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}
Letha says
Made these this afternoon. I was cleaning out my pantry and needed to use up some oats and coconut. Scooped them onto the pan with a 2T scoop and pressed them a bit so they would stay together. Baked 15 minutes instead of 12. Coconut started to turn a pretty caramel brown on top but it was perfect. Let them sit on the pan for 15 minutes. Super yummy. Maybe a tad sweet for my taste. Might cut the brown sugar down to 1/3 cup and see how that works. Will definitely make these again. Hubs suggested drizzle some melted chocolate over them after they are done. Great idea!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad you like the cookies, Letha!
rose M says
all ingredients I have at home. Must try when I get home
Mary Younkin says
I hope you love the cookies, Rose. Let me know what you think!
Jellybean mom says
Can I use butter instead of coconut oil?
Mary Younkin says
Yes, that will also work!
Sarah says
I cut back on the sugar a bit by using about 1/4 cup of honey instead of the brown sugar, and unsweetened coconut flakes, and not only do I think the honey helped hold things together better but the cookies were just mildly sweet and delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
Mary Younkin says
That sounds great, Sarah!
Gayle says
Will this recipe work with butter as well as it did with coconut oil?
Mary Younkin says
Yes, it will work with butter, Gayle.
Karen Eastman says
Can brown sugar be used in three ingredient peanut butter cookie recipe. Used white sugar they were great, would love to use brown sugar instead.
Thanks
Karen
Mary Younkin says
Sure, this works nicely with brown sugar, Karen.
Sunny says
These are so yummy !! 😄
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that you like the cookies, Sunny!
mary says
Just made these so simple and so so delicious . My daughter is allergic to dairy , tree nut and peanut but not coconut not many cookies she can have but these are great thank you so much for the recipe can’t wait to make some more
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that you like the cookies, Mary!
B says
Have these in the oven right now! Quick question though: Your serving size says 36 but (unless I did something very wrong) when I use a 2 tablespoon scoop to put them onto the sheet it only makes 16. Did you write 36 because one cookie is considered more than one serving?
Mary Younkin says
That’s really interesting. Cookies can vary in size, but I typically get 30-36 cookies in a batch. I’ll remake this recipe soon and make sure that I have that correct.
Durga says
Nice. My family liked it.
Mary Younkin says
I’m glad you’re enjoying the cookies, Durga.
Michael R Twiss says
I added a bit (1/4 c) of almond flour to help bind; placed 2 tbps of “dough in palm and squeezed by clasping before placing on sheet – this helped maintain shape and this provided good cooking distribution in each cookie at 325F with convection even for 12:22 min. Cookies look like samosas afterwards but taste much different!
Mary Younkin says
I’m happy to hear that you love the cookies, Michael.
Chapa Martino says
Loved it!!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that you are enjoying the cookies, Chapa.
Dee says
❤️❤️❤️
Gail Battle says
Hi Mary. Just wanted you to know I am crazy about coconut too. Trying your oatmeal coconut recipe today.
Mary Younkin says
I hope that you love it, Gail.
Deb Tremblay says
Do you have calories, sugars, protein etc on the cookies
Mary Younkin says
The nutritional information is in the recipe card, Deb.
Liliana says
Thank you for the recipe! Do you think it will work with fresh coconut?
Mary Younkin says
I’ve never baked with fresh coconut, Liliana. I have no idea how that might work.
Helen Krieger says
i’m glad you warned us that this was a loose cookie and I had my doubts as I scooped them out on the cookie sheet. They turned out so delicious, the coconut was perfectly toasted- I love that it uses coconut oil too. I used my baking stone and had to bake them a bit longer- 15 mins. I let them cool 12 m. and they were still a bit warm but soooo yummy. On my metal baking sheet I baked them the 12 mins. YUMMY- my hubby will love them when he gets home (there might still be 1 or 2)- LOL
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that you like the cookies, Helen.
Carrie Ann Kaye-Kuter says
So easy and so yummy! I feel like this is one of those great jump start recipes that you can add to to alter flavor. Kids throughout adding apple in the fall or cranberries and chocolate chips.
Many ideas but the recipe as is ( I made it exactly) is great and simple! I only yeilded 26 cookies though.
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that you enjoyed the cookies, Carrie Ann!
KJ says
I used liquid coconut oil way to loose so I am taking someone else idea of a little coconut flour I had .Plus I some honey. I think you really need melted or soft coconut oil
Mary Younkin says
Hi there, I use melted or soft coconut oil. Are you using a different product? If there is an oil product that stays liquid all the time, that’s news to me and you’re correct, it likely won’t work for this recipe.
Henriette Hall says
Sweet Mary,
The Coconut-Oatmeal cookies could NOT be easier
or tastier !
I made a ‘regular’ batch then I added sliced almonds to another..
Holiday time– I may add a few bits of cherries too.
Made the easy peanut butter cookies..
Same..good..good…good !!
Both recipes double easily.
Only problem is hard to stop eating, so I took a cookie box full
of both to my much appreciative neighbor.
You know, I have not made 1 recipe of yours that was difficult
or not delicious !
Mary Younkin says
I’m so very happy that you love the cookies, Henny!