I have been searching for my trademark chocolate chip cookie recipe for years.
My dad had his favorite recipe, which he made dozens upon dozens of times for our family when we were growing up. His mom, my grandma, had her favorite recipe, which she actually called “chip chocolates” and always served to her grandkids frozen and hard as rocks (so good!). But I always thought it would be fun to have a recipe that was all my own.
So this past week when my sister was in town and we were cooking up a storm, I decided to experiment with a new recipe to serve as a little “treat” after our hours of cooking. Sarah was a little skeptical as she mixed up the dough. But once we pulled these babies out of the oven and took those first warm, soft, chewy, and chocolate-y bites, she said — and I quote — “these might just be the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had”.
Agreed.
And it’s all thanks to that magical ingredient that we now know and love: coconut oil.
I have actually had coconut oil chocolate chip cookies on my “must-try” list since holiday baking season. But somehow I didn’t get around to it until this past week. Once we made that first chewy, delicious batch, though, you’d better believe I made a second batch two days later. I mean, a food blogger’s gotta test those recipes, right?
Sure enough, these were just as amazing on Round #2. As I’m pretty sure they will be when I make them again on round #22. And #222.
To be sure, this is in part thanks to a few cookie tips I have learned over the years, like adding cornstarch for extra chewy-ness, and using a good brown/white sugar ratio, and chilling the dough balls in the fridge before baking. (That last step is a definite “must” when using coconut oil, since it is not as solid as butter or shortening at room temp. And it takes at least an hour, so plan in advance!)
But I have to say that the extra flavor note of the sweet coconut was my favorite part! To be sure, the coconut flavor in these is super subtle. I had a few friends try these, and they couldn’t even taste it. But what everyone agreed was that the coconut oil brought out a little extra sweetness in these cookies. And also made them wonderfully chewy and thick. And well, just crazy good.
The ingredients for them were standard, with the exception of coconut oil in place of any other fats.
Just whip up the dough…
…then create your big dough balls. (I used a large 3-tablespoon cookie scoop, and shaped them slightly tall so that they wouldn’t spread as much when cooking.) Then cover the sheet with plastic wrap and chill them in the fridge for an hour or two until firm.
Then pop them in the oven….
…and this will be the result.
They’re big. They’re perfectly flavorful. They are overflowing with chocolate chips. And good grief, are they GOOD.
I’m pretty sure you should make a batch right now just to see for yourself. ;)
Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: About 12 cookies 1x
Description
These coconut oil chocolate chip cookies are thick, chewy, soft, chocolate-y, and absolutely delicious!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, softened but not melted
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment to cream together the softened coconut oil, sugars, egg, and vanilla extract on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add in the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt, and beat on medium-low speed until combined. Fold in (stir in) the chocolate chips by hand until just combined.
- Use a large cookie scoop (equivalent to 3 tablespoons) or a spoon to shape the dough into balls, and place them on a large plate. Cover with plastic wrap and chill the dough balls for at least 2 hours.
- When you are ready to bake the cookies, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place chilled dough balls at least 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. (Or a baking sheet that has been covered with a Silpat, or greased with cooking spray.)
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are just set. The centers may look slightly undercooked. Cool cookies on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Serve immediately or store in a sealed container for up to 1 week. You can also freeze the cookies for up to 3-4 months.
Notes
Adapted from Leelalicious.
I made these today and they are amazing! So chewy and delicious! I couldn’t taste the coconut oil at all (which I wouldn’t have minded because I love coconut, but it wasn’t there for anyone wondering). These are probably the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had. Thanks for the recipe!
Because it’s the butter that’s unhealthy in those.
I made these today and they are awesome. I didn’t have cornstarch so I used arrowroot instead, they still came out great. I will definitely make them again.
I made these today and have to say I did not love them! The coconut was a bit much for my liking. And made the cookies taste funny. I didn’t find them rich and buttery like a regular choc chip cookie. All in all they weren’t horrible and def a healthier version. But if you don’t LOVE coconut don’t try these.
I just made these and there amazing! But mine don’t look like the picture, there more crumbly looking, I’m wondering if I didn’t use enough coconut oil? I measured it before I softened it, but I probably could have added more to the measuring cup after it was softened? Also does anyone know if you can re-heat your coconut oil jar up several times? I scooped it out hard and then warmed up the portion I scooped out. It would have been a lot easier to warm it all up… Make these there delicious !!
Oh no! Sorry to hear that they were a little crumbly. It definitely could have been using a different brand of coconut oil — some have different consistencies and such. You might also be sure that the dough was securely covered in plastic wrap while being refrigerated — otherwise it can dry out. Good luck!
I just mixed these up and have them chilling, but I forgot the cornstarch.. How important is that to the recipe?
It helps make the cookies extra chewy and thick, but they will probably be ok without it. Enjoy!
Where do you find coconut oil?
It is in all major grocery stores nowadays. If it’s not near the oils, check in the health food section. OR, you can also order it online via sites like Amazon. My favorite coconut oil is from Trader Joe’s. :)
I made these cookies yesterday for a 4th of July BBQ and they were a hit! They were so soft and delicious, my new go to chocolate chip cookies. Thank you for the recipe.
Can I use extra virgin coconut oil for these? Do you think they would adapt well to bar form??
Just like to say that I made these cookies last night on a whim and they are the most delicious chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had!