Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, these Tropical Chocolate Chip Cookies with Coconut Oil might have you thinking you’ve been swept away to an island paradise.
I’ve had a lot of luck lately baking with coconut oil and these Tropical Chocolate Chip Cookies with coconut oil are no exception. I’ve been subbing coconut oil in a 1:1 ratio for butter and have had zero issues doing that. It makes it so easy.
Honestly it’s kind of surprising, since butter has a water content to account for, however the 1:1 ratio has been working out great in baked goods. I’ve never tried subbing coconut oil for butter when it comes to making dough. It’s hard to imagine that working out well. If you’ve ever tried subbing coconut oil for butter in dough, let me know how it went.
I swear these cookies are right up there with some other island inspired desserts I love making, such as these No Bake Hawaiian Dream Dessert Cups as well as Gratineed Pineapple (an all time fave). Try them when you get a chance.
I decided to use unsweetened roasted cacao nibs in these cookies instead of nuts for texture and taste. I love the deep flavor they add and the chewy texture. If you’re not into them you can always sub with chopped walnuts. I have a son who is allergic to nuts so the nibs are a great option.
When baking with coconut oil, make sure other ingredients in your recipe, like eggs or milk, are room temperature. Cold ingredients tend to make the coconut oil coagulate or seize up.
Don’t worry if the batter feels greasy, that’s normal.
Because I do not want to wait hours chilling the dough balls before baking, I make these cookies in a whoopie pie pan. These are a must for all my cookie making. You don’t have to wait to chill the dough because they the cookies can’t spread further than the wells of the pan. In fact, check out all my other recipes made in a whoopie pie pan.
The cookies come out perfectly shaped and thick. I never make cookies without them. Also, if you find all your chocolate chips and nibs don’t incorporate into the dough it’s not a problem. Just sprinkle the extras into the the wells and they will bake into the cookie. This is perfect for those of us who like to add a bit extra.
Why Bake/Cook With Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is rich in Lauric Acid. Lauric Acid, is broken down into a compound called monolaurin in the body. Both Lauric acid and monolaurin can remove microbes like bacteria, fungi and viruses. For this reason, coconut oil can be protective against various infections and is an efficient killer of pathogens.
Unrefined coconut oil (like I used here) actually improves blood lipid profiles. In a study of women with abdominal obesity, coconut oil increased HDL and lowered the LDL:HDL ratio, while soybean oil increased Total and LDL cholesterol and decreased HDL.
Fatty acids in coconut oil can increase energy expenditure, improve satiety and help you lose weight.
Coconut oil can also turn into ketone bodies in the liver which provide energy for the brain. Ketone bodies are particularly useful against epilepsy and may also improve various other disorders.
Are you sold yet?
Love how thick these cookies turn out when made in a whoopie pie pan.
Make these soon and and enjoy every bite!
Do you love island inspired desserts? Me too! There are so many fun things to make. This Pineapple Mojito Fruit Salad would make me feel like I’m on vacation. And who wouldn’t want a sip of a Hawaiian Mimosa..it’s liquid dessert. A bite of this Guava Sorbet would transport me somewhere breezy and warm.
Four years ago I posted my recipe for Pulled Pork Breakfast Wraps and it’s still super popular! Six years ago I made these Roasted Grapes and I recently had a newspaper call me and want to feature them…they are that good. Seven years ago these Pumpkin Caramel Bars with BACON were made and became a life changing dessert. Make them!
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Tropical Chocolate Chip Cookies with Coconut Oil
Ingredients
- 1-2/3 cups (206 g) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 3/4 cup unrefined coconut oil
- 3/4 cup (165 g) golden brown sugar
- 1/3 cup (67 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 1 cup sweetened, shredded coconut flakes
- 12 oz semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup roasted cacao nibs, unsweetened*
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare whoopie pie pans by greasing with coconut oil. (I melt mine and brush it on with a pastry brush or use coconut oil baking spray.)
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In another large bowl or in a bowl of a stand mixer add coconut oil and sugars, beating together until combined. Add egg and coconut extract; continue mixing. On low speed, add in shredded coconut, chocolate chips and cacao nibs.
- Divide batter equally among 24 wells of a whoopie pie pan. If additions like chocolate chips and nibs are not fully incorporating into the batter, it's okay, just sprinkle the extras among the wells of the pan and they will bake in; it's the beauty of using this type of pan.
- Bake in the oven for 12 minutes, remove and let sit in the pan for 5 minutes before removing. (I like to let my cookies finish baking in the pan, out of the oven, for those last few minutes.) Remove from pan with a small spatula and let cool completely on a wire rack.
- Cookies will keep for a week in tightly covered Tupperware.
- *If you do not use a whoopie pie pan to make these cookies, you will need to roll the dough into balls and chill them for hours before baking, otherwise they will melt and spread quite a bit. Chilling the baking tray would also be a great idea when using this method.
- Serving size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 161
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated fat: 8 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Sugar: 16 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 3 mg