Soft & chewy coconut cookies are loaded with shredded coconut, chopped pecans, a hint of cinnamon and tons of yum! These easy-to-bake golden beauties are going to be your family’s new cookie craving.
Cookies are definitely a favorite around here. Dessert, snack, afternoon pick-me-up. You name it. All are reasons this family might grab a cookie or two. Of course, we can’t have cookies all time. So that why it’s all the more important to have really good ones when we do decide to indulge!
That’s where these blonde gems come in. Like a chunky cross between a snickerdoodle and a coconut macaroon, these delightful cookies are just the right amount light nutty, cinnamon sweetness to make any serious cookie lover swoon.
What You Need To Bake Perfect Coconut Cookies with Pecans
- flaked or shredded sweetened coconut
- chopped pecans
- all purpose flour
- brown sugar
- white sugar
- butter
- egg
- vanilla
- baking soda & powder
- salt, cinnamon
How to Avoid Flat Cookies
- Overworking the butter causes many cookies to come out of the oven flat. To avoid this make sure not to mix too long when creaming the butter and sugar or when mixing in the rest of the ingredients.
- The butter can also be overworked if you roll your cookie dough into balls when placing them on the cookie sheet to bake. The heat in our hands melts/breaks the butter down.
- Lastly, use room temperature eggs and butter. Room temperature butter might be cooler than you think! It is actually cool to the touch, never shiny or melty. For the real low down, read this.
Another thing that’s perfect about these coconut cookies is you can enjoy their deliciousness just the way they are, or you can add your own personal touch with different add-ins! Here are just a few that we enjoy.
Coconut Cookie Add-ins
These measurements are approximations. You might like to add more!
- 9 oz. chocolate chips
- 9 oz. toffee chips
- 1 C old fashioned oats
- 9 oz. white chocolate chips
- 1 C dried cranberries
And of course, you can always leave out the pecans or substitute another nut that you like better!
Armed with a good book and a cup of coffee, settling down to watch your favorite movie or sharing a platter with family or friends, nothing beats a good cookie. And a Perfect Coconut Cookie? Well, you’ve got yourself a recipe for delicious cookie bliss.
Other Cookies & Cookies Bar Recipes You’ll Love!
- Infamous Neiman Marcus Cookies
- Classic Lemon Drop Crinkle Cookies
- Fudgy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Coconut Thumbprint Macaroons
- Hello Dolly Magic Cookie Bars
IF YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE, BE SURE TO LET ME KNOW!
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Perfect Coconut Cookies with Pecans
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ C all purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ C butter, room temperature
- ½ C brown sugar, packed
- ½ C white granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ½ C sweetened shredded or flaked coconut
- 1 C chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a small bowl , mix first 5 ingredients together. Set aside.
- Using a stand or hand mixer, cream butter and sugars. Be careful not to over mix. Add egg and vanilla. Mix just until incorporated.
- Add the flour mixture a little at a time. Mix just until incorporated. Dough will form. Add coconut, then pecans. Again, being careful not to over mix.
- Using a cookie scoop or spoon, spoon out 1" balls and place approximately 1" apart on lined baking sheet. Do not roll the balls to avoid overworking the butter. Bake in preheated oven for 9-11 minutes. Cool on cooling rack before serving.
Making Baking Cookies Easy
My favorite cookie now.
I use unsweetened coconut flakes and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Hi, Angie! Love it! Sounds delish. You’ve made my day!
These are the most delicious cookies! They are a little crispy on the outside and so chewy on the inside, just the way I like my cookies. Definitely my new favorite cookie. Can’t wait to make them again and again. They are a little dangerous though. Can’t stop eating them. Love this recipe!
Hi, Cindy!
I love the way you described these cookies! That’s exactly how they are! And so delicious too. I am just tickled that you love this recipe!
Can I mix these together, roll into balls and freeze to bake later?
Hi, Susan! I haven’t frozen this particular recipe before, but I don’t see why not. Most cookie doughs freeze really well and can last up to 6 weeks in the freezer. To bake, allow to defrost overnight in the fridge and then just bake as directed the next day. To bake from a frozen state, preheat oven to 20-25 degrees lower than the original specified temperature and bake cookies just a few minutes longer than the original time. Edges should begin to crisp, middles should still be soft. Let me know how it goes!
Hi just a question…is it 1 cup of chopped pecans or 1 cup of whole pecans chopped
Hi, Jenna! I am so excited that you want to make these cookies! I just know you’re going to love them. It actually ends up being the same amount of pecans either way. But they definitely need to be chopped before going into the cookie dough! Can’t wait to hear what you think!
Best cookies ever soft chewy perfect
Hi, Mary Lou!
I am just tickled that you loved these cookies. I love their soft, chewy texture too!
Made this recipe with a few alterations and my family loved them. Needed gluten free AP flour for dietary needs and pulsed the coconut and pecans in a mini chopper to make the texture more uniform for the older folks. It worked, all loved the outcome and now ask for these instead of chocolate chip.
Hi, Debbie!
That’s awesome! I am just tickled that your group loves these cookies so much. Love how you made adjustments so that they work for you. Perfect!! You really made my day!
Does unsweetened coconut make it not as tasty? I currently only have unsweetened
Hi, Jenna! I do think the sweetened coconut adds more of flavor!
Just pulled my first batch out and I can already tell these will be in my cookie rotation. Easy to make with staple ingredients. I used unsweetened flaked coconut as that is all I buy. This will be one of my cookies for I make for the holidays.
Hi, Linda! I am so excited that these will be in your rotation and a part of your holiday cookie list! I love this little cookie, and I am so glad you love it too!
Great cookies!
Hi, Sandra! Thanks for loving these cookies. I couldn’t agree more! They are pretty great!
Absolutely loved these cookies. So very easy and quick to put together. This recipe is a true keeper.
Hi, Becky! I am just tickled that you loved these coconut cookies! This recipe has quickly become our favorite cookie, for sure. And I love that you will make them again. Thank you so much!
This is our favorite kind of cookie and this was the best one we ever had! Perfect size batch, just over 2 dozen, easy to make and just delicious. My husband loved them, too.
Hi, Jamie! This just tickles me to hear this! I am so glad you loved these cookies; they are some of our favorites too!
These cookies are without a doubt our favorite!!! Everyone so far has thoroughly loved them. Great for all kinds of gatherings, just be sure to make plenty! They don’t last long! Question: Can I add chocolate chips to the recipe as is?
Hi, Marla! I am so glad you love these cookies. They are some of our favorites. And I agree about making plenty; I also have to! Yes, I think you could add chocolate chips right into this recipe without changing a thing. Let me know how it goes- sounds delicious!
EXCELLENT cookies! I needed to make something last night for my book group meeting. Rummaging through y baking cabinet…I had coconut, pecans, and some white choc chips! Yup…added those too! 😉 They were fabulous! Like someone else said, a little crispy on the edges and soft and chewy on the inside. So yummy!
I added a tiny bit more vanilla than was called for….because I love vanilla… and a little less salt.
*****
Yay, Linda! I am so glad you loved these cookies! I love the addition of the white chocolate chips and can’t wait to try it!
Recipe sounds delicious. Has anyone tried almond extract rather than vanilla. Anxious to try!
Hi, Martha! I haven’t tried almond extract. Would love to hear how it works for you! Please let us know!
If i want to add oatmeal should i tweek the recipe?
absolutely delicious. I should of left more room for expansion. 😋
Hi, Kissy! I am so glad you loved these special cookies! Hooray!
These are the perfect cookie! My local grocery store has a bakery that sells cookies with this same name. Very often, they are all sold out because they’re so popular. I no longer will be buying those bakery cookies because your recipe is even a bit better than theirs! Thank you so much for this treasure!
Hi, Kathy! You are very, very welcome! This is just so awesome, and I love it!
Would that be Ingles in North Carolina? 🙂 I live in MI and when we are in the south we stop to buy these, even stopped a second time this year to bring some home. I’m going to try this recipe and hoping they compare!
The grocery store bakery that makes these identical cookies is HyVee in Iowa. They freeze very well too!
Food Lion in the (North/South Carolina
has cookies much like this recipe, they are awesome.
These are delicious. They made exactly three dozen for me.
So after seeing all the rave reviews and I just love coconut I had to try this recipe. It is all it says it is and more. I just finished making them and ate 3 while still warm. These will get added to the rotation for sure. Thank you for such a delicious cookie recipe.
Hi, Dee! I am just tickled to read your comment! I always have to eat a few while they are still warm too; they’re just too good to wait! I am so glad these cookies are going to be in your regular rotation. Thank you so much!
These are so delicious!! I made them last night and my husband took them to work to share with his co-workers. He loved them, and I know they will too !!!I make cookies all the time, and always share them with friends, and these will be a recipe I will make often. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe! 💜🥰🦋🌷💕
Hi, Lynn! I am thrilled to hear that you loved this recipe and will make it again! It makes it even better that you always share with friends. That’s what good cooking is all about! Cheers!
I have been buying coconut pecan cookies at our local grocers bakery so I looked on Pinterest and found this recipe. This recipe is awesome. Better than the bakery’s version. I’m German and my grandma and mom always had homemade cookies in the pantry and so do I. This will become one of my those that are there often!
Hi, Erin!
Thank you so much! It makes my day to hear you loved these cookies! They are some of our favorites too, though I don’t have the will power to keep them in the pantry all the time. I would eat them all the first day or two! 🙂
Haven’t made these cookies yet, was in the process of doing so and saw that I didn’t have enough of all purpose flour. Can I use self rising instead?
Hi, Ouida! I haven’t tried it. It might change the texture a bit, but I don’t think it would hurt anything.
My favorite cookie. Thank you for the recipe. I will have to be careful how many I eat when I make them. Wonderful cookie to make for Christmas 🤶 time.
Hi, Pat! You are so welcome. This made my day! (I have to be careful too!)
These cookies were great! Will definitely make again.
Hi, Janice! I am so tickled you enjoyed these cookies! Thank you so much!
Mmmm! So yummy and so easy to throw together. The only thing I’ll be doing different next time is doubling the recipe! Don’t know if I can stop myself from eating most of them before anyone else even gets to try them!
Hi, Helena! This is what I love to hear! I am so glad you loved these cookies. I love them too, and could eat them all myself!!
These are so incredible! I added natural caramel flavoring with the vanilla and omitted cinnamon but changed nothing else. These may be my favorite cookie ever!
Thanks, Krysta! I am so glad you liked these cookies!
Pretty amazing’
Thanks, Sissy! I am so glad you loved them!
I haven’t made these yet. If I incorporate a cup of oats, do I need to reduce the flour?
Hi, Denise! I haven’t tried that, but it sounds delicious! I would hold back about 1/2 cup flour, check the cookie dough consistency and then add if needed. Hope this helps!
This cookie is now my go to recipe. I absolutely love it.
Hi, Lisa! That is awesome! Thank you so much! Makes my day.
Easy and delicious drop cookie you can probably make with what you have in your pantry, yet they seem “fancy” and a nice change from chocolate chip. The coconut makes them naturally very chewy but the edges are buttery and caramelized. I was looking for this recipe because I bought some cookies at an old farm store here in Georgia and loved them. Those cookies were giant, and it was $12 for 5 huge ones, so I knew I could make them for way less. This recipe is very close, I left out the cinnamon because they didn’t use it in theirs, but will probably add it back next time I make them. Thanks for the recipe and blog!
Hi, Erika! You are so welcome, and thank you for your awesome feedback. I am so glad you loved this cookie recipe! Let me know what you think about the addition of cinnamon. We think it really round out the flavor.
My go to cookie. I add craisins but they are delicious either way. I love these to make…and eat
Hi, Debbie! I love the addition of Craisins! Yum!
These cookies are delicious and easy to make. Second time making them. Love them. Thanks for your recipe.
Hi, Casun! Thank you! I LOVE hearing that you’ve made them twice! That’s awesome! Made my day.
I just made these cookies and they are delicious. I followed the recipe exactly as written. Thank you for providing an easy to follow to die for cookie recipe.
Hi, Pasquale! You are more than welcome! I am so glad you loved this recipe. Thank you!
The most delicious cookies. Made these this past weekend and they were a hit.
Hi, Brittany! Thanks so much! I am so glad you liked them. Thank you for making these cookies!
By far the best cookie I’ve ever made and eaten. Only suggestion is to make a double batch and cook them as soon as you make them. I put them together one night and then refrigerated to cook the next day. Didn’t come out the same. Still ate 90% of them myself but think they come out better when cooked immediately. Guess I’m trying to justify being able to eat them sooner. I cook 5 minutes then flip the tray around and go 5 more. You won’t be disappointed with this jewel.
Hi, Phyllis! Thank you so much! I am so tickled you love these cookies the way you do. Makes my day!
Very good recipe. Nice & chewy🤩🤩
Hi, Malva! Thanks so much! I love to hear that!
OMG these are wonderful. I have made these several times exactly as written and they are amazing
Hi, Royce! Thank you so much! You’ve made my day by making these cookies more than once. I am so glad you enjoy them!
I made these this morning and they are excellent! I added chocolate chips to half the batter and my family loved them . I might add a few peanut butter chips next time. I think the chocolate chips over power the cookie so I probably won’t try again . They’re good but I’m not a chocolate lover.
Hi, Dee! Love it! Thank you so much for making these cookies!
awesome cookies. I love coconut, then and pecans…yummy. I make them all the time. my waistline, we’ll I call it “cookie”
Hi, Crissy! Ha! I am just tickled you like this recipe. Thank you so much! I have to admit, it’s a serious favorite around here too!
Fantastic cookies I now cook these quite often
Hi, Royce! This makes my day! Thank you so much!
I made these for Thanksgiving and they turned out great. I used unsweetened coconut as my husband is a diabetic but they were just fine and easy to make.
Thank you!
Hi, Charlotte! You are so welcome! I am so glad you enjoyed them!
Made these last night. I left out the cinnamon and added 1/4 tsp almond extract and 1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries. They turned out great! Perfect for the Holidays. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi, Jen! You are so welcome! Sounds delish! And so festive!
These are absolutely delicious!!!!
Hi, Angela! Yay! Thanks so much! I’m so glad you loved these cookies!
These are so good. My cookies dough came out very crumbly, and I wondered if I made a mistake somewhere. I baked them, and noted after 6 minutes that they were still one inch balls. I took them out and made them flatter, and baked another two minutes. The next two sheet pans of cookies were baked 7 minutes, and then flattened after baking.
They have excellent flavor, and were perfect after 7 minutes.
These cookies are yum yum!!!!
Hi, Terry! Thank you so much!!