These coconut pecan cookies are love at first bite. Enjoy them with a hot cup of coffee or a cold glass of milk, if the amazing texture doesn't win you over, the perfect blend of flavors sure will.
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These cookies are the perfect treat any time of year. Equally as delicious for brunch as dessert, they're perfectly sweet and deliciously chewy.
The magic of this coconut pecan cookie recipe lies in the technique.
Brown butter gives these cookies a strong, sophisticated base; but to keep the cookies super soft - we only brown half of the butter. The other half gets creamed with the brown and white sugar to keep this big cookie from being too thick and fudgy.
Heaps of toasted, crunchy pecans and shredded coconut give these cookies a subtly soft, sweet, perfectly nutty flavor that'll keep you reaching for this recipe time and time again.
Ingredients
- unsalted butter
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- salt
- white sugar
- brown sugar
- egg
- vanilla extract
- shredded coconut
- chopped pecans
If you're vibing with this flavor combination, check out these orange coconut pecan oatmeal cookies while you're here! You'll love 'em.
Instructions
- If toasting the pecans, preheat the oven to 350º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scatter the nuts evenly over the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 8-11 minutes, until the nuts are golden brown and smell nutty and fragrant.
- In a small skillet over medium heat, melt half of the butter. Continue cooking, gently swirling the pan or occasionally stirring with a silicone spatula for 3-5 minutes, until the bubbling has quieted, and the butter is golden brown and smells nutty. Use a silicone spatula to scrape any bits of butter stuck to the bottom of the pan. Set aside to slightly cool.
3. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, cream together the remaining butter and sugars on medium-low speed for 3-5 minutes, until fluffy and stiff peaks are formed.
4. Add the egg and continue mixing for 30 seconds - 1 minute, until fully combined. Add the vanilla, mix for an additional 30 seconds. Slowly pour in the cooled brown butter, continue mixing until everything is fully incorporated. Scrape down the side of the bowl as needed.
5. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
6. Fold in the wet ingredients until they are just beginning to come together, making sure to scrape any large chunks of flour off the bottom of the bowl.
Kitchen Tip: If you're not using a kitchen scale, make sure to spoon and level your flour!
7. Add in the pecans and shredded coconut, gently mix until everything is just incorporated. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour, up to 24.
8. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line two baking sheets with nonstick baking mats or parchment paper. Use a medium size cookie scoop to portion the dough into 12 equal portions and space them evenly on the prepared sheets.
- Bake for 8-11 minutes, until the tops of the cookies are golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
For those of you who love to add your personal touch, let's jazz these babies up! A dash of cinnamon can bring a warm hug of flavor, or how about a little drizzle of melted dark chocolate on top of the baked cookies? Remember, these are your cookies - don't be afraid to make them uniquely delicious!
Substitutions
- Shredded Coconut - I opted for sweetened shredded coconut in my cookies and did not find them to be overly sweet, but if you're looking for a cookie that's on the more savory side, opt for unsweetened coconut. Desiccated coconut is perfect if you're not a fan of the shredded variety.
- Brown Butter - If you're looking for a fudgier cookie, brown all of that delicious butter and skip creaming altogether!
Variations
These cookies, like all of the best cookies, are super adaptable:
- Nuts - Try these delicious cookies with other toasted nuts, like walnuts or slivered almonds! If you're working with a nut allergy, omit them altogether.
- Chocolate Chips - Try this recipe with a scoop of regular or dark chocolate chips for an extra, extra sweet version. Chocolate + pecans + coconut? Yum.
- Caramel - These babies would be absolutely divine topped with a bit of fresh caramel sauce. If you're going with caramel, I'd highly suggest topping them off with a hefty sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
Storage
Store - Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
Freeze - If you'd like to make this coconut pecan cookie recipe in advance, feel free to freeze the dough (tightly wrapped) for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before baking and bake with cold cookie dough.
And there you have it, my beautiful cookie connoisseurs! I can't wait to hear how these tips have spiced up your baking experience. Remember, we're a community that learns from each other, so don't be shy.
Share your tips, tricks, and tweaks in the comments below, and if you've tried the recipe, let us know your thoughts. Your insights could be the secret ingredient to someone else's perfect cookie batch! Keep baking, keep sharing, and above all, keep enjoying the delicious journey.
Related
Looking for more fun desserts? Check these out:
If you make these cookies, be sure to come back and leave a star rating and review next time you're here! We'd love to hear how they turned out for you.
Recipe
Coconut Pecan Cookies
Print RecipeIngredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened, divided
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 + ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup chopped pecans see recipe notes
- 1 cup shredded coconut see recipe notes
Instructions
- Melt half of the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Gently swirl the pan or occasionally stir with a silicone spatula for 3-5 minutes, until the bubbling has quieted, and the butter is golden brown and smells nutty and fragrant. Use a silicone spatula to scrape any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Set aside to slightly cool.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, cream together the remaining butter and sugars on medium-low speed for 3-5 minutes, until fluffy and stiff peaks are formed. Add the egg and continue mixing for 30 seconds - 1 minute, until fully combined. Add the vanilla, mix for an additional 30 seconds. Slowly pour in the cooled brown butter, continue mixing until everything is fully incorporated.
- In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold in the wet ingredients until they are just beginning to come together, making sure to scrape any large chunks of flour off the bottom of the bowl. Add in the pecans and shredded coconut, gently mix until everything is just incorporated. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour, up to 24.
- Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line two baking sheets with nonstick baking mats or parchment paper. Use a medium size cookie scoop to portion the dough into 12 equal portions and space them evenly on the prepared sheets. Bake for 8-11 minutes, until the tops of the cookies are golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
Notes
- For added flavor, toast the pecans on a parchment lined baking sheet at 350º F for 8-10 minutes, until they're golden brown and smell nutty and fragrant.
- For a sweeter cookie, use sweetened shredded coconut. Opt for unsweetened for a more savory cookie.
- For a fudgier cookie, brown all of the butter and skip creaming altogether. Simply mix the cooled browned butter with the rest of the wet ingredients in a mixing bowl.
kitchenverve.com occasionally offers nutritional information for recipes on our site. This information is provided as a courtesy from online calculators and should be used only as an estimate. Although we attempt to provide the most accurate nutritional information possible, these figures will vary based on your chosen ingredients and cooking methods.
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