I’ve always preferred soft, chewy cookies to their crunchy counterparts. When I’ve eaten a crunchy cookie, I assumed that it was either overcooked or store-bought. My gauge for a successful cookie recipe has been its balance of soft and chewy, giving crunchy little merit. Everyone feels that way, right? As it turns out, no. Recently I discovered that some people actually PREFER crunchy cookies, my father-in-law included. Can you imagine?!
So I set out to create a delicious, albeit crunchy, cookie recipe.
These cookies are a bit of science project. (Oh, that sounds appetizing. 😉 ) What I mean is that savory dishes like soup and stir-fry are more art than science – you can add a little of this and a little of that to suit your tastes and not destroy the recipe. But with baking, too much of this or too much of that and you have a problem.
Take this cookie recipe for example: I originally posted it in September of 2012 and have made it many times with mixed results. Why? Because I was scooping the flour and eyeballing the amounts of oatmeal and coconut. These cookies should have the texture of tender shortbread, a delicate crunch, but should taste like an oatmeal, coconut and chocolate chip cookie. To attain this consistently, you need to weigh the ingredients. And honestly, the more I bake, the more I prefer recipes that list ingredient weights. (Here is a decent kitchen scale for $15.)
I was after a hearty cookie and, as you know, white whole wheat flour is my favorite base for baked goods (like here, here, and here). I love oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, but I wanted to add something unusual to these. Toasted coconut would be fun I thought. But fun isn’t how I would describe the result, more like magic. Coarsely grinding it first (like I did for the Toasted Coconut Kettle Corn) adds a subtle, coconutty (pretend that’s a real word 🙂 ) crunch to every bite. These aren’t hard or crispy, they’re delicately crunchy like a good shortbread.
I won’t say that I’m a convert to crunchy cookies, but I will say that these are utterly delicious. I hope you think so too.
To toast coconut shreds or flakes, you can bake them on a cookie sheet in a 300°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes – stirring a couple of times to toast evenly – or toast until brown, stirring constantly, in a dry skillet over medium heat. Coarsely grind your toasted coconut in a food processor before adding to this recipe.
- 2 cups white whole wheat flour (240 grams) I used Bob's Red Mill Ivory Wheat Whole Grain Flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) at room temperature
- 2 cups dark brown sugar (340 grams) lightly packed
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (144 grams) I used extra-thick
- 3/4 cup toasted coconut (60 grams) coarsely ground (see headnote), 60 grams
- 1 cup coarsely chopped (113 grams) toasted walnuts
- 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips I used 70%
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Preheat oven to 375°F.
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Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
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Add butter and brown sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat at low speed until combined; increase speed and beat until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes more. Add the egg and vanilla and beat well, making sure to scrape down sides of bowl. Add flour mixture – cover mixer with a kitchen towel to protect your counters from a flour flurry. Start at low speed until combined, then increase to high for about 1 minute more. Add rolled oats, coconut, nuts, and chocolate chips; mix just until combined.
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Scoop dough into walnut sized balls (my favorite cookie scoop) and arrange about 2-inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes, until golden brown. Wait a few minutes before transferring to cooling rack (cookies will fall apart if you don’t – live and learn, ahem.)
If, like me, you like to bake only the number of cookies that will be eaten the same day, then bake what you need and freeze the rest. Thaw them covered with plastic wrap on a parchment lined baking sheet before baking and flatten to ½-inch thick with a glass or mug bottom or the palm of your hand.
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Welcome and thanks for being here! I'm Marissa, here with approachable and delicious real food recipes inspired by the seasons. 
Always love soft and chewy cookies, but I’ve never successfully made one by myself :((
Anyway, Thank you for sharing the recipe, I will follow it and try again. Hope luck will smile at me :))))
These look perfect!!! Normally I’m a soft and chewy cookie person like you, but I can see myself genuinely enjoying these! <3 Plus coconut…YES!
Thanks, Beeta! And yes, coconut is hard to resist! 😉
Oh I like the way you think! fabulous!
Thank you, Mary!
I definitely like chewy…preferably with Nutella or caramel in the middle…why do I always want Nutella and caramel…I may have a problem… anyhow…these look amazing…
mmm now you have me thinking about Nutella and caramel. Maybe these could be sandwich cookies! 😉
I prefer chewy to crunchy, but hey, I’m not one to turn down any cookie! And in fact, my favorite cookies are a combination of both- crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside. With chocolate, oatmeal and coconut, I would eat the heck out of these no matter what the texture!
I agree Sonali – crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside is my all-time favorite cookie style.
I love the sound of these tasting like shortbread, whether they’re crunchy or soft!
I think I like cookies that are soft and chewy on the inside and a bit crunchy on the outside. Is that actually ‘a thing’?
Anyway, loving the look of these cookies – and they’re healthy too! (OATMEAL!!)
Thank you, Helen!
I’m with you, I like my cookies to be soft and chewy. But there are some exception, some cookies are just better with a bit more crunch! These look fantastic, Marissa! And since I’ve been pregnant, I’ve developed quite a sweet tooth! If I made these cookies, there would be seriously nothing left to share with anyone.
It’s really your baby’s sweet tooth talking then, right? So eat up! 😉 I want to see some baby bump pics Kathleen. So excited for you…
I am definitely with you in that I prefer a cookie with a balance of soft and chewy, BUT I do like a crunchier cookie every once in a while and these look like the perfect way to fill that craving! Love that these have the texture of a tender shortbread! AND with the flavor of oatmeal, coconut and chocolate chips? Oh my! Cookie heaven up in here! Cheers, friend!
P.S. I prefer weights when baking too.. it’s too easy for one persons cup of flour (or whatever) to weigh completely different than another. This is why I give baking blogs so much respect! Baking truly is a science! <3
Thanks so much, Cheyanne! And I agree – baking is a whole different ballgame!
Sifting an measuring, those are so key in baking and I agree, it’s a science and needs specific amounts or what you wanted sometimes is not. Cooking allows so much more freedom, but not baking. I feel ya.
These had me at shortbread! The only “hard” cookie I like. I loves me some chewy, almost done, melt-in-your-mouth cookies. Have great weekend Marissa and hello to Keith!
Yes – usually, I’m all about the warm and chewy, but for these I’ll make an exception. 😉
Hi Marissa! I love shortbread cookies, my old favorite being pecan shortbread (an Ina Garten recipe). You may have just given me my new favorite shortbread cookie! These have everything! I have a question…since I don’t (yet) have a scale is the coconut measured before or after grinding it?
Thank you! And great question, Dorothy! It should be measured before grinding (Thanks for catching that, I’ll make it more clear in the recipe.)
I made these with fresh ground einkorn wheat from Italy. I have been experimenting with the recipe and even made a batch increasing the coconut, wheat, walnuts and oats by 50% and reducing the sugar 50% and they were still great! Nobody had a clue. They just loved them, even the grandkids.
Wow, that’s wonderful Michael! I experiment all the time with this recipe too, but have never reduced the sugar – definitely going to try that. Thanks for coming back to tell me – so sweet of you. 🙂
Yum! This was the cookie recipe I was looking for! Almost followed exactly except my children are not walnut fans so I substituted sunflower seeds in place & used a high protein whole wheat flour. They are delicious with the perfect amount of crunch. Thanks 🙂
I’m so glad you liked them!
They turned out great. A big hit! I did drizzle some leftover chocolate ganache over the top.
Oh, that sounds really good. What isn’t made better by drizzling over some chocolate ganache!?
Just made up a batch and they are in the oven, though as a bar cookie (due to lack of time). I think you omitted one ingredient….or does it just taste like chocolate chips? 😉 I added about a cup. I will let you know how they turned out.
Funny! How could I have missed that…criminal. All fixed now. 🙂
I’m usually not a fan of crunchy cookies but you’ve seduced me into crossing over! Looks so fabulous, I could gobble these up like a Cookie and not a Squishy Monster =)
Food seduction, that’s what I’m here for. 🙂
Confession: I LOVE cookies for breakfast with coffee 🙂 Phew, now that my secret is out- I actually prefer crunchy cookies in the morning and soft, chewy ones for a “real” dessert 🙂
You just have to call them biscotti, then it’s okay. 🙂
you had me at oatmeal chocolate chip and then you added toasted coconut…score! I will take a dozen please 🙂
Your right, the coconut is the coup de grace! 🙂
Beautiful photo!!! i love crunchy cookies, after your ceasar salad, i’ll try this cookies !!!
Thanks Giovanna…
Oh, my WORD–these look incredible! The coconut is making my mouth water.
Thank you!
The first time I accidentally bought white whole wheat flour I thought it was another fake find at the supermarket for those who don´t bake… now I know better. I like a mix between crunchy and chewy, but my cookies come out different every time because I don´t pay attention to the timer. I like this recipe that it adapts to so many additions. Love your pic!
White whole wheat does sound suspicious. It’s amazing, though, for adding depth and texture to baked foods without the bitterness that typical whole wheat flour can.
Hehe you are too funny! I love both crunchy and chewy cookies and these look marvellous! 😀
Thanks Lorraine!