Remember the old Mounds Bar and Almond Joy Bar commercials
Sometimes You Feel Like A Nut, Sometimes You Don’t
I never feel like nuts in my baked goods. Macadamia nuts in white chocolate cookies, walnuts in brownies?
No.Way.
But big hunks of Mounds Bars?
Yes. For sure.
If you don’t like coconut, good for you because there’s more for me.
You can substitute Snickers Bars, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Rolos, or whatever candy is burning a hole in your pantry.
You also don’t have to put candy in your cookies.
No one is forcing you. But you will be missing out on some of the texture and of course the taste factor.
These cookies are so soft and chewy that I call them flexi-cookies.
Extremely flexible, pliable, and uber-chewy.
They’re a chocolate lover’s dream. Chocolate cake and chocolate chips and chocolate candy give them high marks on the overall fudge factor score card.
Grab a napkin and enjoy.
Because this recipe uses chocolate cake mix, success is almost guaranteed.
If you have cookie-making issues, cake mix cookies are nearly foolproof and these can fool just about anyone into thinking you spent lots of time at them.
They’re a one bowl and a spoon special and I purposely kept this recipe and batch size small: one dozen.
No one “needs” more than 1 dozen of these on hand. However, if you do have those kind of needs, feel free to double the recipe.
These cookies are loaded with perfect bites.
You know those bites that include some cookie, some chocolate chips, some Mounds Bar candy pieces, all gooey and melted together.
The bites that make all the problems in the world stop while you’re chewing. Yes, lots of those bites going on here.
My batch of 11 cookies didn’t last long but that’s okay (a bonus) because variety is the spice of (dessert) life.
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Mounds Bar Chocolate Coconut Cookies
Mounds Bar Chocolate Coconut Cake Mix Cookies – Hunks of Mounds candy bars are baked into rich, extra-chocolaty cookies! Fast, easy & foolproof recipe! Recipe as written uses half box of cake mix. Use the full box and double all other measurements for about 2 dozen cookies.
Ingredients
- 1 cup devil’s food cake chocolate cake mix
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (half of one stick), softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut flakes
- 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup diced Mounds Bars (I used 3 1/2 mini-mounds bars, diced into 6 pieces each)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. In a large mixing bowl combine the cake mix, softened butter, egg, vanilla and stir by hand or with a mixer until combined. Fold in the coconut flakes and chocolate chips. Place the mixing bowl in the freezer for 15 minutes. Do not skip this step. Chilled dough spreads less during the baking process and this dough must be chilled before baking.
- Using a cookie scoop or spoon, drop 1-inch domed balls on a Silpat-lined, parchment paper-lined, or cookie sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray, allowing for adequate spacing. These cookies do spread some, but not terribly so. Before baking, insert a couple of the diced Mounds pieces into the top of each cookie, pressing in just past the surface. Bake at 350F for 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies have set up.
- Tip: Because the cookies are dark chocolate, it is hard to tell if they are browning; instead look at the tops of the cookies. If the tops are shiny, they are still a bit raw and a matte appearance means they are more well-cooked (I baked for 8 1/2 minutes, retaining just a small portion of shininess in the centers of the cookies. I prefer slightly underbaked cookies and these were incredibly soft and moist).
- The cookies may appear a bit loose on the tops after 10 minutes but they will continue to cook on the sheets after you remove the from the oven and will firm up as they cool. Do not overbake. Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheets before attempting to move them. Cookies will keep for a week on the countertop in an airtight container or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 200Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 103mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 1gSugar: 16gProtein: 2g
Related Cookie and Cupcake Recipes Using Cake Mix
Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
Pina Colada White Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies
3 Musketeers Marshmallow Candy-Stuffed White Chocolate Cupcakes with Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream
Dark Chocolate and Candy-Stuffed Cookies (not using cake mix):
Dark Chocolate Chocolate-Chip Cookies Stuffed with Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Flourless Chocolate Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (gluten free)
Snickers Bar Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookies with PB Cups & PB M&M’s
I wanted to make these chocolate cake box cookies because they are so easy and quick! Can I substitute cream cheese for some of the butter like you have in your other recipes? Would that work in these cookies?
I also was going to leave out the chocolate chips and just put Christmas m&ms on top for a cookie swap I’m going to tonight….think that would work too? I wasn’t sure if they would be too sweet if I added the chocolate chips and m&ms?
You have a million great ideas and I haven’t tried any of them but they all sound like they have great potential so just start trying stuff and see what works :)
These look absolutely AMAZING! My boyfriend loves all things coconut. :)
Thanks for commenting on this older post, Monique! These cookies were super good – I still remember them very well :)
I made these last night and they came out fantastic! Wonderfully chewy.. and I have discovered I prefer to eat them after they have been chilled. I went ahead and doubled the recipe, which then used up the entire Devils Food Cake Mix which made about 30 cookies. The boyfriend and the guys at the office gobbled these right up… so if you are making the cookies for more than a couple people, I suggest doubling the recipe. I tried using almond joy pieces for a few of the cookies, but it just wasn’t as “right” as the mounds with dark chocolate. Recipe is a keeper!
Thanks for trying them, Julie, and yes, using the full box/doubling is smart if you’re baking for a group! Glad they were a hit and that you enjoyed the Mounds combo the best! Have you seen these? https://www.averiecooks.com/2014/02/chocolate-coconut-mounds-bar-brownies.html
Oh girl….these cookies look GREAT! Bake me a few dozen. OK? ok
I’d love to! I am in the thick of packing right now. Ugh. I know you just did this 6 mos ago or so. Hope you guys are having a calm weekend!
O.M.G. Holy fudge. I need.
LOL and SUPER easy!
Will this work with the Ghirardelli Chocolate Chip Brownie mix I just bought?
probably..try it!
I am pretty much a big fan of anything that has candy bars baked into them and these cookies are no exception especially because I adore all thing coconut! Delish!
supppper duper easy, too…I hope you make them :)
Happy Mother’s Day!!
Almond Joy all the way:)
Mounds are my favorite candy bar! I’ll have to try these!!
That’s so funny, Averie, because I put nuts in everything :-)
I hope you had a great mother’s day!
That gooey chocolate looks amazing!!
Hi Averie, new to your blog, but I’ve seen you in the comments at numerous blogs I frequent so I decided to head on over. I’m glad I did – these cookies look scrumptious!
Thanks, Laura! Glad you decided to click over!
Girl, these look crazy good. I hope you had a glorious Mother’s Day!
I hope you did, too. Super busy over here but goes with the territory, as I know it does for you too:)
Another awesome cookie recipe, these look and sound divine! I must try a vegan version of this recipe! It’s been a long time since I’ve had either candy, I adore the almond version and dark chocolate.
I know you love your coconut…I hope you make cookies using it soon!
Wowza, Avery! These look so decadent and delicious! I just added cake mix and mounds bars to my grocery list. What am I saying? I’m making a special trip to make these babies! YUM!
Ok well keep me posted how they turn out…don’t overbake. Keep them nice ‘n gooey! :)
Avery, you’ve outdone yourself this time!! I think a frozen Almond Joy might be my favorite candy bar EVER. Anything with coconut and chocolate gets my full attention. And who would have thought cake mix could make cookies? I love it!
Anything with coconut and chocolate gets my full attention, too. Thanks for the sweet compliments :)
Suddenly the leftover berry crisp I have in the fridge seems very, very depressing. I need these!
Lol. I love berry crisp though!
o man…these cookies look so fudge and heavenly!
omg these look SO good!
So glad you shared your love of coconut with this recipe! These look amazing! Oh and Happy Belated Mother’s Day!
Thanks, Rachel!
We buy dog food at a local company called Mounds–at check out they give out treats to the dogs and Mounds bars to the humans :)
Made it to San Francisco and we’ve been wandering around. The Brussels were great and lived up to the hype! I really like nooch on all cruciferous veggies–can’t go wrong with cheesy flavor on them. Since I love coconut, the cookies look yummy. I’d go with Mounds over Almond Joy, and my husband adores Reese’s so I put those in brownies quite often for him. Hope you had a great Mother’s Day!
Glad they lived up to it, whew! Was worried :) Glad you made it to San Fran and hope you had a great day as well!
Looks absolutely delicious! I would so love to try some. I reckon I could eat a whole plateful in 10 minutes flat!
Well the batch only makes 11 or 12 so that’s kind of good, right? :)
Woah. These are speaking my language :) Mounds and almond joys are really the only 2 candy bars that tempt me and so these cookies are pretty much making me drool. This was the wrong post to read before going to bed (in a good way of course ;))
With all the coconut I see in the (rare) sweet recipes you do post, I had a feeling you’d be a Mounds or A.J. fan! :)
Happy Mother’s Day!
Your killing me with all this goodness!! I this what you did on your Mother’s Day? I love both Mounds and Almond Joys! Yum, yum!! I want a cookie!!!
No these were made a week or so ago. Today’s baking projects won’t hit the blog for another week or two :)
Happy Mother’s Day, Averie! If I ever get Almond Joy or Mounds, they are all yours. No one in my family liked them, so I couldn’t even trade them for good candy on Halloween. Sucky. I like those crappy pb chewy things better.
But the cookies without that look great!
This is the one food we differ on: coconut. Honestly I am shocked you don’t like it. But you only recently came around with white choc, so maybe there’s hope for you yet. Now, go pack!!! You’re supposed to be…moving!
Happy Mother’s Day!
I had to laugh at “Cookies will keep for a week on the countertop. . .”
Uh, NOT in this house, they wouldn’t. Truly, they look fabulous :-)
Yeah, I know, right? 11 whole cookies…they will last one afternoon in many homes :)
We don’t do Halloween at our house. But, I do take candy to work for when the employees’ cheidrln come through. I definitely buy stuff I like to eat as it is one of the few times I’ll allow myself to eat candy. Reese’s, mini KitKats, ohmygoodness. Peanut M&Ms are healthy b/c they have nuts…right? :) Get what you want to eat. If you are going to take in calories, relish them. And, you can freeze leftovers for emergencies or to make cookies (you know, make cookie dough like for chocolate chip cookies and instead of chocolate chips, chop up your favorite candies).
These cookies look like a piece of heaven! Yummy!!!
Your question is so timely because I just used a cake mix for the first time two nights ago btu for cupcakes! Is that still a cake but much smaller? Well whatever I felt crafty! :)
http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2012/04/marshmallow-candy-stuffed-white-chocolate-cupcakes-with-fluffy-buttercream-frosting.html
cupcakes with cake mix!
Wow, these look good. I don’t think I’ve ever added packaged candy to a baked good (unless chocolate chips count as candy, which they totally don’t, I think). In fact, your blog may be the first place where I’ve seen such an idea! These look great. Sometime I may splurge on a GoMaxGo vegan candy bar or two and try one of these recipes.
Those Mounds cookies look amazing! What a great combination. I didn’t use candy lately but I did use Biscoff Cookie spread to make little Cheesecakes that were pretty easy with using store bought spread. But then with Biscoff, I could have just eaten the spread straight from the jar and been fine with it. I didn’t think it would be as appropriate to serve for dessert today to my Mom though so I made the spread into cheesecakes. Biscoffs are evil! http://cannedtime.blogspot.com/2012/05/dairy-free-biscoff-cookie-spread.html Hope you had a great Mother’s Day. Tomorrow it’s back to the same old same old :(
Happy Mother’s Day, Averie! Those cooks look amazingly awesomely delicious!!
Happy mother’s day to you, too! And thanks for the pin!
Also – Happy Mothers’ Day to you Averie!
I am a HUGE coconut fan, so I looooooove Mounds bars! Those cookies look so good – I love that they are still raw a bit in the middle. Just how I like ’em.
A smidge underbaked and lots of choc chips melting all over the place!
Drool. I love Almond Joy, but Mounds sound awesome pillowed by a chocolaty cookie. Drool again. :D
Happy Mother’s Day!!!!!
Thanks, Jenn. And I bet you’d dig these…supppppper easy. A little too easy :)
Ahh, I love Mounds bars! So good, love the dark chocolate and coconut together. And another cake mix cookie, yes!
guaranteed success that way :)
i love love love mounds bars! this is an awesome recipe, Averie. i adore adding candy bars to cookies – so many yummy options! I love that most of your cookie recipes make only a dozen or so cookies…. sometimes it’s just too much work and too many leftover cookies to whip up a 3 dozen recipe, you know? Hoppy Mother’s Day! :)
No one needs 3 dozen of the same thing laying around, unless you have 7 kids or it’s the holidays…seriously…after one or four of the same thing, it’s time to move on for me usually :)
Goodness me, these sound awesome! Yum!
I was over on Foodgawker and I quickly clicked on these cookies and was like WOW! These look great! Then I saw it was YOU!! :-) Love when that happens! Those little mini Mounds and Almond Joys were always my favs in my Halloween bucket, too! That was when they made an appearance in abundance in our house, otherwise, we were more Snickers and M&M’s peeps.
Happy Mother’s Day, Averie! Have a beautiful day! :-)
Oh how funny about the FG story! Happy Mother’s Day to you, Michele! Hope the wharf was fun!
These look amazing! Way to make me drool over here ;)
Happy Mother’s Day to you! <3
Happy Mother’s Day to you, Katie! Thanks for saying hi xoxo :)
Who would want to substitute a Mounds bar? Nothin’ beats that yummy coconut!
Some people don’t like coconut. They’re crazy :)
Happy Mother’s Day!