Chewy old-fashioned oatmeal coconut cookies made from Grandma’s recipe. Simple, sweet, and perfect for lunchboxes or coffee breaks.
If you love oatmeal cookies, you’re going to fall head over heels for these! Imagine the comforting, homey flavor of grandma’s kitchen … now add tender coconut flakes and melt-in-your-mouth texture. That’s exactly what you’re getting here.
These cookies are soft, chewy, and subtly sweet — cozy enough for every day, special enough to share at gatherings.
Why I Love These Cookies
- Two kinds of sugar (white + brown) = the perfect combination for soft, pliable cookies that melt in your mouth.
- A wholesome, old-fashioned feel — no fancy ingredients, just good stuff.
- Coconut adds a lovely hint of tropical flavor without overpowering the classic oatmeal base.
- They’re simple to make — easy enough for week-night baking, yet impressive enough for guests.
These cookies are similar to oatmeal raisin cookies except they’re chocked full of coconut flakes. If you even remotely like coconut these will make you swoon.
Ingredients:
- Softened butter - plays a major part of the melt in your mouth factor
- White sugar and brown sugar - a one two combo to keep the cookies sweet and chewy
- Eggs - at room temperature, if you can remember to pull them from the fridge before you start
- Vanilla extract - for extra flavor
- Flour, baking powder, soda and salt - pretty standard cookie ingredients
- Coconut flakes - you can use sweetened or unsweetened
- Oatmeal - Grandma’s original recipe calls for quick but you can use quick oats or old fashioned
How to make Coconut Oatmeal Cookies:
Step 1: Cream together ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and two kinds of sugar. Mix until they’re light and fluffy.
Add the eggs and vanilla and mix again. Make sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of your mixing bowl.
Step 2: Add the dry ingredients. Add the flour first, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix well to incorporate.
Why add the flour first?
Some recipes call for you to blend the dry ingredients before adding to the wet ingredients but in my opinion, it doesn’t make a difference in this recipe as long as they’re well mixed. And that’s also why we add the flour first. This way there’s no pocket of the other dry ingredients.
Step 3: Add the coconut flakes and oatmeal. Here’s the trick to adding the oatmeal. Don’t overmix or you’ll end up with tough cookies. The idea here is to mix the coconut and oatmeal just until they’re incorporated.
It will be a drier matter than say, a chocolate chip cookie dough.
Step 4: Drop the cookies and bake. You can drop the cookies onto a greased baking sheet in tablespoon portions, or you can roll a tablespoon of dough into a ball and place it on your cookie sheet.
I like to roll them for more uniform cookies. If you drop them, they’ll still be delicious. Your edges may be a little more cragged but they’ll still taste amazing!
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Recipe Tips and Variations for Oatmeal Coconut Cookies:
- Store cookies in an airtight container for several days.
- Remember not to over mix when the oats are added or your cookies will be tough.
Should I use sweetened coconut flakes or unsweetened coconut?
Either works for this recipe. You’ll have a sweeter cookie if you use sweetened coconut.
Obviously.
I say use whatever kind you have in your pantry.
Should I use quick oats or old fashioned oats?
The quick oats are chopped a little finer and are what I used in these recipe photos. The old fashioned oats have larger flakes and will add a little more chewiness to the cookies.
Again, use whatever kind you have on hand.
It’s not rocket science here, these are fun cookies!
Other Cookie Recipes You'll Enjoy:
If you love coconut, you'll also enjoy Hawaiian Banana Bread and German Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies!
When you make these oatmeal coconut cookies, be sure to stop in and leave a recipe review or comment. I'd love to hear from you!
Recipe
Chewy Oatmeal Coconut Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 375° F. In a mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix again, scraping down the sides and bottom.
- Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to the creamed mixture. Mix well.
- Add the coconut flakes and oatmeal and mix just until blended.
- Roll dough into balls the size of walnuts (about the size of a small bouncy ball) or drop by tablespoons and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
- Bake at 375 for 10-11 minutes. Until lightly browned (do not over bake).
Farm Girl Tips
- ¾ cup of butter is a stick and a half.
- Store cookies in an airtight container for several days.
- Remember not to overmix when the oats are added or your cookies will be tough.
Should I use quick oats or old fashioned oats?
The quick oats are chopped a little finer and are what I used in these recipe photos. The old fashioned oats have larger flakes and will add a little more chewiness to the cookies.Nutrition
Made this recipe?
Let me know how it turned out and leave a review!Behind the recipe
These old-fashioned oatmeal coconut cookies come straight from my Grandma’s recipe box — the kind written on a yellowed index card and tucked behind the flap of her cookbook. She used to bake big batches of these every time company was coming or the cookie jar started looking empty.
The original recipe made enough to feed a farm crew, and the smell of butter and oats would drift through the house while trays cooled on the counter. They were chewy, slightly crisp around the edges, and always a little sweet from the coconut.
When I came across her recipe, I adjusted the batch size (because not all of us need eight dozen cookies at once!) but kept the same classic flavor. These cookies are simple, no-frills, and exactly the kind of treat that reminds you why old-fashioned recipes never go out of style.
Whether you’re baking them for lunchboxes, coffee breaks, or a little something sweet after chores, Grandma’s oatmeal coconut cookies are a tried-and-true favorite that always hit the spot.
Ann D says
Favorite cookie recipe….easy measurements! Used half cup butter, quarter cup coconut oil. Reduced sugar. Still amazing results.
R G Mook says
Use less sugar and more oats and/or coconut.
Albert Snelson says
I added cup cranberries and they really laid down flat. Everyone raved good about them.
Deanne Frieders says
Oh, that sounds like a perfect addition!
KIM says
can you add chocolate chips and chopped nuts?
Deanne Frieders says
Sure!
Layce Batton says
You are amazing and I love you style of cooking and humor. Thank you for taking the time to share all of the goodness! I just started cooking recently, I’m way behind times. I’ve been cooking for a little over a year now. I think God just brought me to your page to help me keep going. So thank you for doing just what you do!
Jeanne Cormier says
Don’t know what I did wrong but my dough started to get too dry so I only added 2 cups oats and had to add a splash of water. It was the one minute oats in the tall canister. Recipe was followed exactly in every other way and it was AMAZING! Saved half of the dough for later, and I did add chocolate chips to that half!
Ashley says
Delicious and great chewy texture!
Added roasted nuts, chocolate chips and almond extract and so flavorful!
Brad says
Made these the other day! So incredibly tasty. I added a little extra butter, almond extract, and chocolate chips. Sprinkle a little large flake salt on top as well.
Deanne Frieders says
Yum, that sounds so good! A little large flake salt can make such a difference.
Pam says
Perhaps there is a typo in the recipe? I followed recipe exactly and ended up with a cookie that dud not spread at all. Flavor isnt bad. I dont know what makes a cookie spread and what doesnt but mine dud not flatten out at all.
Pam says
Mine did not spread and flatten. Followed recipe to a “T”. Dont know what happened.
Adam says
I added about two shots of dark rum; don’t worry the oatmeal will soak it up. It adds another subtle layer of flavor. Delicious!
stacey says
too dry, they don't spread
Tammy says
These were the best!! These will be one of my go-to cookies to make from now on! Oatmeal and Coconut together…. Heaven!
Jill says
These are so good, simple, chewy and very good. I made 2 dozen exactly to the recipe, then the other 2 dozen I added the scraps I had from making toffee with almonds and chocolate. They were both very good, thank you for such a wonderful recipe that was easy to follow.
Deanne Frieders says
That sounds amazing!!! So glad you liked it!
Annie says
These cookies melt in your mouth! They're one of my favorite all-time cookies! I love the subtle sweetness and chewiness!
Deanne Frieders says
So good, right Annie?!? Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
Ana says
These cookies are so delicious and easy to make! They are exactly how I like them...perfect to dip in my milk 🙂
sherry brubaker says
I love coconut anything!! These cookies are perfectly flavored, chewy, and so good! Proud to report there were none leftover, ha!
Priya Lakshminarayan says
Made these cookies today! Loved it...they turned out perfect
Jess says
I will never make plain oatmeal cookies again. Coconut is a must!!
Dannii says
Chewy cookies are a must and these look delicious.
Katie Gletty says
I just finished baking these and let me just say, YUM!! These cookies are easy to make and delicious! They are soft and chewy, making it impossible for my daughter and I (who both love coconut) to eat just one. Even my husband and son who aren’t huge fans of coconut liked them because the coconut isn’t overpowering. I highly recommend these!