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As many of you know, I’m basically a Cookie Queen. Cookies are my favorite. I’ve written an
entire book about cookies and my
Ultimate Guide to Chocolate Chip Cookies has been seen by half a million people.
Basically, I’m obsessed. I know my stuff when it comes to cookies! Actually I probably know an unhealthy amount about the art and science of cookies, so it’s only right I share that knowledge (right?!). That’s why when I realized I didn’t have a solid dairy free chocolate chip cookie recipe in my archives I knew I needed to remedy that.
Since I get asked so often about making recipe adaptations to fit food allergies or dietary needs, it’s something I’ve been experimenting with a little more lately.
Although I have no plans to turn this blog into a gluten free, dairy free, egg free, low carb, what have you recipe blog, I do think it’s helpful to have a few go-to recipes in your repertoire that meet those requirements.
Most of us have at least a few friends and family members who would appreciate getting to enjoy treats alongside everyone else, even if they have intolerances, allergies, or other food issues.
The coconut oil should be measured when solid, but if yours has melted slightly than a kitchen scale is your best best to ensure accuracy! I like to use Trader Joe’s or Dr. Bronner’s coconut oil.
Although this recipe is fairly straight forward, you know I always like to empower you with insights into how and way the recipe works. Any questions you might have I’ve tried to answer below.
Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Tips
Coconut Oil 101
I’ve got a few tips on the coconut oil, since I know these questions will probably be asked anyways! Firstly, the coconut oil should be measured while it’s in a state that’s solid but malleable enough to scoop. Coconut oil’s melting point is at 76°F, so if your kitchen is really hot this might be a challenge.
The best way to make sure you get the perfect amount of oil (too much and your cookies will be greasy, too little and they’ll be dry) is to measure by weight using a kitchen scale.
I find the coconut taste to be extremely subtle. I actually think the aroma is more perceptible than the taste. It doesn’t taste coconutty, just sweet and delicious. No one will miss the butter!
Do I really need to chill the dough?
Butter has a much higher melting point of about body temperature. So to avoid having your coconut oil chocolate chip cookies spread out into puddles while baking in the oven, I recommend chilling the dough. Actually, chilling for at least 24 hours is similar to marinading meats. It greatly improves the taste and texture! Try it!
Once the dough has chilled, allow it to sit at room temperature just long enough so that you can scoop it. The colder the dough, the thicker the cookies.
If you’re too impatient, you can always bake off a few immediately to satisfy your craving, then chill the rest. If you want cookies NOW and your oil was pretty warm, freeze the balls of dough while the oven preheats as a little shortcut.
Do I really need to use bread flour?
You don’t absolutely HAVE to use bread flour, but it adds a ton of chewy texture to these cookies that’s worth the extra trip to the store. If you can’t get bread flour, then use all AP flour.
Why is there cornstarch?
The cornstarch helps to create lovely and soft cookies. If you don’t have it or can’t use it, feel free to omit it.
Why use a cookie scoop?
Using a stainless steel spring-loaded cookie scoop when portioning out cookie dough is one of the KEYS to beautiful, uniform, evenly-shaped and evenly-baked cookies. My cookie scoop is one of my most frequently used kitchen gadgets. A spring-loaded scoop saves you *so much time* in forming the balls of dough. When using a scoop, you ensure each ball is evenly sized so the cookies bake evenly, meaning you don’t have any small overbaked cookies or large underbaked cookies. Learn more about Cookie Scoops and how to use them here!
Freezing the dough:
I like to freeze the balls of dough so I’m always less than 25 minutes away from fresh cookies coming out of the oven. You can learn more about how I freeze cookie dough here.
Can I make this gluten-free?
YES! I tested this recipe using the same amount of Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Baking Flour in place of AP + bread flour combined. I’d recommend weighing out the same total amount of GF flour as originally called for in the recipe (350 grams) so you don’t accidentally add too much.
The gluten-free cookies were delicious. They were less chewy and a little drier than the original recipe, but I know no one would notice unless they compared the two side-by-side.
I was originally going to use Cup4Cup gluten free flour, but noticed it contains dairy. I figured if you’re looking to make this particular recipe gluten-free, you likely also need it to be dairy free.
More Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes:
Photos by Constance Higley.
-
1 1/2
cups
(191 grams) all-purpose flour
-
1 1/4
cups
(159 grams) bread flour
-
2
teaspoons
cornstarch
-
1
teaspoon
baking soda
-
1
teaspoon
baking powder
-
1
teaspoon
fine sea salt
-
1
cup
(210 grams) virgin coconut oil, at room temperature (solid)
-
1/2
cup
(100 grams) granulated sugar
-
1 1/4
cups
(247 grams) lightly packed brown sugar
-
2
large eggs plus 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
-
2
teaspoons
vanilla
-
2
cups
(340 grams) semi sweet chocolate chips
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If baking right away, preheat oven to 350ºF. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
-
In a medium bowl, combine the flours, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
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In the bowl of an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the coconut oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until very well combined, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and yolk, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. On low speed, gradually beat in the flour mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips.
-
For best taste and texture, wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours but no more than 72 hours. Let dough sit at room temperature just until it is soft enough to scoop.
-
Using a large (3-tablespoon size) spring-loaded scoop, drop balls of dough onto prepared baking sheets.
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Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Delicious and so thick!
This is by far the best coconut oil chocolate chip cookie recipe and maybe just the best chocolate chip cookie recipe. The cookies look exactly like the picture and you’d never k ow there was coconut oil. This is my new go to chocolate chip cookie recipe the taste and texture is perfect!
Wonderful! So happy to hear that, Amberly!
Can I freeze this dough and bake 1/2 layer? This is a delightful recipe that I’ve used many times. Thank you for making a yummy cookie that’s also dairy free!
You are welcome to freeze this dough! I talk about it in the pink box above the recipe 🙂
Wow, such a delicious cookies you have shared.
Sooo yummy! I’ve made these a handful of times and they don’t disappoint. Little crisp on the edges and soft and chewy on the inside.
I made these to give to a dairy-free friend and was very happy with the way they came out. I expected them to spread excessively due to the oil, but they did not. I did chill the dough for three full days so that probably helped in that regard. I made two dozen large (about 48g) cookies and baked them for 15 minutes. I recommend portioning the dough immediately after mixing and before chilling. It gets very hard and crumbly when cold because of the coconut oil.
I got the amazing coconut oil chocolate chip cookies. I always cook these at my home when there is my child forcing me. I hear by notice about this..
Has anyone tried these with an egg replacer such as flax eggs or powdered egg replacer? Do you think itd work?
Just made your coconut oil chocolate chip cookies, they are very very delicious! I want to eat them.I hope I will manage as I am not a great cook! Thanks for sharing them for us.
Just made your coconut oil chocolate chip cookies, they are very very delicious! I want to eat them. thanks for sharing them for us.
Hi Tessa,
I am trying to find a recipe that is almost EXACT in taste to the regular chocolate chip cookie recipe that’s on the back of the chip bag. But I’d like to use coconut flour & some coconut oil (maybe one stick of butter & the rest coconut oil) Not sure how to do this…Can you help me with this? Thank you!
I made the gluten-free version of these, and they came out delicious! Next time, however, I will scoop the dough into balls, and THEN chill for 24 hours so I can just pop the chilled pre-scooped dough onto a cookie sheet to bake. I literally gave my self blisters on my index finger from the cookie scoop, trying to scoop the chilled dough – even after letting it sit on the counter for a bit.
Do you use refined or unrefined coconut oil? I hear that refined coconut oil doesn’t have the coconut taste/smell and might be less noticeable.
I personally don’t use refined, but please feel free to! Should work fine.
Hello Tessa! I’m a big fan of yours and I’ve tried several of your recipes. I’m allergic to dairy so this is the recipe I’ve been looking for but I have a question, we have a family farm and we extract coconut oil there so I was wondering does the coconut oil have to be solid or can I use it liquid? Since we produce it and live in a tropical area it doesn’t ever get solid unless I refrigerate. Thanks and keep up the good work!
This looks amazing! I will definately give it a try!
I hope I will manage as I am not a great cook!
As I promised, I am updating my comments after eating these cookies, and they are delicious. For me, they are so rich that one cookie was satisfying, we did not get 48 cookies though so ours may have been bigger, we got 44 so it was close. Definitely a do over. Thanks so much! We did not chill dough overnight, though, mostly because I didn’t read recipe until we were baking, but the freezing method seems to have worked perfectly.
I’m so pleased to hear that! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Since discovering this website we have been super happy, can’t wait to try these, which we are going to do right now. Thanks for explaining reasons for the bread flour and cornstarch. I will write about the cookies after we taste them, which I am sure will be delicious. Thanks so much!!
Bonjour , petite question mon huile de noix coco est rendu liquide sans la gaspiller puis-je la prendre et qu’elle quantité doit prendre ? Merci
Ooooh…this looks like something my kids will enjoy. I will definitely have to try this since my kids made me commit to making a homemade pie at least once a month
My granddaughters can’t have dairy so I’m super excited about these. It’s just not right always having to give them fruit or cupcakes with that not so good tasting nondairy butter frosting.
Just made your coconut oil chocolate chip cookies, they are delicious!
You are very creative to come up with this recipe.
I had Bob Mill’s Gluten free flour and used that, and found that if you sift it after weighing, need less.
Next time, I’ll just pre-sift the flour, since it is pretty dense, thought it would make the cookie lighter, it did and crispy too. I added some chopped pecans too, wonderful flavor.
I’ve tried being adventurous with my baking, it usually tastes good, but they don’t always look so good.
Thank you, Tessa for your love of baking and creative recipes.
Wonderful, Merri! Thank you so much!
Hello!
My granddaughters can’t have dairy so I’m super excited about these. It’s just not right always having to give them fruit or cupcakes with that not so good tasting nondairy butter frosting.
Thank you!
Hi Tessa,
I am a huge chocolate chip cookie fan! I definitely want to try these, thank you!