Toasted Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

Roxygirl in Colorado's Note:

I've made this recipe from Ladies Home Journal for the past 15 years. My original copy is half burned (a little problem toasting the coconut) so I thought I better get this published. The cookie dough is so delicious; tastes like a candy bar. The toasted coconut takes it to new heights!

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 18 cookies

• 1 cup coconut
• 1 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 3/4 teaspoon coconut extract
• 1 1/2 cups oatmeal
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Toast coconut in a medium skillet over low heat, until light brown.
2. Let cool.
3. Preheat oven to 350°.
4. In large bowl or mixer, on low speed, mix all ingredients (except chocolate chips) together (with the shortening being soft, it mixes easily and does not have to be creamed first).
5. Stir in chocolate chips.
6. Drop level 1/4 cups dough, about 2-inches apart, on ungreased cookie sheet, pressing dough lightly to form rounds.
7. Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden.
8. Let cool a couple of minutes. Transfer cookies to cooling rack to finish cooling.

Reviews

[nmj]

I used 1/2 butter and 1/2 shortening. My cookies did not come out crispy, but soft and chewy. I only used a couple drops of coconut extract because that is all that was left in the bottle, but because it is very strong, they still had a lot of coconut flavor.

[YiskahSarah]

I replaced the shortening with margarine and decreased the chocolate chips to 1.5 cups as suggested by other reviewers. These cookies were so yummy and so easy! I did expect there to be more coconut taste especially with the coconut extract, but they were still very tasty! I think next time I may try adding toasted almond slivers as well. Taking these to my in-laws later today. I hope they like them as much as we did!

[Chef #1557569]

Positively the very best cookies I ever made and I am not a big time cookie maker. Greatest taste and I did use only 1/2 butter and the rest of the shortening I used vanilla yogurt which worked beautifully. I am always trying to save a few calories and between cutting the shortening in half and cutting back on the sugar a little, I was very happy with the outcome. These were just delicious even with the "lightening up" a little of them. (if you do use yogurt in place of the shortening use 1/2 cup of margarine/butter and then only 1/4 cup of yogurt which would be the equivalent of the other 1/2 cup of shortening) just delicious and perfectly shaped. I made smaller cookies too to stretch them a little and not be too many calories. Greatest cookie!!!!!!