These cookies blend the hearty chew of oatmeal (thanks to a mix of steel-cut and old-fashioned oats) with sweet, shredded coconut, tart cranberries, and rich dark chocolate. Coconut oil gives the dough a light, tropical depth without overpowering the other flavors. They bake up with slightly crisp edges and soft, chewy centers. They are easy to scoop and taste great warm or cooled! These cookies have simple ingredients, but with maximum flavor. Perfect for hiding in your pantry with a Dirty Diet Coke to help you get through a Monday.
I love a good oatmeal raisin cookie, but when push comes to shove, when all the cookies in all the world are on the table, I’m going for the chocolate chips first.
Ingredients Needed
- butter
- dark brown sugar
- white sugar
- egg
- egg yolk
- vanilla extract
- almond extract – If you want a stronger coconut flavor, you can substitute the almond extract with coconut extract
- all-purpose flour
- quick-cooking oats
- baking soda
- baking powder
- kosher salt
- dark chocolate chips
- coconut
- dried cranberries
- baking sheet
How to Make Oatmeal Cookies with Dark Chocolate, Cranberries, & Coconut
This is a simple overview of the recipe, you’ll find a full printable recipe below!
- Preheat oven to 325°F; line baking sheets if desired.
- Beat butter and sugars until fluffy; mix in egg, yolk, and extracts.
- Stir together dry ingredients, then add to wet mixture.
- Fold in chocolate, coconut, and cranberries.
- Scoop dough onto baking sheets (about 6 per sheet).
- Bake 12 – 15 minutes until edges are lightly browned.
- Cool briefly on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack.
Storage & Other Tips
- These are best stored at room temperature, to preserve that soft chew. Once the cookies are fully cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 – 5 days.
- To Freeze: flash-freeze the cookies on a sheet, then layer them with parchment paper in a freezer-safe container or bag. They’ll taste great for up to 3 months.
- Freeze and Scoop Ahead: you can make and scoop the dough ahead of time, leaving the cookies unbaked. (So yes, you can have freshly baked cookies at a moments notice!) Scoop the dough onto a baking sheet and freeze on a tray until firm. Then store in a container or bag for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, although you may need to add a few minutes to the baking time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can replace the almond extract with vanilla or coconut extract ot shift the flavor profile to your liking.
Steel-cut oats add a hearty, chewy texture thanks to their rustic cut, while old-fashioned oats provide structure and shape. You can use all of one type, but combining both gives the best balance.
It’s not required in this recipe, but I do fine that allowing the dough to rest (especially with oatmeal cookies), results in a chewier texture. Giving some time to allow the oatmeal to hydrate makes a big difference, but they are still delicious either way!
You can gently mix in a teaspoon or two or additional coconut oil until it’s easier to shape and scoops cleanly.
Oatmeal Cookies with Dark Chocolate, Cranberries, & Coconut
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter 2 sticks
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 egg large
- 1 egg yolk large
- 2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract If you want a stronger coconut flavor, you can substitute the ½ teaspoon of almond extract with ½ teaspoon of coconut flavor
- 2 cups all-purpose flour lightly spooned into measuring cups and leveled with a knife (very high altitudes may want to try adding 2 additional tablespoons of flour)
- 1 cup quick-cooking oats
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or ¾ teaspoon table salt
- 1 ½ cups dark chocolate chips
- ¾ cups coconut
- ¾ cups cranberries dried
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325℉. If desired, line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Beat the softened butter, sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and almond extracts and mix until combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients (except the raisins). Add to the butter/sugar/egg mixture and mix until combined. Add the chocolate chips, coconut, and cranberries
- Using a ¼ cup ice cream scoop, drop the dough by the scoopful onto the prepared baking sheets. You should be able to get about 6 cookies per sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until they begin to turn light brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire cooling rack and cool completely.
Nutrition
Questions & Reviews
LOVED these cookies!! The combination of flavors was fabulous and my husband and I couldn’t decide if we liked the cookie dough or the baked cookies better!
I made these cookies this week and they were so incredibly good! I shared the recipe today on my blog: http://www.love-laurie.com/2014/04/oatmeal-cookies-with-coconut-dried.html
I made these yesterday with my kids and my teenage son said that they are the best cookies he has ever had. I brought them to a church Bible study this morning, and multiple people asked if they could take home the leftovers. This recipe is sure to become one of my top go-to recipes. I doubled the recipe, used the coconut extract in place of almond, and mixed it all up in my Bosch mixer. Incredibly easy! Thank you!!!
Wow these cookies are amazing! I’ve never been an oatmeal cookie fan but these have changed my mind. Thanks for sharing!sa
Yummy!
I made these sweet little goodies today and LOVE them. They made my husband very happy and, lucky for us, only half our children were interested. 😉 Thank you for all of your great recipes, advice and laughs!
Loved your oatmeal raisin cookie recipe but had to substitute craisins and white chocolate chips due to raisin-hater-issues in my family … It was our favorite cookie. Made this one tonight and that almond extract really takes it over the top. Love everything about almond extract … Thanks for the tweek. You guys are simply amazing!! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Made these tonight, and our family and friends couldn’t stop eating them. Our new favorite cookie!! Thank you!
These looks amazing! Dark chocolate makes such a difference for me 🙂 OH, and completely agree with all the compliments on your cute measuring spoons!
I just made these and they are fantastic! Thanks for a great recipe!!!