This Coconut Pecan Cookies Recipe creates the most chewy, sweet and delicious cookies. They're super easy to make, have the best texture, and are the perfect Holiday cookies. Add this recipe to the Christmas baking list!
I've been making so many batches of cookies this Holiday season and I was really surprised on how delicious this flavor combination is. The shredded coconut adds texture and sweetness, and the pecans bring in a savory, buttery flavor.
For more must have Christmas cookie recipes, try these Tiramisu cookies, Monster Cookie Bars, Lemon curd cookies, Pumpkin Cookies with White Chocolate, and Lemon Blueberry Cookies.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe:
- Big on Taste. The cookies are amazing with a flavor combination of coconut, pecans, and old fashioned oats.
- Best Textures. These cookies stay nice and chewy for days after baking.
- Quick and Easy. An easy cookie dough with minimal steps required and only 30 minutes of chilling time needed
- Great in the Christmas Cookie Assortment. They add great variety and a fun addition to the cookie platter.
Love pecan recipes? Try these Chocolate Covered Pecans, Roasted Pear Salad with Pecans, Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad, and Baked Brie and Preserves topped with candied pecans.
Ingredients:
Flour-All purpose flour is used for this recipe for it's multitasking ability and it always creates a great cookie. I recommend the King Arthur Baking brand. It's more expensive, but makes up for it in quality and the brand keeps a clean flour, free from chemicals.
Oats-Adds texture and a bit of a toasted nutty flavor, which pairs well with the coconut and pecans.
Brown Sugar and Granulated Sugar-Pair up for the best of both worlds. Brown sugar adds to the chewy texture, while the granulated sugar helps to make it airy and flatter. These cookies are the best chewy texture and stay like that for days, without hardening.
Butter-Make sure it's softened to room temperature for the best cookie results. When softened butter creams with sugar, it creates air in the batter. When the butter is cold and hard, it stays heavier and will affect the cookies negatively. I highly recommend a grass fed butter, like Kerrygold, for a higher butter fat and a richer flavor.
Egg-Used for binding the ingredients and for rising. I recommend sitting the egg out with the butter.
Baking Soda and Baking Powder-To help with rise. I use higher amounts of baking soda to increase a bit of chewiness in the texture of the cookie.
Coconut- I suggest using sweetened shredded coconut to add sweetness to the cookie dough. Make sure you are using sweetened shredded coconut, not desiccated or flakes. Shredded coconut creates more moisture in the batter when baking and won't dry the cookies out. If you love coconut, try my Coconut Balls recipe too!
Pecans- Add crunch and savory, buttery flavor. The taste from the nuts really balance the sweetened coconut well. Chop them nice and fine, but big enough that they are still pieces and not dust, for easy eating and to combine well in the batter.
See the recipe card below for ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations:
Not big on pecans? Use chopped walnuts instead.
If chocolate sounds amazing, add in ½ cup of chocolate chips too!
How to Make this Coconut Pecan Cookies Recipe:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, old fashioned oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Step 2: Add the butter into the stand mixer bowl with beater attachment. Pour in granulated sugar and brown sugar and mix on medium speed to combine until soft and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Step 3: Add in egg and vanilla extract and mix for 20 seconds to combine.
Step 4: Pour in the dry ingredients in two half batches, and mix just until combined.
Step 5: Pour in the shredded coconut and pecans and mix for 15 seconds to combine. Use your hands to form the dough into a large ball. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Step 6: Roll the dough into 1 tablespoon sized balls. Spread the cookies out on the cookie sheet, fitting about 12 per cookie sheet. The dough will make roughly 28-30 cookies. Bake for 14-16 minutes.
Step 7: Allow the cookies to cool on cookie sheet or wire rack. Serve and enjoy!
Expert Tips:
- Allow the butter to soften to room temperature before beginning the recipe. The softened butter creates air in the batter when combined with the sugars and we need it nice and fluffy for the best cookies.
- Don't over mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined.
- The refrigeration time in this recipe is important. Because we use mascarpone cheese, the batter is a little more messy, and it really helps to chill it in order to make it easier to work with.
- Try to roll the cookie dough in similar size balls (a tablespoon) for even baking time.
- Spread the cookies out on the cookie sheet, because they do spread a bit. I suggest 11 to 12 cookies on each baking tray.
For more Christmas Baked Goods, try these Bacon and Cheese Turnovers, White Chocolate Raspberry Cookies, and Crescent Roll Cream Cheese Danishes.
Recipe FAQs:
These cookies are chewy with no crunch. The brown sugar and coconut almost create a caramelized type of texture in the dough.
It depends on the cookie recipe, but I suggest sweetened in this recipe. It creates a sweet, chewy, delicious treat that pairs perfectly with the buttery pecans.
You may have used the wrong kind of coconut, really over mixed the batter or over baked them. Make sure you are using sweetened shredded coconut, not desiccated or flakes. The shredded coconut has more moisture, which makes the best cookies!
Allow the cookies to cool completely, then store in a gallon sized bag or container with lid. They can remain on the countertop or in the pantry for 3-4 days.
Yes! I suggest freezing the cookies in vacuum seal bags, after rolling the cookies into balls, but before baking. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw out completely before baking.
Room temperature ingredients help to create air in the batter. If the egg is cold, you can get away with it, but make sure the butter is softened.
More Cookie Recipes You Will Love:
If you tried this Coconut Pecan Cookie Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
PrintRecipe
Coconut Pecan Cookies Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
- Yield: 30 cookies 1x
Description
This Coconut Pecan Cookies Recipe creates the most chewy, sweet and delicious cookies. They're super easy to make, have the best texture, and are the perfect Holiday cookies. Add this cookie recipe to the cookie platter this year!
Ingredients
- 1 + ¼ cup all purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup old fashioned oats
- ½ cup salted butter, preferably grass fed, softened to room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup shredded sweetened coconut
- ½ cup pecans, chopped fine
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two half cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, old fashioned oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the butter into the stand mixer bowl with beater attachment. Pour in granulated sugar and brown sugar and mix on medium speed to combine until soft and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add in egg and vanilla extract and mix for 20 seconds to combine.
- Pour in the dry ingredients in two half batches, and mix just until combined.
- Pour in the shredded coconut and pecans and mix for 15 seconds to combine. Use your hands to form the dough into a large ball. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Roll the dough into 1 tablespoon sized balls. Spread the cookies out on the cookie sheet, fitting about 12 per cookie sheet. The dough will make roughly 28-30 cookies. Bake for 14-16 minutes.
- Allow the cookies to cool on cookie sheet or wire rack. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Allow the butter to soften to room temperature before beginning the recipe. The softened butter creates air in the batter when combined with the sugars and we need it nice and fluffy for the best cookies.
- Don't over mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined.
- The refrigeration time in this recipe is important. Because we use mascarpone cheese, the batter is a little more messy, and it really helps to chill it in order to make it easier to work with.
- Try to roll the cookie dough in similar size balls (a heaping tablespoon) for even baking time.
- Spread the cookies out on the cookie sheet, because they do spread a bit. I suggest 11 to 12 cookies on each baking tray.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Fridge Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: cookies
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: American
Holly
These are so good! We devoured them!