Remember how I said the Christmas ornament cookies weren’t the best thing to make if you’ve never baked anything before? These cookies are a much better option for beginners… or for anyone who wants some delicious cookies without a ton of fuss.
The recipe has developed over time: It all started a few years ago, when we lived in Annapolis and I started experimenting with using coconut oil instead of butter in baked goods. Since the oil lends a vague coconut scent but no coconut flavor, I also added some shredded coconut to most of the experiements. Our neighbors at the time, Kevin and Joanne, were big fans of the results, and I added double coconut, double chocolate chip cookies to my repertoire.
Later, I learned that Kevin also likes oatmeal cookies, and I made some version of oatmeal-coconut-chocolate chip to smuggle into the Nationals’ stadium for his birthday one year. Now, Kevin and Joanne and their adorable sons live in San Diego, but Kevin is deployed on a ship in the Pacific Ocean. So I thought I should reprise the oatmeal-coconut-chocolate chip cookies (along with some goat-shaped sugar cookies) for a December care package.
I used coconut oil in these because that’s what I’m used to doing, and I feel like it helps keep them soft (this could be something I made up in my brain, though). You could easily substitute the same amount of unsalted butter instead, if you don’t have coconut oil in the cupboard. I would not recommend using a different kind of oil, though, and I don’t really know if margarine will work.
I’ve baked these twice in the past month or so, and they’ve gone over very well both times, with kids and adults (though I’m not sure if Kevin has received the care package yet). I hope you like them, too!
Oatmeal-coconut-chocolate chip cookies (Makes about 3 dozen cookies)
8 tablespoons coconut oil
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon Kosher salt (plus more for sprinkling)
1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats
1 cup sweetened flake coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup bittersweet or dark chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large mixing bowl with a hand-held electric mixer, beat the coconut oil for about a minute, then add the sugars, salt and vanilla. Beat for a few minutes, until very well mixed (it will probably look like wet sand at this point).
Beat the egss in one at a time, then add half of the flour and mix just until combined. Add the other half of the flour and all of the baking soda and mix until just combined.
Stir in the oats, coconut, pecans, chocolate chips.
Use a spoon and your hands to form the dough into ovals, and place them about 2 inches apart with the long side vertical (they should be tall on the cookie sheet). Sprinkle some kosher salt over the tops of all the cookie balls before putting the pans in the oven.
Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they are golden around the edges and the centers appear almost set. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the cookies cool on the pans for about five minutes before using a spatula to move them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.