No Bake Coconut Cookies

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5 from 846 votes
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My no bake coconut cookies are soft, chewy, and lightly sweetened. Made with just 3 ingredients and ready in seconds!

Hungry for more no-bake treats? You’ll love my fudge cookies, healthy cookie dough, and no bake brownies.

coconut cookies.

As much as I love coconut chocolate cookies, sometimes the coconut deserves its moment in the limelight. 

Que, my chewy coconut cookie recipe. Made with a shortlist of ingredients, they’re light and cakey, and you only taste the pure coconut flavor. 

Table of Contents
  1. Why I love this recipe
  2. Ingredients needed
  3. How to make coconut cookies
  4. Arman’s recipe tips
  5. Storage instructions
  6. Frequently asked questions
  7. More easy cookie recipes
  8. No Bake Coconut Cookies (Recipe Card)

Why I love this recipe

  • Just 3 ingredients. All you need is coconut, condensed milk, and powdered sugar. 
  • No fancy kitchen equipment. There’s no electric mixer, no food processor, and no oven. Just mix everything in a bowl and shape the cookies on a baking sheet. 
  • Easy to make diet-friendly. They’re free of flour and eggs, and they’re dairy-free with one simple swap (keep reading to find out!). 
  • Not overpowering. Coconut has a bad rap for tasting like sunscreen when overdone, but I made sure these cookies taste refreshing and sweet. 

Ingredients needed

  • Unsweetened shredded coconut. Try to use finely shredded coconut flakes, as they make it easier for the cookies to hold their shape. The best kind I’ve found is desiccated coconut. 
  • Condensed milk. Binds the cookies together and gives them that gorgeous chewy texture. 
  • Powdered sugar. Adds extra sweetness to the cookies while also making them slightly gooey in the middle. 

How to make coconut cookies

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step 1- Prep. Line a large plate or baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat and set aside.

Step 2- Mix. In a large mixing bowl, stir all of the wet and dry ingredients until a sticky dough remains.

Step 3- Shape and chill. Using a cookie scoop or large spoon, scoop small cookie dough balls and place them on the lined tray. Press each ball into a cookie shape and refrigerate until firm.

coconut cookie recipe.

Arman’s recipe tips

  • Make them vegan. Use coconut condensed milk. 
  • Freeze them. When time is of the essence, I’ll pop the cookies in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. 
  • Cut the carbs. Swap the condensed milk for sugar-free condensed milk and use a powdered sugar substitute.
  • Enhance the cookie flavor. Add one teaspoon of vanilla extract, coconut extract, or a pinch of salt to bring out the natural sweetness. 
  • Toss the cookies in light brown sugar for added crunch and sweet flavor. 
  • Add mix-ins. Fold in chocolate chips, almonds, pecans, candy buttons, or dried fruit. 

Storage instructions

To store: Store leftover cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. 
To freeze: Place leftover cookies in a ziplock bag and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months.

no bake coconut cookies.

Frequently asked questions

Is this recipe gluten-free?

These cookies are suitable for those who are celiac.

Can I bake these?

Technically yes, although I find their texture baked is a little brittle and chewy (not in a good way!).

coconut cookies recipe.

No Bake Coconut Cookies

5 from 846 votes
My no bake coconut cookies are soft, chewy, and lightly sweetened. Made with just 3 ingredients and ready in seconds!
Servings: 20 servings
Prep: 5 minutes
Total: 5 minutes

Ingredients  

Instructions 

  • Line a large plate or baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add the shredded coconut, condensed milk, and powdered sugar, and mix well, until a sticky dough remains.
  • Using your hands or a cookie scoop, form small balls of dough and place them on the lined plate or tray. Press each ball into a cookie shape. Refrigerate until they firm up.

Notes

TO STORE: Coconut cookies must always be stored in the refrigerator, covered. They will keep well for up to 2 weeks.
TO FREEZE: Place leftover cookies in a ziplock bag and keep them stored away in the freezer. They will freeze well for up to 6 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 125kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 2gFat: 10gSodium: 18mgPotassium: 114mgFiber: 2gVitamin A: 27IUVitamin C: 0.5mgCalcium: 33mgIron: 0.5mgNET CARBS: 10g
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Author: Arman Liew
Tried this recipe?Give us a shout at @thebigmansworld or tag #thebigmansworld!

Originally updated November 2022, updated and republished August 2024

Arman Liew

I’m a two time cookbook author, photographer, and writer, and passionate about creating easy and healthier recipes. I believe you don’t need to be experienced in the kitchen to make good food using simple ingredients that most importantly, taste delicious.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    The coconut cookies were delicious! Quick and easy recipe for sure. I thought my first try was a little sweet, so in the second batch, I omitted the powdered sugar and added one tsp of almond extract. This worked equally well without the extra calories. I love this recipe!

  2. These sound so good but I have an issue with the texture of coconut. Do you think I could use coconut butter instead of the shredded? It’s just coconut ground into a butter. 🤞

  3. Well and again, this is not sugar free, sugar substitutes of any kind is still a sugar and its processed by our body exactly the same way as regular sugar, even honey. Sugar is sugar, Stop subsidizing it and then call it sugar free!

  4. No way these cookies will hold together! Used 1/4 5th up maple syrup. Pure crumbs, any ideas? I’m about to throw some almond flour in with them.

    1. Joanne, these have been made by hundreds successfully- You need to wet your hands lightly before forming into cookie shapes and refrigerating immediately.

    2. Same thing. They wouldn’t hold together. Might work better if coconut oil wasn’t fully melted. There is no way I could shape these anything close to the picture. They smell delicious and will likely be delicious but they do not hold their shape. Or any shape.

  5. Do you think pure liquid stevia could be used, or does it need he other sweetener to hold together/ texture? My daughter is only alowed to have pure stevia.

  6. Wow, $10 for a bottle of syrup! Is there a budget-friendly substitution you can think of? I know you say you can only use 1/4 cup but that bottle isn’t even a full pint.

  7. Oh my gosh! My Dad LOVES coconut, but can’t have a lot of sugar in his diet for health reasons. Can’t wait to make these for him during the holidays. Thanks for sharing this recipe!!

  8. I definitely want to make these, they look great! However, I want to caution you about advertising them as sugar free. Since they have maple syrup in them they are not sugar free. “Sugar” does not just refer to cane sugar, but any carb based sweetener. Thus, maple syrup, cane sugar, honey, corn syrup and agave nectar are all “sugars.” A lot of people avoid cane sugar because they mistakenly think that’s what is meant by eating low sugar. While processed cane sugar is definitely to be avoided, unprocessed whole cane sugar like Sucanat is an acceptable natural sweetener with about the same carbs per volume as honey and maple syrup.

    1. Liz, with all due respect, these are 100% sugar free. As mentioned in the recipe card and within the post, it states that I used monk fruit maple syrup, which has no sugar. Maple syrup/honey are mere suggestions for those who can tolerate those. Enjoy.

      1. I like this recipe a lot. If I could make a suggestion, toasting the coconut flakes before using them in the cookie will add a lot of flavor. Yes, it’s an extra step and maybe 7-10 minutes, but it gives the cookies a deeper, richer taste.

  9. HI ARMAN! Missing you a lot xxxx

    These cookies look so amazing! I never tried a Mound bar, but I bet it tasted lovely–ALMOST as lovely as these cookies would taste!