Having coconut, almonds, and chocolate chips in the same cookie makes my mouth water. They remind me of the beloved Almond Joy candy bar I used to eat as a child. The cream cheese keeps the coconut chewy and moist. Plus, it cuts through some of the sweetened coconut's sweetness.
The chocolate I only wanted a hint of and not to overpower the almonds and coconut, so I chose the mini chocolate chips.
Coconut has a tropical smell and flavor. Coconut cookies can be either soft and chewy or crisp and crunchy. I love both!
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Ingredients
- Butter unsalted
- Cream Cheese
- Light brown sugar
- Sugar white
- Vanilla extract
- Almond extract
- All-purpose flour
- Kosher Salt
- Baking soda
- Sweetened Coconut
- Mini chocolate chips
- Almonds sliced
Mixing Coconut Almond Chocolate Cookie Dough
Not much prepping is needed to make this easy coconut almond chocolate cream cheese cookie recipe. First, weigh or measure the white and light brown sugars in a bowl and set them aside.
Next, weigh or measure the flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Use a whisk to blend them and set this bowl aside.
To start, cream the butter before adding the cream cheese and sugars. This way, you know the butter is at room temperature. Then, add the cream cheese and mix on medium mixer speed for a minute or two.
Add the sugars, turn the mixer to medium speed, and blend for 3 minutes. You want it to look creamy, and the sugars blended into the butter-cream cheese mixture.
Scrape down the bowl and mix the vanilla and almond extracts into the cookie dough. Turn the mixer to a slow speed and gradually add the flour mixture. Mix the flour just enough to blend the flour into the dough. Don't over-mix; 15 seconds is good after the last of the flour is added. Of course, you can always finish with a spatula if needed.
Finally, add the coconut and mini chocolate chips. Cover loosely and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Design and Bake Cookies
I turn on the oven to preheat to 350°F (175°C or 180°C) and set up my workstation—line two cookie sheet pans with parchment paper. I cut two squares of parchment paper that will go between the cookie and the bottom of the glass to flatten the top of the cookie mound. Place some of the almond slices onto a plate.
Place 12 cookie mounds onto the cookie sheet pan using a medium cookie scooper.
Now, place one of the small squares of parchment paper over a cookie mound. Next, press the mound down about halfway using the bottom of the glass.
This gives you a flat surface to add the almond slices but is still thick enough to provide you with a chewy coconut cookie.
My example of where to place the almond slices into a flower pattern is because I love flowers. There is no right or wrong way to put the almond slices. You could overlap them around the top outside or randomly put almond slices all over the top. The choice is yours!
Bake at 350°F (175°C or 180°C) for 12-14 minutes. They will be soft on the tops but become more solid as they cool. Leave them on the cookie sheet pan for 3 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack. You want the outside to be solid and the inside chewy after they cool.
The mild almond nutty taste, along with the sweet coconut, is such a classic taste. The chocolate chips add that little something that brings this whole cookie together. Enjoy!
FAQ's
You can store your cookies in an airtight container for 5 to 7 days.
Yes, I used semi-sweet chocolate chips, but dark and white chocolate would also work. I used the mini size because it was easier to press down the tops to decorate with the almond slices.
Of course, you can customize the cookie. Maybe add some dried fruit trail mix or dried tropical fruit. Dried figs and dates also pair well with coconut.
Yes, you can but depending on the type, they may not be as soft and chewy.
More Coconut Cookies
Recipe
Coconut Almond Chocolate Cream Cheese Cookies
Barbara HallIngredients
- ¾ cup (170.25 g) Butter unsalted room temperature
- 6 oz (6 oz) Cream Cheese room temperature
- 1 cup (220 g) Light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) Sugar white
- 1 ½ teaspoon (1.5 teaspoon) Vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) Almond extract
- 2 ¼ cups (281.25 g) All-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) Kosher Salt
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) Baking soda
- 2 cups (170 g) Sweetened Coconut packed
- ½ cup (90 g) Mini chocolate chips
- 1 cup (143 g) Almonds sliced
Instructions
- Weigh or measure into the bowl the flour, salt, and baking soda. I whisk it to blend and set the bowl aside. In another bowl, weigh or measure the white and light brown sugar and set that bowl aside.
- I start by creaming the butter on a medium mixer speed for a few minutes. Add the cream cheese and mix on a medium mixer speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides, add the sugars to the butter and cream cheese mixture, and blend for 3 minutes on a medium mixer speed. Next, add the vanilla and almond extract. Finally, I stop the mixer and scrape down the sides before adding the flour.
- Turn the mixer down to low and gradually add the flour mixture until it is incorporated. I scrape down the sides and add the coconut and mini chocolate chips. You want the coconut to be blended into the dough. This only takes about 30 seconds. You can always distribute the chips and coconut with a spatula. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Turn the oven on to 350°F (175°C or 180°C) while the dough is in the refrigerator for ½ an hour, this gives your oven plenty of time to heat up. Line your cookie pans with parchment paper (I buy the parchment sheets which are great).
- Pull the cookie dough out of the refrigerator. Using a medium cookie scooper add 12 mounds onto one of the prepared cookie sheet pans. You will need a good 2" between cookie mounds. Place a small square piece of parchment paper over the cookie mound and use a flat bottom glass to lightly press down to flatten the top of the cookie mound.
- Pick through the almond slices to gather as many whole almond slices as you can. The decoration is up to you, I did five around, so it looked like a flower. Press them down slightly, so they bake into the cookies.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C or 180°C) for 12-14 minutes. You only want a hint of brown around the bottom edge; they will be very soft to the touch when you pull them out but leave them on the cookie pan for 3-4 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack. They firm up as they cool.
NUTRITION DISCLAIMER
I am not a certified Dietitian or Nutritionist. The nutrition amounts given below are provided through a program and are only a guideline.
Regina Perez
I added more butter and cream cheese, turned out wonderful
Barbara
Hi Regina, LOL, I am assuming you made it 1 cup of butter and 8oz of cream cheese (1 block); I am so glad it worked out for you. I was afraid it would be just a hair too much but glad you took the chance and it worked! I love the mini chocolate chips; they spread out through the cookie more than the regular size. - Barbara