These easy-to-make Coconut Pecan Cookies are full of flavor! They’re crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside, warm, sweet, and delicious. Made with brown sugar and vanilla flavors, then finished with coconut and pecan pieces for texture, these cookies are unlike any other. If you’re looking for a unique cookie recipe, these Coconut Pecan Cookies are a favorite!
RELATED: Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cookies
Ingredients
Chopped Pecans – Adding chopped pecans to these cookies adds so much texture and flavor. You could also try chopped walnuts!
Coconut – The unsweetened shredded coconut is the star of these cookies. Feel free to toast it before adding it to the cookie dough!
Unsalted Butter – Butter adds warm flavor and is one of the core ingredients for making delicious cookies.
Sugar + Dark Brown Sugar – The dark brown sugar in these cookies is a must! Granulated sugar adds sweetness, but dark brown sugar adds that warm cookie flavor. We highly recommend it!
Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract also adds warmth and flavor.
Eggs – You’ll need 2 large eggs and 1 egg yolk for this recipe.
Flour – All-purpose flour is best in these Coconut Pecan Cookies!
RELATED: How to Substitute Almond Flour for All-Purpose Flour
Cornstarch/Baking Soda/Salt – The cornstarch, baking soda, and salt are cookie baking essentials that help balance the structure and flavor of these cookies.
How to Make Coconut Pecan Cookies
Here’s a quick overview for how to make this Coconut Pecan Cookies recipe:
- Toast the pecans in the oven for 4-5 minutes.
- Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
- Mix the liquid ingredients together in a separate large bowl (using an electric mixer or by hand).
- Bring the flour mixture and liquid ingredients together to make the cookie dough.
- Stir in the coconut and toasted pecans!
- Chill the dough! This step is important for the perfect cookie spread.
- Spoon 2 Tablespoons each of cookie dough on a baking sheet, spreading evenly apart.
- Bake the cookies!
So basically: toast pecans, make cookie dough, chill, and bake. So easy and delicious!
Optional: Toasting The Coconut
Want to take the flavor up a notch? Toast the coconut before adding it to the cookie dough! Place the coconut shreds into a skillet on the stove over medium heat and cook them for about 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Once the coconut shreds starts to turn golden, turn off the heat and allow them to cool.
Another option is to buy toasted coconut for this recipe, instead!
Why Refrigerate The Cookie Dough?
It’s important to refrigerate the dough AND also let it set at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow the cookies to spread slightly. If you skip the fridge step, the dough will spread way too much & if you skip the “defrosting” step the cookies will be too thick and won’t spread in a nice way in the oven.
Add-In Ideas
Make these delicious cookies even better with these yummy add-ins:
- White Chocolate Chips
- Toffee Bits
- Dark Chocolate Chips
- Extra Brown Sugar on Top
Storing Coconut Pecan Cookies
To store Coconut Pecan Cookies, let them cool completely on a cooling rack and place them in an airtight container. Store them at room temperature for 2-3 days, or keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also store the raw cookie dough in the freezer for up to 3 months!
Tip: Be sure to slice the cookie dough before freezing so that it’s ready to simply place on a cookie sheet and bake!
More Desserts You’ll Love
- Cookies & Cream Cinnamon Rolls
- French Strawberry Cake
- Best Ever Snickers Brownies
- Oreo Cheesecake Brownies
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to sign up for our email list to get recipes delivered to your inbox and rate the recipe below!
Coconut Pecan Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
Instructions
Toast The Pecans
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Spread the chopped pecans on a baking sheet.
- Toast for 4-5 minutes, just until fragrant, being careful not to burn them. Allow to cool completely, about 10 minutes.
Mix The Cookie Dough
- Beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth.
- Mix in the vanilla extract, eggs, and egg yolk.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, corn starch, baking soda and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined.
- Fold the toasted pecans and coconut into the batter.
Chill The Dough
- Cover the bowl of dough with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours or overnight.
- Before scooping dough, remove the bowl from the fridge for 30 minutes to allow the dough to soften a bit.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Bake The Cookies
- Scoop 2 heaping tablespoons of cookie dough and roll into a ball, placing each one onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining cookie dough and place each ball of dough 2 inches apart on the pan.
- Ever so slightly, press the top of each cookie dough ball down.
- Bake cookies for 9-10 minutes. They should look very pale and the edges on the bottom will have a little bit of a golden brown color.
Notes
- It’s important to refrigerate the dough AND also let it set at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow the cookies to spread slightly. If you skip the fridge step, the dough will spread way too much & if you skip the “defrosting” step the cookies will be too thick and won’t spread in a nice way in the oven.
- Bake the cookies just until edges are set. The center should be chewy and soft!
- Feel free to toast the coconut for these cookies by placing the coconut shreds into a skillet on the stove over medium heat and cooking them for about 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Once the coconut shreds starts to turn golden, turn off the heat and allow them to cool.
- To make 6-8 HUGE cookies: You can weigh out 6 oz of cookie dough for each cookie and bake them for 15-16 minutes!
This is one of my new favorite cookie recipes!!
What a delicious recipe. Thank you for sharing.
I ate WAY too many of these! So yummy (and addictive)!
Super delicious cookies! My husband devoured them.
‘Thank you for the recipe.
Love the added pecans – so good! Thanks for the recipe!
I couldn’t resist these cookies! Had to bake them and so glad I did. They are a huge hit in our house!
These turned out SO GOOD!
These cookies are so easy and delicious.
My kids love it so much!
These cookies turned out amazing! So simple and such a nice sweet treat!
All I have is sweetened coconut, can I use it?
Yes, that works great! Enjoy the recipe!