These coconut oil chocolate chip cookies are perfectly crispy on the outside and so soft and chewy inside, you’ll never guess that they’re made healthy with coconut oil and contain NO butter! Destined to become your new favorite chocolate chip cookie.
Coconut oil has some big shoes to fill today standing in for the typical butter you’ll find in chocolate chip cookies. Is it up to the task?
The answer is a resounding yes because holy cow, friends. This is the chocolate chip cookie that actual dreams are made of and just about the softest, chewiest cookie I’ve ever had the pleasure of accidentally going back for a third of.
And that’s a lot to say for an innocent little chocolate chip cookie that doesn’t contain a speck of butter in it.
In case you’re wondering, these cookies have a slight background of coconut flavor but it’s definitely not a prominent flavor. The main job of the coconut oil is giving these cookies their incredible texture and they take that job seriously.
These Chocolate Chip Cookies feature…
- A crispy exterior and soft and chewy inside
- Gooey chocolate chips in every bite
- An easy recipe that comes together in minutes with several make-ahead options
Making the Chocolate Chip Cookies
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Coconut oil
- Brown sugar
- Egg
- 2% or skim milk
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Cornstarch
- Kosher salt
- Semisweet chocolate chips
Choosing Your Coconut Oil
You will need cold-pressed unrefined coconut oil for these cookies. You can easily locate it next to the other oils in most grocery stores.
The coconut oil should be softened for mixing into the dough. I typically find that it’s soft enough at room temperature but if your kitchen is a little colder, warm coconut oil a bit by pouring hot water in a bowl, wipe dry, place coconut oil in bowl, cover with a lid, and allow to sit for 5 minutes until coconut oil is slightly softened.
Tips for Perfect Coconut Oil Cookies
- Bring egg and milk to room temp – allow the egg to come to room temperature or submerge in hot water for about 2 minutes to quickly warm it. Using these ingredients at room temp will help them incorporate much easier into the dough.
- Use brown sugar – brown sugar will give the cookies a soft and chewy texture.
- Measure flour correctly – I use the spoon-and-level technique for measuring flour as this will prevent over-measuring your flour. Use a spoon to scoop flour into the measuring cup, then level with the back of a knife. For the highest level of precise measuring, weigh the flour in grams.
- Roll dough into balls before chilling – I recommend rolling the dough into balls prior to chilling – not after. This dough gets particular stiff after chilling from the coconut oil and it’s much easier to handle before.
- Chill cookie dough – chilling the dough balls for about 2 hours before baking will prevent the cookies from excessive spreading resulting in a thick and chewy cookie.
Recipe Variations
Try these ideas for a different twist on these cookies.
- Use another chocolate – try dark chocolate or white chocolate in place of the semisweet.
- Add nuts – fold 1/2 cup toasted chopped walnuts or pecans into dough.
- Top cookies with salt – a sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top gives the cookies a delicious sweet and salty contrast.
Storing Cookie Dough
If you would like to make up the dough for these cookies in advance it stores well in refrigerator up to 6 days or in the freezer up to 2 months (thaw dough in fridge before baking). I recommend rolling the dough into balls and storing in an airtight container for best results. Follow recipe instructions for baking cookies.
Storing and Freezing Baked Cookies
Allow cookies to cool completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 4 days. They’re delicious at room temperature, but also incredible reheated in the microwave 5-10 seconds on high to melt the chocolate.
To freeze cookies, allow to cool completely, then wrap well and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw cookies completely at room temperature and store up to 4 days.
These cookies are just complete and total chocolate chip cookie goals, friends. Soft, chewy, thick chocolate chip cookie HEAVEN. My entire family has called them “the best chocolate chip cookies in the world” and trust me, we don’t throw around that word lightly.
If there was ever a chocolate chip cookie you needed in your life, this is it! You won’t be missing the butter one bit.
Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.
You’ll love my other chocolate chip cookie recipes!
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Graham Cracker Chocolate Chip Cookies
Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies
This recipe may included paid links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (130 g) unrefined coconut oil (softened but not melted)
- 3/4 cup (160 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg (52 g), room temperature
- 1 tablespoon (12 g) 2% or skim milk, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons (8 g) vanilla extract
- 1-1/2 cups (190 g) all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) baking soda
- 2 teaspoons (6 g) cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon (2 g) kosher salt
- 3/4 cup (120 g) semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Place softened coconut oil and sugar in a large bowl and beat until smooth and creamy. Beat in egg, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
- In a separate medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt. Fold flour mixture and chocolate chips into liquid mixture until dough is just combined.
- Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place in a container or on a plate. Cover and refrigerate dough balls 2 hours or up to 6 days.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350F. Arrange chilled dough balls 2-inches apart on 2 parchment paper-lined sheet pans.
- Bake cookies at 350F 9-11 minutes until edges of cookies are golden-brown. Allow cookies to cool 20 minutes on sheet pan then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
This post was updated with new recipe adjustments on 2/5/26.
angelina says
I just want to say i love this recipe! When it comes to baking cookies if not store bought usully end up in complete disaster. I been goiong the healthier route and figured they are a better and healthier version of store bought cookie dough. This is my second time making them in week!! can you tell that my family and I are obsessed?My husband was in awe with them even though they were made with no butter. He said and I quote, “so chewy and good , like cookie dough”. Thank you for toughing this one out and perfecting this cookie recipe for all of us to use. I will et this delicious cookie in your honor. Also ive had two friends ask for the recipe and i guided them to your page!
Sarah says
Angelina, thank you SO much for the compliments and I’m so so thrilled to hear that these cookies are a new favorite in your family. Have an awesome rest of the weekend! 🙂
Jeavoni says
OH MY GOSH. I found this recipe and honestly thought ‘there’s no way…’ but I got bored and decided to just give it a go. LIFE CHANGING. I’m not kidding, I am used to butter and fat and lots of white sugar, but fighting my taste buds trying to change. Needless to say my husband and I are super picky. These cookies are the freaking bomb. We put the extras in the freezer and I can say that eating them right out of the oven, or out of the freezer these are shockingly delicious. I did use unsweetened almond milk, and I used einkorn flour. If you’re debating- MAKE THESE. This is my new ‘base recipe’ for every cookie. THANK YOU!!!
Tammi Colbert says
I used mostly whole wheat flour and I added 2 T toasted hemp seed , 1/4 c flax meal and 1/2 c toasted crushed pecans, I then added 2 T milk instead of one. They did spread some when I made the cookies too big but when I made them smaller it was better. They were really good!
Sarah says
Love the sound of adding hemp seeds, flax meal, and pecans to these cookies, Tammi! Glad to hear they were a hit. 🙂
Savannah says
How many calories are in these
Sarah says
I am unsure of the exact calorie information, however, this website can tell you!
Samantha says
I’ve been making these cookies for two years at every opportunity that I can! I even won a chocolate chip cookie contest at work with them. Now regular chocolate chip cookies just don’t do the trick for me. Many kudos!!
Sarah says
So thrilled to hear that these cookies are a favorite, Samantha! Thanks for letting me know! 🙂
Ellen Cooper says
These cookies looks really delicious and captivating and I feel like try this right now. It was a wonderful article and I really like it.
Debbie says
These look so good. Going to make them today!
Can I use white flour instead of white whole wheat flour and is the coconut oil refined or unrefined?
Thanks from a new subscriber- Debbie
Sarah says
Hi Debbie! White flour would be a fine sub and I would suggest unrefined coconut oil. Merry Christmas!
Debbie says
Yes Sarah, that’s what I thought that it was refined coconut oil.
I just made them and although they tasted REALLY REALLY REALLY melt in your mouth chocolately good!!!, …. they came out flat. I followed the directions and left them in the fridge for over an hour but they still came out flat. ?
I’ve been baking for the past 12 years so I know all the tricks of baking… but in my defense , this is the first time I ever baked with coconut oil.
So, I’ll keep trying to make them and figure out where I went wrong. ?
Wonderful 10 star ********** cookie though ?
Vidya says
Hi,
Your recoiling great.I would
Like to try this but i don’t Have corn starch.instead can I use corn flour or skip that indgredient.
Ann says
Tried this recipe, very good, but did not spread, remained in the round shape, I noticed you suggested using an unrefined coconut oil, mine is organic virgin, could this have been the reason they did not spread?
Sarah says
Hi Ann! That’s very strange to hear that your cookies didn’t spread! It could have been the type of coconut oil you used, but I’m not entirely sure. Next time I’d recommend flattening the cookies slightly before baking to encourage them to spread a bit more.