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    Home » Recipes » Sweets

    Mrs. Obinger's Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

    July 13, 2021 • Updated: September 12, 2022 • by Renée B. • This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe   Print Recipe
    Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

    Soft, chewy, rich, and flavorful, Mrs Obinger's Coconut Oatmeal Cookies are oh-so-easy to make! (No mixer necessary.) Perfect for baking time with kids, or when you just want life to be a little simpler.

    Coconut Oatmeal Cookies
    Jump to:
    • What's the Story Behind this Recipe?
    • Measuring Cup Notes
    • What Goes into this Recipe
    • How to Make these Cookies
    • FAQs & Expert Tips
    • Related Recipes
    • Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

    What's the Story Behind this Recipe?

    Mrs. Obinger lived kitty-corner from us when I was growing up. Both of my parents worked outside our home and sometimes I would go over to her house after school. She made great after-school snacks, including a couple of my all-time favorites - Garlic Cheerios (a unique popcorn substitute that I need to post asap) and these soft, chewy, delicious Coconut Oatmeal Cookies.

    More often than not, Mrs Obinger would be already getting out the cookie ingredients when I arrived. "Roll up your sleeves," she'd say, and then we'd spend the next half hour or so in the kitchen together.

    I loved making Coconut Cookies with Mrs Obinger because after she put the ingredients into the bowl, I could mix them up all by myself. I still remember standing on her yellow kitchen chair, buried up to my elbows in oatmeal and butter, with all sorts of yumminess squishing between my fingers. 

    When you are six, is there anything better than squishing things? Especially if all that squishiness ends up being delicious cookies?

    Later, when I was all grown up and in the fourth grade, I made a special trip over to Mrs. Obinger's house and carefully wrote out the recipe on one of her personalized recipe cards as she dictated it to me, so that I could have it for always. I still have the card.

    Want to make some cookies with the kiddos? Mix these little coconut beauties up by hand and have some fun!

    I encourage you to make a batch of these coconut cookies soon with your favorite child(ren). If you don't have a kiddo of your own, consider inviting the neighbor kid (and his mom) over to bake some cookies: you may even make a memory or two before you're done.

    Measuring Cup Notes

    I use to be one of those cooks who almost never measured anything. I thought it made me a cool kid. (It did not.)

    These days, I almost always use a kitchen scale when I'm developing or trying out new recipes, because weighing ingredients yields significantly more consistent, dependable results. (Bonus: A kitchen scale can dramatically cut down on post-cookie-making dishes, too!) 

    European vs. US Measuring Cups

    Did you know there are different measurements for cups and tablespoons around the world? 

    One of the reasons I took to weighing ingredients is because, despite what you may think, measuring cups are not standardized around the world. 

    Check out this comparison: the clear (European metric) cup below on the left holds 80 grams of oatmeal, which is how much oatmeal the Quaker box indicates should be in one standard cup. That's one metric cup.

    That same cup of oats, minus a few grains spilled in the transfer process, barely fills a standard US (Imperial) dry measuring cup to seven-eighths full. That's enough of a difference to really throw off a recipe. 

    Don't have kitchen scale (yet)? 

    Measuring cup volumes compared.

    The good news is, this particular oatmeal cookie recipe is very forgiving. If you use too many oats, the resulting cookies will be a little crunchier and less chewy, but they will still be delicious.

    FYI: The cookies in the image above with the original recipe card were made with more oats, using a standard US cup. The cookies in the image at the top of the post were made with less oats, using a European metric cup.

    What Goes into this Recipe

    oatmeal cookie ingredients on tray.

    Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

    ★ Old-fashioned Oats: This recipe specifically calls for old-fashioned oats.

    We do not recommend using quick oats for these cookies. Quick cooking oats are rolled oats that have been coarsely chopped, which breaks them down and enables them to cook more quickly. In the case of this oatmeal cookie recipe, quick cooking oats behave more like additional flour than oats, resulting in a dry, cakey cookie.

    Old-fashioned oats yield a tender, chewy oatmeal cookie, which is exactly what we want. 

    ★ Brown Sugar: We have made these with both dark and light brown sugar, and prefer the more robust flavor of the dark sugar. 

    ★ Butter: Because it contains so much oatmeal, we use salted butter for this recipe. 

    ★ Shredded Coconut: Coconut processed for baking comes in three basic forms: shredded, flaked, and desiccated. Use sweetened shredded coconut for this recipe. 

    ★ Baking Powder: Baking powder does not last forever, and generally has a shelf life of just six months to one year. (Here's how to test baking powder to see if it is still active.)

    ★ Milk: We've made these cookies with all kinds of milks, including almond milk, with good results. Use whatever you have on hand. 

    How to Make these Cookies

    Set the butter out to warm to room temperature at least 2 hours before you plan to make cookies. Try to avoid softening the butter in the microwave, as this may make it softer than you want it to be.

    Preheat oven to 375°F | 190°C.

    Combine the oats, brown sugar, flour, coconut, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Mix to combine evenly. 

    Dry ingredients, unmixed.

    Add soften butter, milk, and vanilla. Mix together with a wooden spoon (or your hands) until well combined.

    Mix coconut cookies by hand.

    Don't mix the dough too much: overmixing will create too much gluten and the cookies will turn out tough and dense. The finished dough will be thick and sticky, and should easily form into a ball. 

    Cookie dough in stoneware bowl, mixed and ready to form.

    Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop or spoons to form cookies.

    Roll the dough into balls, and then crosshatch with a fork dipped in a little additional milk to flatten them.

    prepared cookies on tray, ready to bake.

    Bake on a Silpat mat or parchment covered baking sheet at 375°F [190°C] for 10-12 minutes. 

    Remove the cookies from the oven and cool on a wire rack. 

    cookies cooling on wire rack.

    FAQs & Expert Tips

    Can I freeze Coconut-Oatmeal Cookies?

    Absolutely! Baked oatmeal cookies freeze very well. Simply place cooled cookies on a baking sheet and freeze for about on hour. Then place the cookies in a freezer safe container, separating any layers with waxed or parchment paper.

    Cookies will stay freshly frozen about 2 months; after that, it depends on your freezer and how often it gets opened.

    Related Recipes

    • Classic Soft & Chewy Snickerdoodle Cookies
    • Flourless Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
    • Soft & Chewy Italian Amaretti Cookies
    • Homemade Fortune Cookies (+Printable Fortunes & Takeout Box)

    For more recipes and cozy living tips, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for all of the latest updates.

    Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

    Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

    Soft, chewy, rich, and flavorful, Mrs Obinger’s Coconut Oatmeal Cookies are oh-so-easy to make! (No mixer required.) 
    Print Pin Add to Shopping List Go to Shopping List
    Course: Snacks
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegetarian
    Prep Time:30 minutes
    Cook Time:10 minutes
    Total Time:40 minutes
    Servings: 36 cookies
    Calories: 99kcal
    Author: Renee
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • 1 Mixing Bowl
    • 1 Baking Tray
    • 1 cookie scoop

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Metric
    • 3 scant cups old-fashioned oats 24 grams (weighing works better)
    • 1 cup brown sugar
    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
    • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ cup salted butter room temperature
    • ½ cup milk
    • 1½ teaspoons vanilla

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 375°F | 190°C.
    • Combine oats, brown sugar, flour, coconut, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
    • Add soften butter, milk, and vanilla. Mix together with a wooden spoon (or your hands) until well combined.
    • Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop or spoons to form cookies.
      Roll dough into balls and flatten with a fork dipped in a little additional milk.
    • Bake on parchment covered baking sheet at 375°F [190°C] for 10-12 minutes.

    Notes

    Baked oatmeal cookies freeze very well. Simply place cooled cookies on a baking sheet and freeze for about on hour. Then place the cookies in a freezer safe container, separating any layers with waxed or parchment paper.
    Cookies will stay freshly frozen about 2 months; after that, it depends on your freezer and how often it gets opened.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 99kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 83mg | Potassium: 50mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 84IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg
    This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
    Have you tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!
    Coconut Oatmeal Cookies in an old pickle jar, with two cookies resting on the opened lid.

    Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details.

    Originally published February 5, 2014. Post has been updated with new content, images, and recipe instructions to improve reader experience. 

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    About Renée B.

    Renée is writer, music maker, artist, and storyteller. In her spare time, you can find her writing love songs about cowboys, exploring the moss-covered nooks and crannies of the Pacific Northwest, and making music with her talented singer-husband.

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    1. Diane says

      July 25, 2021 at 8:40 am

      I love oatmeal. I love coconut. But I DON'T love these cookies. There is NO flavor and I followed the directions. I was very disappointed. I even tried adding dried cherries to the other half before baking. It did not help. Will not make again.

      Reply
      • Renée says

        July 26, 2021 at 1:58 pm

        Hi Diane - I'm sorry you were so disappointed with your cookies. I'm wondering if you wouldn't mind doing a little trouble-shooting with me, because we tested this recipe many times; with consistently tasty, kid-approved results. I can't imagine what made your cookies fail.

        Here are a few thoughts, though. As you probably already read in the post, using quick oats instead of old-fashioned is just like adding a boatload of oat flour to the batter: doing so makes the cookies tough and flat and tasteless, so I just want to confirm that old-fashioned oats were used.

        Salted butter, brown sugar, and sweetened coconut are also important items for flavor. Unsalted butter, white sugar, and/or unsweetened coconut will contribute to a less flavorful cookie. Is there any chance you used any alternate ingredients? If so, I'd like to make a note in the recipe about it so that other folks can avoid the same fate.

        Reply
    2. rose says

      July 23, 2021 at 1:44 pm

      No eggs? What keeps them binded together?

      Reply
      • Renée says

        July 23, 2021 at 2:53 pm

        *Many* oatmeal cookie recipes do not have eggs. Flour creates gluten, and the oats bind with sugar and butter. Simple science.

        Reply
    3. Dawn says

      July 23, 2021 at 10:44 am

      Just discovered your site through a link and am loving it! Can't wait to try these cookies. Did you use sweetened or unsweetened shredded coconut?

      Reply
      • Renée says

        July 23, 2021 at 2:57 pm

        So glad you found us! I have used both sweetened and unsweetened coconut. I prefer sweetened, but others in our family like cookies made with unsweetened better. That’s a good question, though - I’ll have to update to answer it in the post, too.
        Thank you!

        Reply
    4. Marlynn @UrbanBlissLife says

      February 05, 2014 at 11:25 am

      Renee, these might actually sway me...even though I don't normally like cocounut! LOVE that you still have the recipe card from fourth grade. And I'm curious about those garlic Cheerios...

      Reply
      • Renée ♥ says

        February 05, 2014 at 2:11 pm

        If there is any chance that you will ever like coconut, these cookies will be the ones to win you over! And stay tuned - "Garlic Cheerios" are coming soon! They are so easy that I'm almost embarrassed to call it a "recipe." Almost. 🙂

        Reply

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