Chewy Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Chocolate chip cookies are an absolute staple in the baking world, but if we're being realistic, they can get a bit boring after a while. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to switch up chocolate chip cookies while still retaining that chewy-on-the-inside, crispy-on-the-outside texture and, most importantly, plenty of rich, chocolatey goodness. Take this chewy coconut chocolate chip cookie recipe, for example — recipe developer Milena Manolova proves that you can enhance a classic while still maintaining a look, taste, and comfort level that the whole family can enjoy.

As Manolova describes, "These chewy coconut chocolate chip cookies are the perfect combo of classic chocolate chip cookies with a hint of tropical coconut." She also highlights the fact that the coconut adds an extra level of chewiness to the cookies, something that makes them a little more texturally interesting than your typical baked good. And, don't worry, you'll still get that classic soft-crispy cookie texture regardless of the coconut addition, as Manolova tells us, "The edges are crispy and the center is soft and chewy." With the unique use of bread flour as opposed to all-purpose (we'll touch more on that later on), these cookies are just different enough to switch up your baking routine but just familiar enough to still provide that cozy feeling as you snack on one (or two, or three). 

The ingredient list for these cookies is a pretty familiar one, with a few curveballs. For starters, you'll need softened unsalted butter, turbinado sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Then you'll need bread flour, salt, baking soda, shredded coconut, and chocolate chips. "I think any type of chocolate can work here," Manolova says. "Besides the semi-sweet chocolate used in this recipe, I think white chocolate will also pair very well with the coconut flavor."

In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter with the turbinado and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Add the eggs one at a time, stopping and scraping the sides of the bowl.

Add the vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl whisk the flour, salt, and baking soda.

Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until no dry flour remains.

Mix in the chocolate chips and coconut.

Use a 1 ½ inch diameter ice cream scoop to form even-sized balls of dough and place them on a parchment-lined baking dish

Cover the cookies and transfer them to the fridge for about an hour or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Place the cookies on a parchment paper-lined baking tray, at least 2 inches apart.

Bake on the middle rack for about 12 minutes or until the edges are golden.

Cool on a wire rack then serve.

Though cookies are one of the most popular baked goods out there, it's still possible to end up with less-than-stellar results if you make small mistakes along the way. Fortunately, Manolova has some tips and tricks to not only ensure that you yield the best coconut chocolate chip cookies possible, but to also help you end up with cookies that lean more crispy or more chewy, depending on personal preference. "The longer you cook them, the crispier they'll be," she notes, adding, "Taking them out of the oven slightly underdone is best for chewy cookies." Don't worry, your cookies won't be raw — they'll still cook a little bit even once they're out of the oven.

Manolova also notes that you can use a larger ice cream scoop should you want larger cookies; just keep in mind that you will likely have to bake the cookies longer, so this is where looking out for those perfectly golden edges is so crucial. As a final word of advice, Manolova stresses the importance of letting the dough rest and refrigerate. If you're in a pinch, just an hour of refrigeration time will help keep the cookies from spreading when they bake, though the more chilling time you can spare, the better. "I recommend letting the dough rest, if possible, overnight," Manolova says. "This will give time for all the ingredients to marry and develop a deeper flavor."

Aside from the addition of coconut, this recipe is a pretty standard one for chocolate chip cookies — until you get to the flour part, that is. Most recipes will call for using good old all-purpose flour, whereas some might even veer into the territory of cake flour or something of a baking-specific nature. Manolova's recipe calls for using bread flour, which may seem odd at first considering we're not making bread, but as she explains, "The bread flour used in this recipe adds more chewiness due to its higher protein content." The extra gluten in bread flour adds strength and elasticity to the cookies, as well as ensuring that they don't spread too thin, all of which results in the chewiest possible cookie.

If you don't have bread flour on hand, don't care to buy any, or simply don't want ultra-chewy cookies, you can still take a more classic route and yield successful cookies. "Other flour, such as all-purpose flour, can also be used," Manolova says. "The cookies might not be as chewy but because we use coconut, it will compensate for the loss of chewiness." She notes that you could use either light or dark brown sugar in place of the turbinado sugar, which will also help give you ultra-chewy cookies.