Home > Desserts > Coconut Oil Oatmeal Cookies Coconut Oil Oatmeal Cookies August 4, 2020 | 32 Comments SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Jump to Recipe This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy. These Coconut Oil Oatmeal Cookies have good-for-you ingredient swaps you won’t find in standard oatmeal cookies – we use blended oats, regular oats, coconut oil, dark chocolate, and dark chocolate-covered cranberries in this dough! Try our original Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies if you’d prefer an oat-free cookie! Coconut Oil Oatmeal Cookies These tasty cookies aren’t sacrificing any flavors to deliver a treat made with some better-for-you ingredients that you won’t find in most oatmeal cookie recipes. Yes, these cookies still have a fair amount of sugar (I’d still consider them a treat), but we’re replacing butter with oil, using oat flour, oats, and dark chocolate-covered fruit in this specific recipe. Before you switch off the page thinking a specialty (oat) flour is needed, oat flour is just regular old-fashioned oats we’ll blend up in a blender until they look like flour. Nothing fancy here, so if you already have the old-fashioned oats for these cookies you’ll have everything you need! QUICK TIP If you’ve never made cookies with coconut oil, don’t expect them to be the same as cookies made with butter. While I don’t find the coconut flavor to be overwhelming at all (it certainly depends what brand coconut oil is used), the cookies do have a slightly crispier and more crumbly texture than cookies made with butter. Coconut Oil Oatmeal Cookies Tips Measure or weigh the cookie dough balls. These cookies bake best with dough balls that are a rounded 1 tablespoon (28 grams) in size; any larger and the shape of the cookie ends up pretty funky. Aim to make all the cookie dough balls equal in size to ensure even baking cookie to cookie. If you have a food scale, this makes sizing cookie dough balls a breeze and you’ll be certain they’re all the same size. Chill the dough. While it may be tempting to skip the trip to the fridge, because the coconut oil is melted, it does need a chance to re-solidify. Otherwise, these cookies will spread all over the baking sheet and bake unevenly. The chilling time also gives these cookies a chance to absorb the sugars and allow for flavors to meld. Thoroughly mix the sugars and coconut oil. While stirring, it may seem like the sugars and oil won’t ever incorporate, but keep mixing until they do. Take time to do it right; otherwise, the cookies may end up overly greasy later on. Let the hot coconut oil cool. After melting the coconut oil for these cookies, allow it some time to cool back to room temperature. Hot coconut oil will melt the sugars and cause the cookies to be oily. Coconut Oil Oatmeal Cookie Dough Mix-ins We love adding chocolate-covered cranberries and chocolate chips to these cookies, but you can pick whatever mix-ins you’d like best, as long as the quantities remain consistent. Below are some ideas: Add one type of chocolate chips: Mix in one 1 and 1/4 cups of your favorite type of chocolate chips (white, dark, milk, or semi-sweet). Add in two types of chocolate chips: Mix in 1/2 cup of 1 type of chip and 3/4 cup of another type of chip (think white and dark, dark and milk, semi-sweet and white, etc.). Use only chocolate-covered cranberries: Instead of adding in chocolate chips, mix in 1 and 1/4 cups of chocolate-covered cranberries. Alternatively, mix in a different flavor of chocolate-covered fruit like blueberry, pomegranate, blood orange, etc. Leave out the chocolate completely: Mix in 1/2 cup of dried cranberries, dried tart cherries, or dried sweetened blueberries and 3/4 cup of coarsely chopped nuts like cashews, pistachios, or pecans. QUICK TIP If you choose to add chocolate-covered cranberries to these coconut oil oatmeal cookies, cut them in half or quarters first; otherwise, the size will be too overwhelming in the finished cookies. Freezing these cookies Instead of freezing the baked cookies, try freezing the dough! Drop the cookie dough balls on a large sheet pan and freeze until solid. Once solid, transfer the frozen cookie dough balls to an airtight container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. To bake: You can bake these cookies straight from the freezer; just add 1-3 minutes onto the cooking time. Alternatively, thaw the dough in the fridge and bake according to directions. While you can freeze leftover baked cookies, I don’t think they’re as good; they lose flavor and texture once they’re thawed. Shelf-life We do like these Coconut Oil Oatmeal Cookies best the same day they are made. That said, they will last up to 3 days in an airtight container at room temperature. After that, they lose texture/flavor and become less soft and chewy. QUICK TIP While it may seem like old-fashioned oats and quick oats can be interchanged, they don’t work the same when baking. Because of their small size, quick oats act more like flour, absorbing more liquid which results in a drier, less flavorful cookie. This recipe relies on old-fashioned oats, and won’t work the same with any other oat type. More desserts with oats Caramel Oatmeal Cookies Rolo-stuffed cookies Oatmeal Bars with dark chocolate Coconut Oatmeal Cookies with shredded coconut Oatmeal Creme Pies with vanilla frosting Oatmeal Energy Balls with coconut and chocolate chunks FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Coconut Oil Oatmeal Cookies 5 from 5 votes - Review this recipe These Coconut Oil Oatmeal Cookies have good-for-you ingredient swaps you won't find in standard oatmeal cookies - we use blended oats, regular oats, coconut oil, dark chocolate, and dark chocolate-covered cranberries in this dough! SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Coconut Oil Oatmeal Cookies 5 from 5 votes - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe These Coconut Oil Oatmeal Cookies have good-for-you ingredient swaps you won't find in standard oatmeal cookies - we use blended oats, regular oats, coconut oil, dark chocolate, and dark chocolate-covered cranberries in this dough! Course Dessert, Snack Cuisine American Keyword Coconut Oil Oatmeal Cookies Prep Time 25 minutes Cook Time 10 minutes Chilling Time 1 hour Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes Servings 32 cookies Calories 176kcal Cost $4.53 Ingredients▢ 3/4 cup (142g) coconut oil (measured in its liquid state) (We like LouAna brand)▢ 3/4 cup (134g) light brown sugar, lightly packed▢ 1/3 cup (70g) white granulated sugar▢ 1 large egg Note 1▢ 1 egg yolk▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract▢ 1 cup (142g) white all-purpose flour▢ 5 tablespoons (32g) oat flour (Note 2 -- just regular oats blended in a blender)▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda▢ 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt▢ 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch▢ 1 and 1/2 cups (158g) old-fashioned oats (don't use steel-cut or quick oats)▢ 1/2 cup (95g) dark chocolate-covered cranberries, cut in half▢ 3/4 cup (128g) milk chocolate chips (or whatever chocolate you like best -- semi-sweet or dark can be used in place of milk) InstructionsPREP: Chop the chocolate-covered cranberries in half (and in half again for large ones). Measure to get 1/2 cup and set aside. Melt coconut oil and measure it. Set it aside to cool down to room temperature. (Hot oil will melt the sugars and cause oily cookies.) Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a Silpat liner and set aside.WET INGREDIENTS: In a large bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat together the melted (but not hot) coconut oil, brown sugar, and white sugar until well combined. (If there is a film of oil that separates from the sugars, it hasn't been beaten long enough.) Beat in the full egg until combined and then beat in the egg yolk and vanilla.DRY INGREDIENTS: On top of the wet ingredients add in the flour, oat flour (See Note 2), baking soda, fine sea salt, cornstarch, and old-fashioned oats. Slowly continue to beat, mixing until just combined. Use a wooden spoon to add in the chocolate-covered cranberries and chocolate chips; fold to incorporate into the dough.CHILL: Cover the cookie dough tightly with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least one hour. Do not chill longer than 2 hours. (Dough hardens too much and dries out.) Remove cookie dough and measure rounded tablespoons (28g each) of cookie dough. Roll into balls. Add 8 cookie dough balls, spaced apart 2-inches on to the prepared (lined) sheet pan. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place tray of cookie dough balls back in the fridge for 5-10 more minutes after rolling into balls.BAKE: Remove dough balls from the fridge and bake at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes (we like them best at 7 minutes!). The key to soft cookies with a crispy edge is to slightly underbake the cookies. As soon as they turn very light brown around the edges and aren't glossy on the top, pull them out. If desired, press a few chocolate chips into the tops of the cookies right out of the oven and press any stray edges in with the back of a large spoon. (Optional, but it makes them look pretty!) Let cookies stand on cookie sheet for 3-4 minutes before removing with a spatula to a cooling rack. Recipe NotesNote 1: Discard or save the egg white to use in another recipe. We love using egg whites in this easy Egg Wrap. Note 2:Â To make oat flour, pulse oats in a blender or food processor until they reach a flour-like consistency. Measure the oat flour after blending. Nutrition FactsServing: 1serving | Calories: 176kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 77mg | Potassium: 86mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 20IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
These cookies look amazing, Chelsea! I love the chocolate chunks of cranberries in here. And a healthier cookie is right up my alley. Reply
Holy cow, Chelsea, these are beautiful! I like my chocolate to cookie ratio to be high on the chocolate side, which these totally are. Reply
The cookies sound wonderful! I have never had chocolate covered cranberries, and I don’t think I ever would have thought to put those two together! But I love that you made them into some cookies. They look super chocolaty and I love how you styled these photos! Definitely makes me crave some cookies. 🙂 Reply
Chelsea, I wish you could deliver these to me through the computer. I need chocolate!! Any kind…I won’t discriminate either! Silly husband of yours… Reply
Chocolate covered cranberries—-I will get on that train. I have been cookies with dried cranberries and chocolate chips before, but I am taken with this much more. I am on the hunt for that product. Reply
LOVE the new blog design Chelsea! And these cookies look amazing! I never would have thought of putting chocolate covered fruit in a cookie, but it sounds amazing! Reply
another awesome recipe chelsea! i definitely could do with a couple of these cookies right now – love that they are lightened up version too (… does this mean i can double my portion to make up for the lost calories?) Reply
These cookies look incredible, Chelsea! Oatmeal cookies are my favorite and I love the sound of those chocolate cranberries. Healthier too? Sign me up – pinned 🙂 Reply
These are so yummy looking. I love that you used chocolate covered cranberries. Sharing this post! Reply
I just saw these over on another one of my friend’s blogs and I seriously need to run out and find them immediately. I adore chocolate covered fruit and I can only imagine how wonderfully they go inside these oatmeal cookies! They look amazing, Chelsea! Reply
These cookies look divine! Soft and chewy like an oatmeal raisin cookie should be! I love that you put chocolate covered cranberries in there! So smart! Reply
OH wow. I’m drooling right now and my nearest Sam’s Club is 2 hours away. This seriously just isn’t even remotely fair. I love the addition of oat flour and coconut oil! #client Reply
I wouldn’t miss the opportunity to try to make these cookies because they are the most delicious! Reply
I just made these and they were DELISH!! Even my 14 year old and her friend loved them( she is always leary that I’m sneaking something healthy in) Reply
I made this recipe it is so good thanks. Can i use butter or vegetable oil instead of coconut oil because it is too expensive in my area ??? Reply
Thank you! I haven’t actually tried either so I can’t say for sure, but I believe butter would work fine here. Hope that helps! Reply
Chelsea, could these be made using oat flour and rolled oats? I’m trying to get away white flour. Thanks d Reply
Sorry Diana, I’ve never tried this recipe with oat flour so I really couldn’t say. I do have a recipe without any white flour though; check it out here: https://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/the-best-healthy-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookies/ Reply
Hi Chelsea, Made these yesterday and I must say that the whole family loved them. Will definitely make them again. By the way, I used butter instead of coconut oil because that’s all I have. Thanks for a great recipe! Reply
Just made these…our new go to recipe!! Absolutely perfect, I used butter in place of coconut oil, and all chocolate was chocolate chips, but still an excellent cookie. Thanks for a perfect cookie recipe! Reply
