Coconut Oatmeal Toffee Cookies
Last week I was having one of those afternoon cravings for a snack, and I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted, yet nothing I had on hand was really striking my fancy. Necessity is the mother of invention so I made these cookies.
I wanted something sweet (duh) but I didn’t want to make a huge batch of anything. I try to make smaller batches of desserts whenever possible since variety is the spice of life, and this cookie recipe makes just one dozen smallish cookies.
I also didn’t want to dirty too many dishes or haul out The Beast, and mixed the batter by hand.
I wasn’t exactly sure what I had in mind but when I opened my baking cabinet and saw a partially-used bag of Heath Bar bits, I knew I would toss those in because I am a huge toffee fan.
And I just happened to have a bag of coconut that was crying for some attention. The coconut flavor in the cookies is present but not overpowering, similar to the coconut in the Baked Orange Banana Coconut Donuts, which is present but doesn’t overtake the flavor palate.
The cookies are just as oat-ey as they are coconutty, and the oats give them a nice heartiness and chewiness.
The toffee bits melted, the butterscotch chips and chocolate chips softened, the coconut toasted, the oats got chewy.
These were a good little afternoon snack project.
Craving satisfied.
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Coconut Oatmeal Toffee Cookies – with Heath Bar Bits, Chocolate Chips, and Butterscotch Chips (with Vegan and Gluten Free suggestions)
Makes about one dozen small-to-medium-sized cookies or 8 larger cookies (I made 14 smallish cookies)
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 large egg, cracked and beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup shredded coconut (I used sweetened shredded coconut flakes)
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (6 tablespoons)
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon whole rolled old-fashioned oats (9 tablespoons)
3 tablespoons toffee bits (I used Heath Bar Bits ‘o Brickle baking pieces)
3 tablespoons chocolate chips
2 tablespoons butterscotch chips
2 tablespoons white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or diced candy bar pieces – optional
Preheat oven to 350F. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugars and stir (I did this by hand because this is a small batch of cookies, but use a mixer if you prefer). Crack one egg in a small bowl, beat it, and add half the egg to the butter and sugar mixture. Discard the other half or save for another use. Stir in the egg and beat the mixture until creamy. Add the vanilla, baking soda, coconut, flour, oats, and stir. Add the toffee bits and baking chips and fold to incorporate. Put the bowl in the freezer for 10-15 minutes and allow the dough to chill. Remove the bowl from the freezer and scoop one-inch sized balls on cookie sheets, at least 2 inches apart and do not crowd them (no more than 9 cookies per cookie sheet). I recommend this cookie scoop for perfectly sized small-to-medium cookies). Bake cookies for 10 to 13 minutes, or until they are barely browned; watch them closely because coconut burns easily. The cookies will continue to firm up as they cool out of the oven. Allow the baked cookies to remain on the cookie sheets for a few minutes to cool before attempting to move them to racks or eat them. Store cookies in an airtight container on the countertop for up to 1 weeks or store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes: All baking chips and baking bits are optional and no need to buy a bag of chips just to add 2 tablespoons to the recipe. If you have a variety of baking chips on hand use them, but if not, don’t worry about it and use what you have on hand.
To keep vegan, use margarine and use a flax or chia egg or egg replacer for the egg; and take care any baking chips or bits used are vegan. To keep gluten free, use gluten free flour in place of the all-purpose flour or grind whole oats into oat flour and use oat flour in conjunction with the whole oats. Take care any baking chips or bits used are suitable for your dietary needs and use certified gluten free oats if necessary.
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One benefit to these cookies is that they used up the odds and ends lining the shelves of my cupboards.
From bags of butterscotch chips and Heath Bar Bits, to sprinkles and chocolate-covered dried strawberries, to coconut flakes and almond flour to green food coloring, I have so many odds and ends that take up valuable cupboard space.
Looks are deceiving. My kitchen is 3 feet wide by about 6 feet long and that’s if you count the countertop extension.
Anytime I can make something that uses a half cup of this or a third of a cup of that and use things up, I am happy.
These made me happy.
The last time I made something using up my odds and ends was in Aruba in December when I made Double Chocolate Caramel Corn & Cocoa Rice Krispies Candy Bars (No-Bake with Vegan & GF options) with my hodgepodge of this ‘n that.
Here are a few cookies that you may like if you like oatmeal-based cookies…
And if you want to get buzzed while eating your dessert, there’s Dark Rum Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Or if you prefer oatmeal bars, try Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Squares (No-Bake, Vegan, GF). Easy and fast to make and they wrap up really well for snacks and lunches.
If you like coconut and like Girl Scout Samoas Cookies, try Samoas Bars (with Vegan & GF options). They’re very rich and dense.
Do you like coconut? Or Toffee? i.e. Heath Bars, Skor Bars, or similar
What’s your go-to for a quick little snack or easy baking project?
Have a great week and Happy President’s Day to everyone celebrating it.
Thanks for all the Babycakes Cupcake Maker and Cookbook Giveaway entries.
Those cookies sound awesome Averie! I love both coconut and toffee :-)
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Averie @ Love Veggies & Yoga replied: — February 19th, 2012 at 11:39 am
I know you’re a coconut fan. I think you’d really like these because they’re also not a super sweet dessert either, which I know you don’t have a huge sweet tooth.
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Such a gorgeous kitchen. Certainly much smaller than I had envisioned!
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Averie @ Love Veggies & Yoga replied: — February 19th, 2012 at 11:39 am
That’s the most flattering pic, too. Turn around and you miss it. Urban living at its finest!
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I love making smaller batches of treats too. Plus it means you get to bake more often! Pumpkin chocolate chip are the go tos in our house right now (Josh is obsessed). Love coconut. Toffee I’m give or take on!
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Averie @ Love Veggies & Yoga replied: — February 19th, 2012 at 11:38 am
Small batches are a must when trying out lots of new recipes and food blogging them all :)
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Hi have been a lover of heath bars since birth, its true. :-) coconut has been a more recent love of mine. The fact that you create recipes that make smaller batches is wonderful! Especially when it is just two of us home for the night. Usually what I make for a quick go to snack is your banana blueberry oats. Delicious and quick!
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Averie @ Love Veggies & Yoga replied: — February 19th, 2012 at 11:38 am
Small batches are so key. People always ask if I eat everything I make…well, not the entire batch, but if I have a couple cookies, and the family has a couple, they are gone within a day…small batches are a must when trying out lots of new recipes and food blogging them all :)
Glad you like the blueberry oat cake!
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I’m a fan of coconut, toffee and every kind of chip out there. Those cookies have it all! Love your recipes for small batches as I like trying out lots of different things and we can’t live on dessert alone, right?!?! Oh, if only….
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you really know how to tempt me! I love coconut anything…
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I’m not a huge coconut fan when it comes to dessert, but I recently tried shredded coconut in salad (with walnuts and apples). It was delish! A go-to quick snack is a handful of dark chocolate chips.
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Averie @ Love Veggies & Yoga replied: — February 19th, 2012 at 1:38 pm
I bet in the salad it was great! My mom makes salads like that often.
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love toffee and all the odds and ends you put in these cookies. When’s your cookie recipe book coming out? I want to buy it. You need one!!
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Averie @ Love Veggies & Yoga replied: — February 19th, 2012 at 11:22 pm
You make me smile from ear to ear :)
xo
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Who wants to send some of those to the NICU in Florida for me?
:)
Brooke
http://www.MarvelousLoveBlog.com
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Averie @ Love Veggies & Yoga replied: — February 19th, 2012 at 11:22 pm
So sorry you’re in the NICU!
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So many of my favorite flavors in here– anything with toffee bits is always good with me :-)
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These look incredible Averie! I like making smaller batches of desserts too – one bowl, little mess, and you’re right, the more variety the better! I love coconut and toffee, haven’t tried them together but these sound perfect :)
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Averie @ Love Veggies & Yoga replied: — February 19th, 2012 at 11:21 pm
Smaller batches are the ONLY way, really, if I am going to turn out 4+ recipes a week and blog about it!
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Toffee… caramel…. all that buttery and sweet goodness definitely pushes my ‘let’s indulge!’ button. Yummo! Salty toffee is definitely a favourite of mine. And cookies with oats and coconut are such a great combination! Last night I was indulging on toffee candy…. perfect timing to share my sweet love .. thank you xo
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Averie @ Love Veggies & Yoga replied: — February 19th, 2012 at 11:21 pm
Glad it sounds good to you!
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These sound sooooo good. I love toffee chips in cookies!
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These cookies look so good. I love when I’m experimenting with putting in a little of this and that when I need to use things up too. My problem is I’m not as smart as you and don’t write down how much I put in so I can’t make them twice. Will try these soon as I live for toffee. I’ve been using toffee flavored Stevia lately and it’s a little ‘chemically’ but I still use it just to get that Toffee fix. BTW, is it really 1/2 of an egg in the recipe? President’s Day off so I will be sleeping in, that’s the best part. Thanks!
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Averie @ Love Veggies & Yoga replied: — February 19th, 2012 at 11:23 pm
Yes you really do use half which is why I wrote this part in the recipe “Crack one egg in a small bowl, beat it, and add half the egg to the butter and sugar mixture. Discard the other half or save for another use.” If you used the whole egg, you’d have to increase the dry ingredients, thus making a bigger batch than I wanted :)
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Angela / Canned Time replied: — February 20th, 2012 at 7:31 am
My fault. Sorry for not reading more closely. Thanks!
yum! these look fantastic averie. i love all the flavors comined into one cookie! and it’s nice to find recipes for only 1 dozen or so cookies!
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love coconut and toffee! This post is full of deliciousness :D My go to baking is usually shortbread or sugar cookie recipes!
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I need more coconut cookies in my life! These look fabulous!
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The cookies look wonderful! I have been having cravings all week too, and I ate two batches of your peanut butter chocolate chip dough balls, and now I have none left and that makes me sad, yet I have no motivation to make anything. I hate when I’m that way!!
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Averie @ Love Veggies & Yoga replied: — February 19th, 2012 at 11:20 pm
That’s why I made these cookies…b/c I didnt want to make a federal case over making something..and these were born.
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Those cookies look awesome! I absolutely love coconut and toffee, so I am sure the combination would be outstanding. Making these this week for sure cause I have all the ingredients already…SCORE! :-)
My go-to snack is usually a frozen coconut water or a small salad with nooch. Boring, I know, but it’s what I love to eat when I am hungry! Have a great weekend, Averie!!
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Averie @ Love Veggies & Yoga replied: — February 19th, 2012 at 11:19 pm
Report back if you make them! I think you and the boys will enjoy them!
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I loooove coconut. I recently switched over to drinking unsweetened coconut milk. ever tried it? It’s yumm! My go to snack is really boring lol…celery with pb and craisins…I’m such a kid I know! But if it’s easy baking I’m after I go to my banana bread recipe. Just dump everything into my blender, mix and bake. So easy
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Averie @ Love Veggies & Yoga replied: — February 19th, 2012 at 11:19 pm
yes Ive tried unsweetened coconut milk
see this one :)
http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2009/09/coconut-milk-kefir.html
3 ingredients, countertop, best stuff ever!
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How do you keep your counters so free of clutter!? Teach me! haha We have a long peninsula in our kitchen that is always piled high with mail and other stuff. It drives me nuts but the second it’s cleaned off it somehow accumulates more!
Love the addition of coconut in these :)
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Averie @ Love Veggies & Yoga replied: — February 19th, 2012 at 11:18 pm
super small space and clutter makes me antsy! I HAVE TO keep it neat or else…I can’t even think straight!
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your desserts always make me drool. :)
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Averie @ Love Veggies & Yoga replied: — February 19th, 2012 at 11:18 pm
thanks!
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Your posts and plethora of pictures always makes me smile. All of these look delicious!
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Averie @ Love Veggies & Yoga replied: — February 19th, 2012 at 11:17 pm
Glad you like them :)
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Yum. I love toffee. I’m not so much a fan of coconut, but if it’s baked in the right cookie, I’m ok with it.
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Oh yeah, these would definitely fill cravings! I love toffee, these look delicious!
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Ooh I am in love with all the different add ins you threw in there! They sound like the ultimate in treats!
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These cookies sound amazingly fabulous, awesome job creating them! It’s so much fun playing MacGyver in the kitchen with limited resources, that always seems to inspire creativity for me too.
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These cookies look frickin amazing!!! I love the mix of ingredients.
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Funnily enough I like coconut milk and coconut ice cream, but I don’t like actual coconut. I haven’t tried coconut flour yet, but I think I like the taste, just not the texture of the stuff. I always hated almond joy’s and mounds candy bars. Too much coconut. Now coconut in a cookie? I have no clue if I’d like it or not. Guess I’ll just have to make a batch of cookies ;)
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Averie @ Love Veggies & Yoga replied: — February 20th, 2012 at 1:03 pm
You could just omit it and do all oats, too.
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OHmyGoodness!! I’m still going crazy over anything & everything coconut, and love oats with a passion, so these cookies are pretty much a dream come true!!
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Averie @ Love Veggies & Yoga replied: — February 20th, 2012 at 1:02 pm
And very easy to veganize, too! Half an egg? Applesauce or even peanut butter or AB I bet!
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Awesome pic!!!! I can sniff mouth-watering tang from your pics!
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Girl, you know the way to my heart! Heath+coconut. Sounds like a dream! Not to mention using up odds and ends. That’s so my style :) Happy weekend
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Averie @ Love Veggies & Yoga replied: — February 24th, 2012 at 10:07 am
Glad you like the sounds of them! :)
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These look delicious – I could go for one right now!
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I love your pictures and recipes, they are mouth watering. Would love for you to share them with us at foodieportal.com. We are new but at foodieportal.com we are not photography snobs, we are just foodies.
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