Coconut pecan cookies are soft, chewy and buttery sugar cookies filled with shredded coconut and toasted pecans. What I love most about this coconut pecan cookie recipe is that it’s almost no chill and is easy to make in one bowl. These pecan coconut cookies are the perfect cozy cookie to enjoy all year.
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Why Should You Make This Recipe
Buttery, chewy cookies filled with pecans are a perfect match. A couple of my favorite pecan filled cookies on the blog are my Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies and Pecan Pie Cookies. I am so excited to add these chewy coconut pecan cookies to the blog. They may just be my new favorite cookie!
- Layers of flavors and textures. From the soft, chewy and buttery sugar cookie dough filled with shredded sweet tropical coconut to the toasted bits of crunchy and nutty pecans, these pecan cookies with coconut are a flavorful delight.
- Easy to make, bake and eat. These pecan coconut sugar cookies can be made in 1 or 2 bowls using a whisk and spoon or flexible spatula. Simply mix the dough, chill while the oven preheats, scoop, bake and enjoy.
Ingredients
This recipe for coconut pecan cookies requires only a handful of simple ingredients to make and you probably already have them in your pantry and fridge. Here’s what you’ll need.
- Dry Ingredients: Gather all purpose flour, baking soda and salt.
- Wet Ingredients: Gather unsalted butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, an egg vanilla extract, unsweetened shredded coconut and toasted pecans.
Substitutions
These coconut cookies with pecans are as easy to make as they are delicious. Here are my recommended substitutions to make these chewy sugar cookies with pecans and coconut if you need them.
- All purpose flour: Make these cookies, gluten free by using a good 1-1 gluten free flour. I recommend using the one from Bob’s Red Mill. Measure based off weight (180 g) rather than cup for cup.
- Baking Soda: These cookies have not been tested with baking powder. Baking soda gives cookies a chewy texture whereas baking powder can give cookies a more cake like final texture. If you’d like to make the pecan coconut cookies with baking powder use 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder.
- Granulated Sugar and Light Brown Sugar: Maple sugar would also work well to make these sugar cookies with coconut and pecans refined sugar free.
- Unsalted Butter: Vegan butter or plant based can also be used in place of regular unsalted butter.
- Egg: This recipe has not been tested without eggs.
- Vanilla Extract: This is more for background flavor and nicely enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Shredded Coconut: I love the texture of shredded coconut for these cookies. Feel free to use coconut flakes.
- Toasted Pecans: To make these cookies even easier, I like to use dry roasted or oven roasted pecans. If you prefer to toast raw pecans, make sure to allow time for the pecans to cool before chopping and mixing into the cookie dough. Walnuts are a good substitute for pecans.
Variation
- Brown Butter Coconut Pecan Cookies: Melt ½ cup butter on low heat. Allow the melted butter to begin to foam. Once it starts to foam, whisk or stir the liquid butter frequently. The butter will begin to smell nutty and very fragrant. Once the foam has subsided, the butter should have some brown, lightly toasted bits floating at the bottom. Pour the brown butter in a heat safe bowl to cool for about 10 minutes at room temperature. Transfer to the fridge to chill another 15 - 20 minutes. Use the butter as directed in the recipe.
- Coconut Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies: Add ½ - 1 cup (85 - 170 g) chocolate chips at the same time as the toasted pecans and shredded coconut.
- Flavor Boost: Add ½ - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon into the dry ingredients. This adds a lovely layer of flavor and makes these cookies taste like a gooey pecan pie cookie.
How To Make
Learn how to make coconut pecan cookies in a few easy steps.
- In a small bowl, melt the butter and cool in the fridge for about 15 minutes. In another bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt until well combined.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the cooled melted butter, sugar and light brown sugar until smooth well combined. Whisk in the egg and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Gently fold in the shredded coconut and toasted pecans until well combined. Cover the cookie dough and transfer to the fridge to chill for 30 minutes while the oven preheats.
4. Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C) for about 20 - 30 minutes before baking the cookies. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a medium cookie scoop (2 tablespoons, 30 ml), scoop the coconut and pecan cookie dough into balls and place onto the lined baking sheet about 3 inches ( 8 cm) apart. Bake at 375 F (190 C) for 9 -11 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are set and are a light golden brown. Reshape any cookies using a biscuit or cookie cutter slightly wider than the cookie. Place the cutter over the cookies so the edges of the cookie are inside the cookie/ biscuit cutter. In a circular motion, gently nudge the edges back into a round shape. Cool the chewy pecan coconut cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely to room temperature and enjoy.
How To Make Ahead, Store, Freeze and Thaw
- Make Ahead: Prepare the coconut pecan cookie dough to the chilling step. Store the cookie dough covered in the fridge for 1 - 2 days. For longer cookie dough storage, transfer to the freezer.
- Store: Place the baked pecan and coconut cookies in an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to one week.
- Freeze Baked Cookies: Make sure the chewy pecan and coconut cookies are completely cooled to room temperature. Individually wrap each cookie in plastic wrap and place in a ziplock bag. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Freeze Cookie Dough: Scoop the cookie dough into balls and place on a lined baking sheet or large plate. Flash freeze in the freezer for 20 minutes. Remove the cookie dough balls and transfer to an air tight, freezer safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw the cookie dough in the fridge overnight or bake from frozen. The cookies will take a few minutes longer if baking from frozen.
- Thaw: The easiest and tastiest way to thaw the pecan with coconut cookies to let them sit out at room temperature until thawed. Warm the thawed cookies in the microwave for 15 - 20 seconds for a “fresh from the oven” taste.
M’s Expert Tips
- Cool the melted butter. Using melted butter instead of room temperature butter gives cookies an extra chewy texture. However the butter needs to cool for about 15 minutes before using in the recipe. I like to melt the butter and transfer it to the fridge while I gather my other ingredients.
- Measure the flour properly. I highly recommend using a food scale to get perfectly measured ingredients every time.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Always use the lowest speed on your electric mixer or mix in the dry ingredients by hand. Make sure to mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.
- Give your cookies a “cookie scoot.” Within the first minute of removing the cookies from the oven, use a large biscuit cutter (wider than the cookies) to help shape any cookies back into a more round shape. Place the cutter over the cookies so the edges of the cookie are inside the cookie/ biscuit cutter. In a circular motion, gently nudge the edges back into a round shape.
FAQs
No, coconut pecan cookies made with sweetened condensed milk are cooked in a pan and are similar to fudge and taste like pecan praline.
Coconut pecan cookies are similar to cowboy cookies. The main difference between these cookies is cowboy cookies contain oats, chocolate chips and ground cinnamon.
I find that a medium cookie scoop, with about 2 tablespoons of cookie dough makes the perfect chewy sugar cookie. However, you can make a small (1 tablespoon) cookie if you like. Bake this size cookie for 7 - 9 minutes. For a larger cookie, use a large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons, 45 ml) and bake for 12 - 14 minutes.
Other Coconut Recipes to Try
If you try this Coconut Pecan Cookies recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! - M
Coconut Pecan Cookies Recipe
Equipment
- 1 whisk and flexible spatula or spoon
- 2 baking sheets
- 2 sheets parchment paper
- 1 medium (2 tablespoon, 30 ml) cookie scoop optional
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter
- 1½ cup (180 g) all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- ½c cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ½ cup (46 g) toasted pecans, roughly chopped
- ½ cup (60 g) shredded coconut
Instructions
- In a small bowl, melt the butter and cool in the fridge for about 15 minutes.½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter
- In another bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt until well combined.1½ cup (180 g) all purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the cooled melted butter, sugar and light brown sugar until smooth well combined. Whisk in the egg and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, ½c cup (100 g) granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract , 1 large egg, room temperature
- Stir the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Gently fold in the shredded coconut and toasted pecans until well combined. Cover the cookie dough and transfer to the fridge to chill for 30 minutes while the oven preheats.½ cup (46 g) toasted pecans, roughly chopped, ½ cup (60 g) shredded coconut
- Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C) for about 20 - 30 minutes before baking the cookies. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a medium cookie scoop (2 tablespoons, 30 ml), scoop the coconut and pecan cookie dough into ballsand place onto the lined baking sheet about 3 inches ( 8 cm) apart.
- Bake at 375 F (190 C) for 9 -11 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are set and are a light golden brown. Reshape any cookies using a biscuit or cookie cutter slightly wider than the cookie. Place the cutter over the cookies so the edges of the cookie are inside the cookie/ biscuit cutter. In a circular motion, gently nudge the edges back into a round shape. Cool the chewy pecan coconut cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely to room temperature and enjoy.
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