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Carolina Coconut Cookies

Chewy-crispy-delicious and so easy to make.

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I am usually a chocolate chip girl, but when I saw the recipe for these I immediately knew I just had to make them. (And that I’d love them too.) With a promise of a texture that’s both chewy and crispy and all the coconut flavor your heart could desire, they looked positively irresistible. And they are. They deliver in every way – they’re an easy drop cookie that’s positively scrumptious and a delightful departure from your usual cookie routine.

I love coconut in all sorts of things but I’ve always especially loved the texture it gives baked goods. These cookies have that signature chewy coconut feel that I was looking for, but don’t feel tropical-coconut like so many desserts aim to be when they incorporate it. Instead, they’re chewy and buttery and just sweet enough with a tender interior and a crispy sugar crunch around the edges.

I’m more than a little bit in love with them and part of the reason for that is they’re so easy to make. I save “hassle baking” like frosted layer cakes and rolled cut-out cookies for special occasions, but these are a drop cookie with no chilling time that’s simple enough for your everyday life. That’s my kind of cookie.

It’s just a quick basic cookie dough base (butter, brown and white sugar, flour, eggs, etc) with some flaked coconut stirred in and rolled onto the exterior and then fifteen minutes of baking time. A little sprinkle of demerera sugar adds a little something-something to these – a little crunch to contrast all the coconut chew. They’re definitely a new favorite for me and I can’t imagine that anything is going to knock them out of that position!

Yield(s): Yield 20 cookies

10m prep time

20m cook time

4.1
Rated 4.1 out of 5
Rated by 8 reviewers

Allergens: Gluten, Eggs

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Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups coconut flakes, sweetened or unsweetened
  • Coarse sugar for topping, such as turbinado or Demerara
Preparation
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, stir together butter, sugars, and egg until smooth. Add vanilla and baking soda and stir to combine.
  3. Gradually add flour and salt, stirring between additions. Mix until just combined. Add 1 1/2 cups of the coconut and stir in.
  4. Scoop dough out in 2 tablespoon portions. Roll in reserved coconut and place on prepared baking sheets, spaced 2 inches apart.
  5. Bake until lightly golden brown, 12-16 minutes. Top with coarse sugar and return to oven for 2-3 more minutes.
  6. Let cool on baking sheet 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Cafe Sucre Farine.