Yesterday I made our neighbors a batch of cookies as a thank you gift for helping me take care of a lost dog. I’d planned on making chocolate chip, but wanted to do something a little more special, and made Toasted Pecan Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies, a version with buttery toasted nuts and coconut.
Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies Nuts
For the nuts, I used pecans. They are toasted and tossed with butter so not only do they add flavor, they balance the cookie’s sweetness – something that you can’t do just by reducing sugar, because the sugar is what gives the cookies their chewy texture. I used pecans, but walnuts would be just as good. Since the cookies have such a chewy texture, you might even be able to use roasted, salted, almonds.
Update: I gave one of these cookies to my dad. Ten minutes later he called from the road to say how great it was. He never does that, so consider it a vote for the cookie.
Toasting Pecans and Coconut Together
This recipe breaks the toasting of the pecans and coconut into two steps using a baking sheet. In the comments, Susan asked if she could use a skillet. Toasting the pecans and coconut together in a skillet is actually a great idea because it forces you to keep an eye on them. That, plus the coconut and nuts don’t have to be quite so evenly toasted for cookies.
To toast together in a skillet, chop the pecans first, then put them in the dry skillet over medium low and toast for about 3 minutes. Add coconut and toast, moving the mixture around for another 2-3 minutes or until the coconut starts to brown. The time will vary, but coconut browns quickly so as soon as the edges start to brown you’ll know it’s almost done. Add the butter last. Shuffle everything onto a plate and let cool.
Recipe
Toasted Pecan Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
Toasted Pecan/Coconut Mixture
- ½ cup whole pecans (40 grams)
- 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
- Pinch salt
- ½ cup flaked coconut (60 grams)
Cookie Dough
- 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature cut in chunks (114 grams)
- ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar (175 grams)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (50 grams)
- 1 large egg, cold
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (190 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cup extra dark or dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
Toast Pecans and Coconut
- The first step is toasting the pecans and coconut. You can do it a number of ways. The first is to place pecans on the baking sheet and bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until they start to release their oil (become shiny). Remove from the oven and toss with the teaspoon of butter. Sprinkle with salt and let cool. Chop.
- Wipe the rimmed baking sheet clean and lay the coconut on it. Toast for about 6 minutes or until it is golden around the edges. Let cool.
- Alternatively, you can just toast the pecans and coconut in a big skillet, stirring often and keeping an eye on it. Give the pecans a head start because coconut usually toasts quickly.
Make the Dough
- In large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the cool butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until creamy. Beat in the egg and vanilla until they are combined.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- By hand or using lowest speed of the mixer, stir in the flour mixture.
- Add chocolate chips, toasted pecans and coconut to the dough and stir well.
- Using a (generously!) heaping tablespoon, scoop up 15 mounds of dough. You can bake them immediately, or scoop them onto a foil lined tray, chill, and bake as needed.
- Arrange about 3 inches apart on foil-lined baking sheets. Bake one sheet at time for 12-14 minutes or until cookies are golden brown.
- Let cool on baking sheets for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
-- Chilling the dough will give you a fatter cookie
-- Using chunks of chocolate rather than chips will cause the cookies to spread a bit more
-- For the chocolate chips, I used what I had on hand which was a mixture of Guittard extra dark and Hershey's Dark.
Anna says
Okay, this story is eerily relatable. I loved it. Glad to hear the cookies were a hit, too, but now you've got me wanting to make Basque Cheesecake again because thus far I've only made it in a loaf pan. I wonder what Chat thinks loaf pan Basque cheesecakes....
Jace Chan says
WARNING: This recipe could cause tension in your marriage.
I do most of the cooking for family meals, but recently, my wife has been on a ChatGPT recipe sweet kick, where she has long discussions, and even debates, on baking technique, ingredients and the "science" behind why one method would be better than the other. Sometimes these ai conversations would go well into the AM hours. It's been nice having her in the kitchen and waking up to the aroma of her lastest concoction.
It had been days since she made her last morsels, my adult son's birthday was tomorrow, and besides, I was having some sweet withdrawls. So, my ADHD self, decided to make THESE COOKIES at 11 pm.
OMG! THESE COOKIES are now the top of my favorites. My boys made the biggest fuse over how delicious they were. My lovely wife, on the other hand....
"what are you making? I was coming to make a Burned Basque Cheesecake for Brayden's birthday!"
She went on informing me that I should have known she was going tto make the cheesecake tonight, because the cream cheese had been sitting out on the counter for 6 hrs to become the correct temperature and yadda yadda yadda. I apologized and said I'd have the kitchen ready for her in ten minutes.
Anyways, this recipe was simple, easy for me to follow, and created a cookie that I would buy at Crumbl. Wonderful!
Oh, when I asked her what she thought of the cookie, she shrugged dismissively and replied, You over cooked them."
Best cookie ever! My boys are still asking me to make them again...
I think, that is part of the problem.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED as long as your significant other won't mind that you made something better and in a fraction of the time.
Anna says
Susan, thanks for trying it that way! I forgot how good the dough was. Since you took the time to try it, I've added the skillet technique to the steps.
Susan Higgins says
It was nearly impossible NOT to eat all the dough. It was like heaven. I combined the pecans and coconut in a frying pan with the butter, rather than in the oven, and toasted them to perfection. Again, the dough is too good! Dangerous 🙂
Anna says
Hi Susan,
Sure, I don't see why you couldn't toast the pecans and coconut together. You just have to be careful because coconut browns so quickly. But you could put the pecans on the tray and give them a 2 or 3 minute head start and then add the coconut. Toss in the teaspoon of butter last. The rest of the butter is creamed.
Susan Higgins says
Has anyone tried roasting the pecans, coconut, and butter together in one step?
Anna says
Hi Patrick, I too have noticed a difference in texture when "hand creaming". The point of creaming with a mixer is to create loads of tiny air bubbles which are expanded by the action of the leavening agents; so maybe when we hand cream we create fewer of those and the dough rises in a different way (depending on what's in them). Thanks for the review, and I'm glad you enjoyed the cookies! Happy New Year!
Patrick says
These are some of the BEST cookies I have ever made in my life! Someone said they reminded them of their Grandma's cookies. The only difference from the recipe is that I "hand cream" the sugars. It's more time and muscle but I feel like the love makes a difference! 😉 These will now be regulars at the holidays!
dawn of food says
These cookies look amazing. I like a more hefty chocolate chip cookie, rather than the thin spreading kind. I had never thought to add coconut to them. Great idea!!
Anna says
Hi Jen,
And yes! You certainly can.
Jen says
Great recipe! One question - can you make ahead and freeze the dough?
d says
This will be the next cookie recipe I try. I have been trying a few recipes off Pinterest but yours are consistently better so I'll stick with your recommendations!!!
Anna says
Here are a few tips:
1. Make sure your butter is not too warm or too soft.
2. Beat the egg just until it is mixed in.
3. In some cases, using cold eggs helps.
Good luck!
Renate says
Im gonna try these tonight! they look so yummy..and..they just look so good. How do you get them like that? I've seen pictures of chocolate chip cookies like that before..but mine never look like that..
Sue says
I made these this evening and they are a HIT!!! Very attractive, super tasty, and great texture. YUM!!! Happy New Year!
Morgan says
Just made these and they are delicious! Thanks for a great recipe!! 🙂
Laura says
These look scrumptious! Love the tossing of the nuts with butter!
Debbie says
I made them today. They are great. Toasting the coconut really makes a difference.
My regular choco chip flatten too much. These stayed nice and fat.
I did chill the dough.
Jennifer says
Do you think that sweetened shredded coconut would work? Or would it be too sweet?
Cookie Sleuth says
Yum! What a great treat!
Erin says
Huge hit! Your dad was right on the money! Thanks for another great one, Anna!
Jennifer says
Wow! Those look great. I've already printed the recipe and put it in my TBB (to be baked) file. Hopefully during my grad school winter break, I'll have time to tackle my TBB and my TBR (to be read) piles!
Carole Resnick says
Tell your neighbor "thank you" from me.
Sue says
These look so good! If I didn't have a bunch of just baked cookies I might run to the kitchen to try them.
Anna says
Erin, it's possible he was just super hungry, but he rarely calls from the car to praise a cookie. The neighbors also sent a text saying the cookies were "beyond awesome". Then again, I mixed them with some other ones, so they could have been talking about those.
Lizzie, I emailed you a response, but for anyone else reading this, the nut-toasting time always vary. If they are chopped, they will probably take a little less time. The key is the butter tossing. Also, the cookies in the photo were made with chilled dough, but the ones I made without chilling the dough were very similar. Since the butter is very cool and the egg is cold, the dough should be fairly thick and cool. I liked the texture of the chilled dough a little better (as usual), but the immediate gratification ones weren't too shabby.
Lizzie says
I have already chopped nuts.. I am assuming they'll take a bit less time to toast.
So did you chill your dough? I love the way your cookies look
Erin says
I love how brown and toasty the cookie looks. I'm really going to make these tonight. I was going to try to wait till this weekend, but your dad's endorsement did me in.