Which oats are best to use for cookies?

Old-fashioned oats, sometimes called rolled oats are my oats of choice. They don’t break down quickly like quick cooking oats when baked and they provide a great nutty flavor and chewy texture.

What makes cookies dry?

Usually, cookies are dry if the dough contains too much flour. This is why accurate measuring of your flour is so important. Using quick-cooking oats can also cause your cookies to turn out dry because they basically disintegrate into the dough and act like extra flour would. Old-fashioned oats are the way to go!

How do you know when cookies are done?

Look for the coconut chocolate chip cookies to turn golden brown around the edges and for the middle to be soft but not jiggly. They will continue to bake and firm up as they come out of the oven.

Chewy Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

Soft, Crispy, and Loaded with Flavor

As if chocolate chip cookies couldn’t get any better, along comes this exciting twist! These oatmeal coconut chocolate chip cookies are a combination of chocolate chip cookies, almond joy cookies, and oatmeal cookies all rolled into one!

To say that we’re all obsessed with these cookies would be an understatement. I mean, what’s not to love? They’re crispy and buttery and they’re bursting with coconut and chocolate! It can’t get any better.

The oats give this cookie a wonderful chewy texture which goes really well with a cold glass of milk if you’re into that kind of thing. Which I am!

You can also make the dough ahead and keep it in the fridge overnight or even in the freezer for up to 3 months. This means that you can enjoy warm fresh-from-the-oven chocolate chip cookies with coconut whenever the mood strikes!

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

Butter: Make sure to leave the butter out an hour before making the cookies or follow these tips on how to soften butter. If you’re using salted butter, omit ½ teaspoon of salt from the recipe.
Old-fashioned oats: These can sometimes be called rolled oats. Use old-fashioned oats and not quick-cooking oats, or you may end up with dry cookies.
Shredded coconut: You can go with either sweetened or unsweetened coconut based on your preference. For added flavor, try toasting the coconut before adding it to the dough!
Chocolate chips: I like to use semisweet chocolate chips, but you can easily substitute your favorite kind of chip.
Vanilla extract: I prefer to use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.

Variations

I promise you that this coconut chocolate chip cookie recipe is super delicious if you simply follow it as written. But also, if you’re like me and you like to take a recipe and make it your own, there are a lot of options with this cookie.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Add half a teaspoon of cinnamon to the dry ingredients for a hint of warmth.
Use another flavor of chip like white chocolate or butterscotch.
Throw in some toasted walnuts or pecans for added crunch or just make these loaded cowboy cookies recipe!

Cream. In the large bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars together until smooth and creamy. Then beat in the egg and vanilla.
Blend. Add the dry ingredients plus some of the chocolate chips to a blender and pulse a few times until the oats and chocolate chips are broken into pieces.
Combine. Mix the flour mixture with the wet ingredients until just combined. Then fold in the coconut and remaining oats and chocolate chips.
Scoop and bake. Use a large cookie scoop or 2 tablespoons to scoop the dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until the coconut chocolate chip cookies are golden.

Expert Tips

Measure accurately. I know I say this all the time when it comes to baking, but it really does make a difference. You can still get great results without a food scale, so check out my guide to measuring flour for the best technique to use.
Get the perfect shape. If you’re looking for a perfectly round cookie shape, use a spoon or a spatula to gently push the edges of the baked cookies towards the center to bring them back into a round shape.
Add more chocolate chips. Sometimes I like to add extra chocolate chips to the tops of the cookies just before baking to give extra chocolate. flavor. You can also press a few extra on top right when the cookies comes out of the oven.

Make Ahead

This cookie dough can be made up to 24 hours in advance and stored, covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake the cookies.

If you don’t think you’ll be ready to bake for a while, or you have some left over, you can prepare it and freeze the cookie dough to bake later. This way you can have fresh-from-the-oven cookies whenever you want!

Some even say that cookie dough that has the chance to chill tastes even better than if you bake it while it’s freshly made. Either way, I think they taste delicious!

Storing

Room temperature: Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freezer: For longer storage of baked cookies, you can freeze them for up to 3 months. I like to freeze them on a cookie sheet first and then place them into a zip-top plastic bag. Thaw the cookies overnight in the refrigerator before enjoying them or leave them at room temperature for an hour or so.