These are easily the best oatmeal coconut walnut cookies you will have tasted. They are the perfect balance of soft, chewy, and crunchy texture and are packed with coconut and walnuts. These cookies can be prepped and frozen ahead or made fresh in just 15 minutes!
Oatmeal cookies always bring back a sense of nostalgia for me. They are warm, delicious, and bring in all the comforting feelings.
This oatmeal coconut walnut cookie recipe has the perfect balance of flavors from coconuts, walnuts and maple syrup and it brings a nice soft, chewy texture yet crunchy taste. The best part about this recipe is that it takes just 15 minutes of prep work for the dough to come together.
This eggless recipe can easily be adapted for a vegan diet by swapping regular butter with vegan butter.
To make it gluten-free, substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free alternative.
Table of contents
Why you'll love these oatmeal coconut walnut cookies
Easy to Make: This recipe is so easy to make and is great for beginners or pros alike. The prep takes just 15 minutes to get the dough ready for baking.
Make in Batches: You can freeze the dough balls ahead of time. Pop them out of the freezer to make fresh anytime you are craving a snack. Cookie dough freezes well for up to 3-4 months, so it is a great way to get ahead for the holidays or get-togethers.
Versatile: You can use alternate nuts for this recipe. Swap out the walnuts for pecans or any kind of nuts you prefer. Check out our amazing collection of other oatmeal recipes if you are in the mood for experimentation:
- Oatmeal Coconut Pecan Cookies
- Vegan Oatmeal Cookies
- Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies (Vegan and Gluten Free)
- 20+ Gluten Free and Vegan Oat Flour Recipes
Main ingredients for oatmeal coconut walnut cookie recipe
This recipe uses wholesome ingredients that taste great and are good for you. Try using organic ingredients (especially shredded coconut) if possible, as i've found it elevates the taste to another level!
- Old Fashioned Oatmeal: For the best texture, use old-fashioned oats rather than instant oats, which are pre-cooked and less suitable for baking. If using rolled oats, pulse them briefly in a mixer before combining with other dry ingredients.
- All Purpose Flour: This recipe is not gluten free, however it can be made gluten free by using gluten free flour instead.
- Walnuts: Coarsely chop 1 cup of walnuts for a delightful crunch in every bite.
- Unsweetened Desiccated Coconut Flakes: This recipe uses unsweetened shredded coconut. The coconut flakes add a little bit of crunchiness to the cookie, perfectly balancing out the chewiness of the oatmeal.
- Sweeteners: Combine 5 tablespoons of maple syrup and 1 cup of packed brown sugar (light or dark) for natural sweetness. If maple syrup is unavailable, substitute with honey or golden syrup..
- Unsalted Butter: This is the only non-vegan ingredient in the recipe. You can swap out regular butter for vegan butter to make this vegan friendly.
- Vanilla Extract: The vanilla extract adds a nice hint of vanilla to these cookies.
How to make the best oatmeal coconut walnut cookies
First, set to 300°F and line your baking trays with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, coconut flakes, oatmeal, and sugar. Set aside.
Mix Wet Ingredients: In a small saucepan, combine butter, maple syrup and bring to medium heat.
Add 2 tablespoon of hot water and baking soda into the saucepan and mix together
Combine Mixture: Remove the saucepan from heat. Immediately stir these wet ingredients with the dry ingredients and combine to make mixture. Fold in the walnuts into the mixture
Make Dough Balls: Form balls using 2-3 tablespoon of dough and place about 3 inches apart on the parchment paper
Once in ball form, slightly flatten each of the balls
Baking Time: Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown
Transfer to a cooling wire rack. Allow 1-2 minutes to cook. Serve and Enjoy!
Seasonal twists and variations
Seasonal Variations: You can customize these cookies with your favorite add-ins like chocolate chips, dried cranberries, or raisins for a festive holiday touch.
Check out our Apple Walnut Stuffing if you are in the mood to use those extra walnuts from this recipe.
If you are swapping out nuts for sweeter alternatives such as chocolate chips, reduce sugar by ¼ to balance out the overall sweetness.
Healthier Alternatives: You can make a healthier version of these cookies by swapping maple syrup and brown sugar for healthier sweeteners.
Use honey or a sugar free syrup instead as a healthier alternative.
Coconut sugar is low in glycemic index and is a great substitute for brown sugar. Use 1:1 substitute if using coconut sugar instead of brown sugar.
Expert cooking tips
Baking Soda Tip: When mixing baking soda into the recipe, use 1-2 teaspoons of hot or boiling water to mix. Doing so lifts and neutralizes any bitterness that can come with the walnuts.
Use Accurate Measurements: Baking is often a science unlike cooking. Adding in too much or too little of the flour or oatmeal can cause the cookie to be too stiff or too soggy.
You can always experiment with toppings, but measure out your flour and oatmeal.
Best Oatmeal to Use: Use rolled oats if possible for this recipe. I do not recommend steel cut oats or instant oats. Steel cut oats are coarser than old fashioned oats and instant oats are pre-cooked oats. They both don't work well for baking recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, substitute all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. Coconut flour can also be used as an alternative, but adjustments to liquid ratios may be necessary.
Use rolled oats for this recipe rather than using instant oats. Check in at the 25 minute mark for the golden brown setting. Cooking longer times can sometimes dry out the oatmeal cookies.
Yes, the best part about this recipe is that you can make and freeze the dough ahead of time. Make sure to defrost the dough before placing them in the oven.
Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. You can also store in an airtight ziplock bag for up to 1 week.
Recipe Card
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup Oatmeal Use Old Fashioned
- ¾ cup shredded coconut unsweetened desiccated
- 1 ⅓ cup all purpose flour use gluten free flour if needed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 9 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 stick + 1 tablespoon of butter
- 5 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup walnuts coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoon water boiling or hot
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees and line your baking trays with parchment paper
- In a medium bowl, whisk the dry ingredients (flour, coconut, oatmeal, sugar and salt) to set aside
- In a small saucepan, combine butter, maple syrup and bring to medium heat.
- Add 2 tablespoon of hot water and baking soda into the saucepan and mix together
- Remove from heat. Immediately stir these wet ingredients with the dry ingredients and combine to make mixture.
- Fold in the walnuts into the mixture
- Form balls using 2-3 tablespoon of dough and place about 3 inches apart on the parchment paper
- Once set, slightly flatten each of the balls
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown
- Transfer to a wire rack. Allow 1-2 minutes to cook. Serve and Enjoy!
Ashley
You don't mention when to add the vanilla extract or the brown sugar in your recipe instructions, but I guessed, and the cookies came out great! I will make this recipe again, and try it with cinnamon and nutmeg and a little orange zest, and/or with chocolate chips for my husband:). Can you make this recipe with 1-2 eggs (plus adding a little more dry)? What would the egg do to the consistency?
sara
turns out super soft and chewy!