Healthy Oat & Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are inspired by a cookie I bought at the store the other day (“Kookie Cat” if I remember correctly). On paper, it sounded delicious: oats and coconut, naturally sweetened and made with minimal ingredients. But it was pretty dry and not very flavorful.

So, to overcome my frustration, I decided to make my own version because you just can’t stay on a bad cookie experience – everyone knows that. After experimenting with a few different ratios of ingredients, I finally nailed it. The result? Terrific cookies that are irresistibly chewy, soft, and extra coconutty!

⭐️ Why You Should Try It

Extra chewy.

The base of these cookies is rolled oats, oat flour, almond flour, and shredded coconut. There is no dry sugar here, and that’s what makes the difference. The only sweetener in these cookies is coconut nectar, which comes in the form of a thick syrup and yields a moist texture. No more dry cookies the next day – these stay soft and chewy for days!

Additionally, the rolled oats and the shredded coconut introduce another layer of texture, adding even more chewiness to every bite.

Coconutty & chocolatey.

Have you ever bought coconut cookies only to discover later that they barely tasted coconut? Well, I can relate and understand the disappointment. You can rest assured, though, that these cookies are LOADED with natural coconut flavor and plenty of chocolate chips!

Refined sugar-free and gluten-free.

The coolest part of these cookies is that they are made with no refined sugar (assuming you use refined sugar-free chocolate chips) and are entirely gluten-free.

🥥 Ingredient Notes

Rolled oats & oat flour

Oat flour makes the base of the dough, providing structure, while rolled oats add chewiness. I prefer using rolled oats, but quick oats will work too if that’s all you have on hand.

Make your own oat flour: If you’re like me and rarely find oat flour at the store, you can easily make your own. To do so, add rolled or quick oats to a high-speed blender and blend for 1-2 minutes or until it forms a very fine flour. You can then transfer it to a container and keep it for months!

Almond flour

After testing, I noticed that cookies that only relied on oat flour tended to be a bit dryer. Almond flour adds the necessary fat to make the cookies moist.

Note: Use almond flour, not almond meal.

Shredded coconut

Use unsweetened shredded coconut. Do not mistake those with coconut flakes, which are larger and harder. You want to use finely shredded coconut for these cookies.

Coconut nectar

To sweeten the cookies. I went with coconut nectar for three reasons: First, I like its subtle caramel flavor. Then, since it’s a liquid sweetener, it keeps the cookies soft and chewy for days. And finally, it’s not as refined as other types of sugar, making the cookies a tad healthier.

Note: Not all coconut nectars are equal. Just like maple syrup, there are different types of grades of coconut nectar. The darker ones tend to have a stronger flavor and a hint of bitterness. I suggest using the light kind for this recipe. From my experience, unlike maple syrup, brands do not display the grade of coconut nectar, so the only way to tell is by looking at the color of the nectar in the bottle. It should have a color just slightly darker than agave.

Substitute: You can substitute maple syrup or agave syrup for the coconut nectar.

Coconut oil

The addition of oil to the batter adds richness. You might notice that I only use two tablespoons for one batch of about nine cookies. While this amount may seem low, it’s enough because almond flour already contributes a good amount of fat.

Substitute: Melted vegan butter works too!

Vanilla extract

For gourmet notes and a delicate floral aroma. Use high-quality store-bought vanilla extract or homemade vanilla extract.

Chocolate chips

You can use regular-size or mini chocolate chips. If you want to make the cookies completely refined sugar-free, I suggest using chocolate chips sweetened with coconut sugar or stevia.

Note: In this recipe, I do not incorporate the chocolate chips into the dough. Instead, I press a few chips on top of the cookies. This is because I found out that incorporating them directly into the dough made it harder to shape the cookies prior to baking.

🥣 How to Make Them

1. Mix the dry ingredients. Add the rolled oats, oat flour, almond flour, shredded coconut, and salt to a mixing bowl. Mix until combined.

2. Pour in the liquid ingredients. Next, add the coconut nectar, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract.
3. Mix. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, mix until combined. Note: Do not overmix – you want to keep the texture of the rolled oats.

4. Shape them. Scoop out about 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of dough, form a ball with your hands, and place it on the baking sheet. Using slightly wet hands, flatten and shape the ball into the size of a cookie. These cookies won’t spread, so you really want to give them a flat and round shape before baking. Repeat with the remaining dough.
5. Add the chocolate chips. Press several chocolate chips on top of each cookie. Be generous!

6. Bake. Bake for 8-9 minutes or until the bottoms of your cookies look golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for at least 15 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Note that the cookies will be very soft right from the oven but will firm up as they cool.

🍫 Variations

Like most cookies, these are versatile and can be customized by incorporating add-ins. Here are a few ideas:

• Give them a matcha flavor: Incorporate 2-3 teaspoons of high-quality matcha powder into the batter for an earthy, almost floral aroma.
• Add nuts: Macadamia, pecans, walnuts, or chopped almonds!
• Make the fruity: Stir in a handful of raisins, dried cranberries, or chopped dried figs.
• Add spices: Ground cinnamon (my fav!), cardamom, or ground ginger.

🍵 How to Serve Them

Enjoy the cookies as a pick-me-up afternoon snack or for breakfast, or transform them into ice cream sandwiches filled with vanilla ice cream or matcha ice cream!

💬 FAQ

If you are looking for soft, chewy, and coconut-y oatmeal cookies that are naturally sweetened and healthy-ish, look no further! These are great for breakfast but also make a great afternoon snack!

🍪 More Delicious Cookies

Vegan Spritz Cookies

Perfect Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Homemade Oreo Cookies (Vegan)

Chocolate Coconut Cookie Thins

⭐️ Did you like this recipe? Let us know in the comments below, and tag us on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Note: This recipe was first released in May 2018 and updated with new process shots and detailed instructions in February 2025.