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gluten-free coconut chocolate chip cookies and a bottle of milk

Gluten-Free Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

5 from 3 votes
Author: Emily Dixon, Sweets & Thank You
These Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies strike the perfect balance between soft & chewy, with rich notes of coconut and chocolate in every delicious bite!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Chill Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes
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Servings: 20 Cookies

Equipment

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients:

  • 1 cup Butter (227 grams/2 sticks), cut into cubes
  • ¾ cup Brown Sugar (150 grams)
  • ¾ cup Granulated Sugar (150 grams)
  • 2 Large Eggs room temperature
  • 1 Large Egg Yolk room temperature
  • ½ Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
  • ½ teaspoon Coconut Extract (optional, but recommended for extra flavor!)

Dry Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ cups Gluten-Free Measure-For-Measure Flour (300 grams, weighed or scooped & leveled)*
  • 1 Tablespoons Cornstarch (8 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 cups Semi Sweet or Dark Chocolate Chips (340 grams)
  • 1 ½ cups Sweetened Shredded Coconut (180 grams)*

Instructions

  • Brown The Butter. Melt the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly until the butter begins to foam. (Watch carefully when the butter begins to foam, as it will turn golden and brown quickly.) When the butter under the foam is golden brown (like honey) and smells sweet with a nutty aroma, remove the pan from the heat and transfer to the bowl of your stand mixer or a mixing bowl to cool for 20-30 minutes, until it’s cooled to room temperature. (Make sure to get all those lovely brown bits from the bottom of the pan!)
  • Combine Butter & Sugars. Add brown sugar and granulated sugar to the ROOM TEMPERATURE brown butter (don't add if it's still hot!). Mix with the paddle attachment or an electric mixer 1-2 minutes, or until the mixture looks like wet sand.
  • Add Eggs + Egg Yolk One At A Time. Add eggs + egg yolk one at a time, blending well after each addition.
  • Build Flavor. Add the vanilla extract and coconut extract, if using, and mix to combine.
  • Add Dry Ingredients. Add flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix until just a few floury patches remain, then add the chocolate chips and shredded coconut. Mix until the coconut and chocolate chips are evenly mixed throughout the dough and there are no more dry spots left.
  • Scoop & Chill The Dough. Use a large cookie scoop (3 Tablespoon size) to scoop cookie dough balls. (You'll get about 20-22 cookies.) Place in an airtight container, cover, and chill the cookie dough balls for at least 2 hours, up to 1 day in advance.
  • Preheat The Oven & Prep Your Pans. When you’re ready to bake, remove the dough from the refrigerator while the oven fully preheats to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment (so you can alternate sheets between batches.)
  • Bake & Cool The Cookies. Roll 6 cookie dough balls in between your palms to smooth them out and place onto a prepared baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are a golden brown color and the centers look just underdone. Cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling. Repeat process with remaining cookie dough.
  • Serve & Store. Enjoy right away once the cookies are cooled down, or store in an airtight container 2-3 days. (Or, freeze up to 2 months)

Notes

  • Gluten-Free Flour. We highly recommend King Arthur Measure-For-Measure Gluten-Free Flour blend for these cookies. If you use another blend, make sure it contains xanthan gum! Don’t substitute almond flour, coconut flour, oat flour, etc. for these cookies. 
  • Measure Carefully! The secret to perfect cookies is measuring the flour correctly. Gram measurements will give you the most best results every time, but if you can’t weigh the flour, use the spoon and level method. (DON’T use your measuring cup to scoop the flour!)
  • Coconut. We ONLY recommend sweetened shredded coconut for these cookies. If you use unsweetened coconut, the coconut flavor will be weak and the cookies will be more dry. We like Angel Flake brand since it has a consistency we can count on. 
  • Don't Rush The Chill! For the correct texture and consistency, make sure to cool the brown butter to room temperature before mixing with the sugars AND don't skip the 2 hour chill time. 
  • A Trick For Pretty Cookies. Use a large round cookie cutter to gently shape the cookies into perfect circles right when they come out of the oven. Then, top them with a few more chocolate chips!

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