thin (I used middle size scoop). My baking soda, baking powder are new. I did not add any additional wet ingredients. All ingredients were room temperature. They were puffy when cooking but flattened just prior to being done. I did not open the oven door to check their doneness. They are crispy on the outside, chewey towards the middle, good taste but they don’t look very pretty. Any idea why they flattened and didn’t stay a little puffy?
Chill the dough for an hour before baking. Maybe that would make a difference.
Yes, you could try chilling the dough before baking . You could also try adding a Tbsp or so more of flour to see if that helps them keep their shape a bit better after baking.
These sound amazing and can’t wait to try them. However, I would like to know if you can use unsweetened coconut? I have a bag of it at home and would like to use it
I have always made these with sweetened. You could try unsweetened and see how they turn out. The taste/texture will be slightly different. You’ll have to let us know how the cookies turn out if you do make with unsweetened.
Is it ok to use instant oatmeal?
Yes, you could use instant (quick) oats. I typically use rolled oats for these, but the other should work just fine still.
Getting ready to make these and I will follow the recipe exactly the first time. I’m wondering how it would taste if the coconut were toasted first?
You could try! I like the soft coconut in these cookies, so I don’t typically toast it first. But you could certainly give it a try. If you do, you’ll have to let us know how they turn out.