Easy cut out coconut sugar cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Requires no chilling. Crispy and firm on the outside but soft on the inside. They also hold their shape and don't spread.
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These cookies were a happy accident. My little one was playing in a tropical sensory bin I made for him which had coconut flakes. He accidentally dropped some of it on the table where I was making my sugar cookie dough. Since there was no way of removing all that coconut from the batter, I went ahead and baked these cookies anyways and they turned out so good!
They are crispy on the outside with golden brown edges and a subtle chewiness from the coconut flakes. I think they are just as good as my Soft and Chewy Coconut Cookies. They hold their shape, don't spread, and there is no chilling required! I think they would be great for Christmas, especially for cookie exchanges. Or you can just enjoy them as a snack at tea/coffee time.
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Key ingredients
- Flour- Making up the bulk of the dough, all-purpose flour does the trick.
- Sugar- Your typical table sugar works great for this recipe.
- Butter- Be sure to use unsalted at room temperature.
- Desiccated Coconut- This is the secret ingredient that makes these cookies so special.
- Sour cream- Brings moisture in to prevent hard cookies.
- Egg yolks- It is important to just use the yolks and not the whole egg.
- Vanilla extract- Adds a warm flavor.
- Salt- That little bit compliments the sweetness.
Variations
- Add frosting- Since these cookies have a rough texture due to all that desiccated coconut, I don't recommend using them for fancy cookie decorating purposes. But you can still frost them in my American Buttercream Frosting or drizzle some melted chocolate if you like. I personally like them as is, because they have a winter wonderland effect and the coconut looks like snow.
- Top with sanding sugar- For color and extra sparkle. You can even dip in granulated sugar.
- The dough can easily be colored- With gel colorings and you can make a beautiful tray of colorful cookies if you like.
- Make into holiday gifts- They are easy to package and mail to family and friends.
- Add different spices- For various flavor profiles, such as pumpkin spice or simply cinnamon in the Fall.
- Try other extracts- Such as peppermint, almond, or lemon to yield different flavors.
- Add sprinkles to the batter- To add some color and fun.
- Use crushed candy canes in the batter- During the holiday for that Christmas aesthetic.
- Try adding more coconut- I haven't personally tried it, but you could add some coconut flour (for gluten free option), coconut sugar instead of granulated, or coconut oil in place of butter. Just be aware this will change the texture and flavor, but sometimes it is fun to experiment!
- Toss in chocolate chips of your choice- Including semi-sweet, white, milk chocolate, peanut butter, and mini ones.
How to make cut out coconut sugar cookies
- Cream together- The butter and sugar.
- Add egg yolks- One at a time and continue to mix.
- Mix in- The sour cream and vanilla until combined.
- Make into a lumpy mixture- By adding the flour and salt.
- Knead dough- Then roll out between two sheets of wax paper.
- Lift top wax paper off- To sprinkle coconut all over the dough.
- Replace the wax paper- And roll again to push in the coconut.
- Cut out shapes- And place on cookie sheet to bake until done.
Tips and techniques
- Be sure ingredients are at room temperature- Because they mix together more smoothly.
- Sour cream makes them soft- You may be tempted to omit this ingredient, but if you do they will be hard as rocks.
- Watch your bake time- Because it will change depending on how thick the cookies are. Thinner cookies will take less time than the thicker ones.
- Use parchment paper- So that the cookies don't stick to the pan.
- Only use the egg yolks- I know this is different than the typical cookie recipe, but very important to the overall texture of the cookies.
Recipe FAQs
That depends on a few different things, like the size of the cookies and how thick the they are.
Your cookies are ready when they are light golden brown around the edges. Enjoy!
Yes, but you will be missing out on some great flavor.
Storage
- Make ahead- They are best fresh, but you can make a batch of these on a day when you have more time and save them for that busy day later. Just bake and seal them in a container in the fridge for up to 1 week or the freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw and serve.
- Room temperature- In a cookie jar these will last for about 3 days.
- Refrigerate- These can be placed in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Freeze- Place in a sealed container and keep in the freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw before serving. You can also freeze the dough before baking, thaw and roll it out, then bake according to the directions below.
More coconut desserts
- Chocolate Coconut Bars (Macaroon Bars)
- Coconut Rice Pudding
- Easy Coconut Macaroons (With Condensed Milk)
- German Chocolate Cake Frosting (Coconut Pecan Frosting)
- Coconut Cream Chocolate Frosting
Recipe
Easy Cut Out Coconut Sugar Cookies
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Ingredients
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- ⅔ cups Granulated sugar
- ½ cup Butter Unsalted
- ½ cup Coconut Desiccated
- 2 tablespoon Sour cream
- 2 Egg yolks From large eggs
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.
- Add egg yolks, one at a time, while continuing to mix.
- Add sour cream and vanilla extract and mix until thoroughly combined.
- Add flour and salt and mix until you end up with a weird lumpy mixture. Now, just use your hands to knead this mixture into sugar cookie dough.
- Roll this dough between two sheets of wax paper. Then, remove the top sheet of wax paper and sprinkle desiccated coconut and spread it all over the flattened cookie dough. Place the sheet of wax paper on top again and roll it one last time so as to push the coconut into the dough.
- Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 6 minutes and then rotate your tray and bake for another 3 minutes. Your cookies are ready when they are light golden brown around the edges. Enjoy!
Notes
- All ingredients must be at room temperature.
- Don't omit the sour cream. That adds moisture to these cookies and prevents them from becoming rock solid.
- Your baking times may vary, depending on the thickness of your cookies.
- The number of cookies you get from this recipe will vary, depending on the size of cookie cutters you use. It will also depend on how thick or thin you roll out your dough.
- Your cookie tray must be lined with parchment paper to prevent cookies from sticking to the pan.
Nutrition
An automated tool is used to calculate the nutritional information. As such, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information provided for any recipe on this site.
Miranda
I love the addition of coconut to sugar cookies! Those would be so delicious!
Abeer Rizvi
I am crazy about coconut! It miraculously makes its way into most of my desserts but I have been learning how to control myself...hahahha