Chewy coconut oatmeal cookies are the ultimate five-ingredient cookie, irresistible to any coconut lover, grab a mixing bowl and get started.
Did I mention that oatmeal coconut cookies are gluten and dairy free? This is an oatmeal cookie recipe without flour or dairy.
Oatmeal Coconut Cookies
These cookies are so chewy, so irresistible, I actually burned my mouth eating a second cookie while they were still piping hot from the oven.
If you have a coconut lover in your life, you need these coconut lover’s cookies. This is the chewiest, most coconut filled cookie I have ever tasted.
With just a handful of ingredients, a bowl, and a spoon, you can stir these coconut oatmeal cookies together in about three minutes. They are beyond easy to make!
The only ingredients that you’ll need are:
- coconut oil
- light brown sugar
- egg
- old fashioned oats
- sweetened coconut flakes
If you truly love coconut, if you would happily eat shredded coconut by the spoonful, if you think there is no such thing as too much coconut, you’ll probably love these as much as I do.
True confession: I wound up eating these cookies for my lunch, dinner, and breakfast the following morning.
While I enjoy most desserts, my sweet tooth is usually pretty easily satisfied with just a couple of cookies. The oatmeal coconut cookies were so good that I found them completely irresistible.
Coconut Oil Oatmeal Cookies
I’ve made lots of coconut treats that use sweetened coconut flakes in the dough. Toffee Coconut Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies combine some of my favorite things into one delicious cookie and I’ll never turn down Coconut Scone Cookies for breakfast.
For these cookies, I got even more coconut flavor into the cookies by using melted coconut oil in the dough.
Coconut oil acts very similarly to butter when baked resulting in a flaky, moist cookie. It also makes this recipe completely dairy free.
I love baking for people and knowing that I can share these favorite cookies with both my dairy free friends and wheat free friends is delightful! That said, most people would never guess these cookies don’t have any butter in them.
Gluten Free Coconut Cookies
Did I mention that Oatmeal Coconut Cookies are also gluten free? This is an oatmeal cookie recipe without flour.
Rolled oats are combined with the coconut, coconut oil, brown sugar, and eggs to make the dough.
PLEASE NOTE: This is a loose cookie “dough,” as you can see in the video. You’ll need to press the cookies together with your hands after scooping them onto the cookie sheet.
Oatmeal Cookie Recipes
A chewy oatmeal cookie is always welcome on my snack plate. From classic Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies to Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies and Cranberry Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies, I love them all.
Oatmeal cookies have inspired plenty of other meals, snacks and treats that my family enjoys too.
If you haven’t tried my Chewy Raisin Baked Oatmeal Cups for breakfast, add it to your list, along with Oatmeal Cookie Ice Cream.
If you love the combination of coconut flakes and oatmeal in these Coconut Lover’s Oatmeal Cookies, you’ll also enjoy these Coconut Oatmeal Cookie Dough Bites that I shared a while back. They’re delightfully bite sized treats packet with coconut flavor.
Give our Pineapple and Coconut Baked Oatmeal recipe a try to add a tropical twist to your next breakfast! I’ve also been eyeing the recipe for Coconut Baked French Toast with Oatmeal Crumble I found over on Foodie Crush. Doesn’t that sound incredible?
Oatmeal Cookies with Coconut
I cannot wait for my fellow coconut fans to give this recipe a go. You’ll be amazed by how few ingredients it takes to create a cookie that satisfies all your coconut cravings.
Be sure to let these cookies cool at least 5 or 10 minutes before taking a bite! The incredible smell of these treats as I pulled them from the oven got the best of me and I wound up burning my mouth because I just couldn’t wait. Learn from my impatience!
Everything about these oatmeal coconut cookies is delicious. Slightly crisp on the outside with plenty of coconut flavor and brown sugar sweetness, these are oatmeal cookies I’ll be making again and again for years to come.
Kitchen Tip: I use these bowls, this scoop, this spatula, and this baking sheet to make this recipe.
If you’re as big a fan of the oatmeal + coconut combination as we are, you’ll want to check out the recipes too!
Juicy bites of pineapple, mixed with chewy oats and sweet coconut to give this Pineapple Baked Oatmeal a fun tropical twist.
Coconut Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies have the crisp edges and soft centers that everyone craves. They are loaded with coconut and cranberries and they have been a hit with everyone who tries them.
Chewy bites of oatmeal cookie dough are filled with coconut, tart dried apple bits, and cranberries to create the Coconut Oatmeal Edible Cookie Dough that’s a total win with my family.
For more coconut deliciousness, you’ll want to try my grandmother’s Coconut Bars are a childhood favorite that I still dearly love today. And this Coconut Pound Cake is so good that I often serve and eat it without any glaze at all.
The Coconut Meyer Lemon Meringue Cake by Comfortably Domestic puts a coconut spin on the classic lemon meringue dessert. This Coconut Rice Pudding by The Noshery is a must-try for all of you rice pudding fans out there. And these Coconut Cream Cheesecake Bars by Love from the Oven are yet another option to try.
oh! Last but not least, Coconut Scone Cookies? You need to try them too!
Can you tell that I really, really, unabashedly LOVE coconut?
Coconut Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup melted or very soft coconut oil
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 cups old fashioned oats
- 1½ cups sweetened coconut flakes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Stir together the coconut oil, sugar, and egg until smooth. Add the oats and stir until well combined. Stir in the coconut.
- Scoop 2 tablespoon portions onto a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet. Press the cookies together with your hands, as needed.
- Bake for 12 minutes and then let cool at least 5, preferably 10 minutes, before removing to a wire rack or plate. Store in an airtight container. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
{originally published 5/26/14 – recipe notes and photos updated 12/22/22}
Lulu says
Ok so the taste was great! But I wasn’t too sure about them falling apart as others said so I did what one person suggested and pressed it all into a 9″glass pan. They were still pretty crumbly even kept in the fridge so I started breaking up a square, adding blueberries and milk and voila! I’ll make this as a lovely sweet breakfast cereal from now on!
The taste was good enough that I’ll give it another go in the pan with a 2nd egg and a bit of xanthan gum to try to bind it this time.
Thanks!
Laura Dembowski says
I made these with some honey since you mentioned they fall apart a little and loved them! I am bringing them to one of my gluten free friends. I just posted about them on my blog and would love if you would stop by!
Sharon says
How much honey did you use……..did you reduce the brown sugar?
Lisa says
Amazing!! …perfect combo of macaroon and oatmeal cookie!! Thank you! I added 1/4 salt for our taste. I’ve also made these with 365 Curry Spice coconut flakes. You can’t go wrong with these. I scooped them using a 2T cookie scooper (the kind that looks like a mini ice cream scoop with the metal swiping bar). I pressed again the bowl before putting on the tray then formed each into a flatter cookie shape with my fingers. These are super easy and I had absolutely no issue with them crumbling. I did let them cool on the cookie sheet for about 10-15 minutes before removing them. I baked on a 1/2 sheet aluminum tray with parchment for 12 minutes just like instructed. Crispy edges, chewy middle. YUM!
MY says
Can I use canolo oil instead of coconut oil?
Mary says
I honestly have no idea how that will work. It works with butter, but I’ve never substituted another oil.
Mary says
Great cookies. I added 3spoons of almond flour( it was too soft because I had less than two cups of oatmeal flakes) and I did not add the coconut flakes at the end. I kept them in refrigerators for 5 min before placing in the pan.They are amazing! Thank you so much.
Marie says
Be sure to use gluten free oats if you’re making these for someone with Celiac Disease or another medical reason for avoiding gluten. Most oats are NOT gluten free!
robin curran says
the recipe was so simple and wholesome so I gave it a try, though admit I was skeptical after mixing it all as they fell apart and I couldn’t seem to make into a cookie…. put in the fridge for 15 mins, then FIRMLY pressed into 2T scoops, baked exactly 12 mins (still falling apart a bit) and let cool. After cooling they held together much better! Slightly crumbly but very doable and so yummy! will for sure make these again 🙂
robin curran says
please is there nutritional info on this recipe? i would really like to know how many calories in each cookie? thanks
Nancy J Vaghy says
I did not find the dough loose at all. I just mixed each step really really well. The dough stayed together on the parchment paper. I also used a cookie scoop. I also left on cookie sheet for 15 minutes and then moved to wire rack. They were Delicious, what a great gluten free option and I’m not even a gluten free person but my sister-in-law is and I made them for her birthday and she loved them and had to hide them from my brother, lol Thanks for a great yummy recipe!
Lori says
Thank you so much for this recipe!! It is to die for! I made two batches because the first disappeared so quickly! I added some salt which was delicious and made them with UNSWEETENED coconut. They had just the perfect amount of sweetness! I wouldn’t want them any sweeter. Thanks again!
Charlotte says
Is it in deg f? If not what is it in degrees?
If someone replys plz do before Friday. This is for school so there would be no point after.
Charlotte says
Deg C is what I meant. What is it in Deg C?
Mary says
350 F is 165 C. Happy baking, Charlotte.
layla says
These were so yummy. I will definitely keep using this website because i am allergic to gluten.
Thank you
Mary Younkin says
I’m glad you enjoyed the cookies, Layla!
Mary says
Can these be frozen for a few weeks? How about your Flourless Chocolate Brownie Cookies?
Mary Younkin says
Both cookie recipes can be frozen, Mary.
Mary says
Great combination of crispy yet chewy; will definitely make them again.
I tried forming them into balls but found it easier when I pressed them firmly into a heaping 1 Tbsp measure. The batch made when I melted the coconut oil before mixing cooked in 12 minutes. When I didn’t melt the coconut oil for the second batch, they baked in the oil puddles and needed a few extra minutes. Cooling in the pan for at least 10 minutes helped them mostly stay together.
Mary Younkin says
I’m thrilled that you like the cookies, Mary!
Wendy says
This cookie is easy to make and delicious. So happy to have a cookie that doesn’t upset my stomach and is yummy.
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad you are enjoying the cookies, Wendy.
Meri says
These are superb! I added half a bag of milk chocolate chips and they were the delight of company tonight as well as my husband. Doesnt make very many normal sized cookies however… 18.
Mary Younkin says
I’m so happy that you are enjoying these cookies, Meri!
Gen says
They are in the oven now! Had most ingredients as staples so I’ll see how they go.
Cheers
Mary Younkin says
I hope you love the cookies, Gen!
Margaret says
I love coconut! I had all the ingredients or so I thought. I was out of oatmeal but had “Better Oats” instant oatmeal with flax seeds, Blueberry Muffin flavor . I had 5 pouches left and that was what I used. I added more coconut flakes. I cooked them up as bars instead of cookies. The batter tasted heavenly. Bars were amazing. A little crumbly but amazing! I can’t wait to make this recipe again!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so happy you liked the recipe, Margaret!
Denise Schuler says
Hello,
Can you substitute banana and honey for the sugar?
Mary Younkin says
Well, that’s certainly worth trying, but I can’t speak to how it will work as I haven’t tried it myself. If you do try it, be sure to let us know how it works out.
Mary says
Did not stay together well at all. Almost needed another egg or something. Will not make again. Too messy!
Mary Younkin says
Sorry to hear that these weren’t your thing, Mary. The cookie dough is very loose and needs to be pressed together before baking (as noted above and pictured in the recipe video) however the cookies should bake up just fine.