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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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
{originally published 5/26/14 – recipe notes and photos updated 12/22/22}
I’m not a good baker, but these recipes look easy and not intimidating. I’ll be trying them ASAP!
You can absolutely do it, Monica.
These are so easy to make and crazy delicious! After baking definitely let them cool completely, otherwise they will crumble. I 💜 them
Sound advice, April. I’m glad you liked the cookies.
I’ve made a version of these with (bad fats) and a trick to them not breaking up is to keep your hands wet and then when they come out of the oven let semi cool, then put the whole tray in the freezer for 5 minutes, they hold their shape! ( also i then top with some melted chocolate ) but I loved this healthier version.. thanks
Yes, Debbie, cooling cookies in the freezer for a few minutes after baking can help cookies to hold their shape. I’m so happy you’re loving the cookies. Happy baking!
I made these today and they are wonderful. I used Truvia brown sugar blend and I used the small muffin pan filled them to the top and baked as suggested then cooled and put them in the freezer for a bit. They popped right out and I put melted chocolate on top and oh my, yum.
Sounds great, Susan!
Can you use butter as a substitute for the coconut oil if you don’t have coconut oil?
Hi, Janet. Generally you can substitute butter for coconut oil 1:1, but I haven’t tried baking these cookies with butter before, so I can’t guarantee that they’ll work out quite the same way. Happy baking!
I just made the recipe for the first time and used butter since I didn’t have coconut oil. They just fell apart. Disappointed. 😒
Definitely yummy. I’d be tempted to try making them with a little less sugar and a bit less oats, the latter might help them stick together a little better. I had decent luck squeezing them into a ball in my hands before putting on the sheet, but some still came apart.
Glad to hear that you were (mostly) able to make the cookies work, Natalie. It probably would help to reduce the oats a bit if you’re having trouble keeping the mixture together. Happy baking!
How long is the shelf life in refrigerator and out of? Is 72 calories total recipe or per cookie?
That would be per cookie, Andrea. These cookies typically last a few days for us. You can freeze them in you think they’ll last longer in your house.
Can I add in stuff like raisins and flax seed?
Sure thing. That should work fine.
Hi, I loved this cookies. Since I am trying to lose weight, these were great. I substituted the sugar for stevia and they turned out amazing and healthy, thanks!
I’m so glad they worked well with the stevia!
I made these for the after party at my nephew’s piano recital. They were so easy and everyone loved them! First batch was a bit too sweet for me so I reduced the brown sugar on the second batch.
Always glad to hear that a recipe’s become a household hit. Thanks, Paula, and happy baking!
Love these cookies! So easy and relatively healthy!
Thank-you
I’m glad you like them!
Love this! Second time out I reduced the oatmeal 1/2 C and added 1/2 very chopped pecans!
I’m so glad you like the cookies! I bet they were terrific with the added nuts.
I’ve been making these for several years now with several changes: I put only about 1/3 cup sugar, add vanilla. I spread the dough on a sheet pan and make granola out of it. It’s one of my favorite lower sugar recipes! Thanks
Thanks for sharing your method, Barb. I’m glad you like the cookies so much!
Hi Mary I have made these cookies before and they were a big hit!!
It was a while back though, so I can’t remember if I used sweetened coconut or unsweetened. How do you think using unsweetened coconut would affect this recipe? Thanks
They definitely won’t be as sweet overall. I haven’t tried that myself, Toni.
Love these cookies. I tweaked it a bit however, butter instead of coconut oil, 1/3C brown sugar, 1 1/2C oats. Baked for 14-15 minutes as I love the toasted flavor.
Note: while they were cooling I was able to shape the cookies with my fingers into nice little mounds. The first time I made these my hands were a mess. This time SO much better.
Thanks for rating the recipe and letting me know you love it, Loretta. I’m glad you were able to tweak the recipe to your liking.
Love them! I cooked them longer though till brown on top in middle of oven. Cooled them and they transferred to my plate easily. I also used maple syrup instead of sugar. Otherwise followed the recipe.
I’m happy to hear that you enjoyed the cookies!
this is a great recipe. I made 1/2 as written (+ 1 tsp vanilla) and tossed raisins in the second half. super tasty. thanks.
I bet the raisins were a terrific addition, Andrea!
I was looking for a cookie to make .. and this one was so easy and delicious! I added a hint of vanilla and cinnamon for my preference.. loved them!
I’m thrilled you love them!
This is such an amazing recipe! The cookies are delicious, crispy and just so good with the coconut!!!
Highly recommended❤️
I’m glad you like them so much!
This is such an amazing recipe! The cookies are delicious, crispy and just so good with the coconut!!!
Highly recommended❤️
I’m so glad they’re a hit!