Buttery shortbread cookies topped with layers of gooey caramel, sweetened coconut and a chocolate drizzle. Every bite of these coconut caramel cookies is bursting with flavor!
Similar to a Samoa Cookie
I consider myself an avid cookie connoisseur and these coconut caramel cookies dipped in chocolate just be one of the best best cookie recipes ever. My friend challenged me to make a copycat cookie of the Cocomel from Suss Cookie Co. in Utah and after one bite she said “You nailed it! They are amazing – maybe even better than the original!”
This cookie recipe has got all the flavors of a samoa cookie but way better! It tastes like a mix between my favorite Twix bars and almond joy cookies. Pure caramel and chocolate heaven like my caramel chocolate chip cookies – which are more like Levain bakery but without coconut!
If you love don’t love coconut you can leave out the coconut (I left a few plain ones for my kids), but honestly I feel like the combination of the chocolate, caramel and coconut are perfection. These cookies like my Twix cookies are a bit more work than an average shortbread cookies, but they are so worth the extra time!
How to Make Coconut Caramel Cookies
- Shortbread cookie dough. Start by cutting the butter into cubes and then add to a large mixing bowl. Mix on medium speed to break it up a bit (around 30 seconds). Next mix in the sugar and cream for about 1 minute, then add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla and 1 Tablespoon of water. Mix until combined and smooth. Stir in the dry ingredients (only use half of the flour) until combined. Then add the remaining flour and mix just until combined.
- Bake. Scoop the dough onto a baking sheet and gently press down on the tops a little. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool.
- Add melted chocoalte. Melt the chocolate and butter together and stir until smooth. Then flip the cookies over and spread about 1 teaspoon of melted chocolate on the bottoms. Let dry. Don’t discard the remaining melted chocolate…we’ll use that later.
- Make caramel. Melt the caramel and heavy cream together and stir until smooth. Flip the cookies over (with the chocolate base facing down on the pan) and spread the caramel on top.
- Garnish. Sprinkle with coconut immediately after adding the caramel layer. Repeat with all cookies. Then melt the remaining chocolate and drizzle over the tops of the cookies.
Baking Tips
- Parchment. The parchment paper plays a few different roles in this recipe. Not only does it line your baking sheet so that the bottoms of the cookies don’t brown, but it is also perfect for decorating your cookies on. So make sure not to throw it away before decorating!
- Don’t over mix. The beauty of a shortbread cookie is it’s super soft and buttery texture. Make sure not to over mix the dough so that it stays nice and tender. Mix just until combined.
- Add some mini chocolate chips. If you want a caramel coconut chocolate chip cookie, gently stir in a handful of mini chips to the cookie dough.
- Don’t over bake. These aren’t the type of cookies that you want to brown in the oven. Watch them carefully while they bake and take them out when the tops are no longer wet. You don’t want the bottoms to brown or they won’t have the soft texture we’re aiming for.
- Work fast. Make sure to immediately add the coconut after spreading on the caramel layer. The caramel dries fast, so you want to add the coconut while it’s still wet so that it will stick onto the caramel coconut cookies!
- Coconut. Feel free to use toasted coconut for an extra boost of flavor. Omit the coconut all together if preferred.
- Repurpose leftovers. Use any leftover chocolate or caramel to make a few chocolate turtles or chocolate covered pretzel rods and use coconut for these chewy coconut cookies!
Looking for more recipes with coconut? Check out my cowboy cookie recipe, chocolate chip cookies with coconut and coconut pecan frosting.
More Cookie Recipes with Coconut
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Coconut Caramel Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- ½ cup butter (cold)
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 ½ eggs (1 whole egg + 1 egg yolk)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon water
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt (or table salt)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tarter
- 2 ½ cups (330 grams) all-purpose flour
Chocolate
- 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (more if needed)
- ½ Tablespoon butter
Caramel
- 8 ounces kraft caramel bits
- 1 Tablespoon heavy cream
- ½ cup sweetened coconut flakes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Set aside.
- Cube the butter into a large mixing bowl. Mix on medium speed for about 30 seconds to break up the butter. Then add in the sugar and cream and mix for 1 minute or until combined. Next add in the egg, egg yolk, vanilla and 1 Tablespoon of water. Mix until combined.
- Sprinkle the salt, baking soda and cream of tarter with half of the flour and mix until combined. Then add in the remainder of the flour and mix just until combined. Do not over mix.
- Using a large cookie scoop, scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Gently press down the dough balls a little. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the tops are no longer wet. Watch them closely towards the end, you don't want the bottom to turn golden brown or they will not be soft.
- Remove them from the oven and then allow to cool on the pan for a few minutes. Then transfer to a cooling rack. Keep the parchment lined pans out to decorate the cookies on later.
- Once the cookies are cooled, flip them over onto the parchment paper. Then melt the chocolate and butter in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave for 1 minute at 50% power. Stir until melted and then add about a teaspoon to the bottom of the cookie. Using a spatula, spread the chocolate around the base of the cookies and then place back onto the parchment paper to dry. Save the remainder of the chocolate.
- Once the chocolate has hardened, flip the cookies upright. Then combine the caramel and heavy cream and melt in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave for 1 minute at 50% power. Then use a spatula to spread the caramel over the tops. Immediately after you add the caramel on one cookie, sprinkle the coconut over top and gently press into the caramel. Then repeat with all of the cookies.
- Melt the remainder of the chocolate down. Then place into a frosting bag (or zip top bag). Then snip off the edge with scissors and drizzle the chocolate over the tops of the cookies.
- Once cookies have set, store in an air tight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: American, Chocolate, Cookies, Desserts, Frosted Cookies
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Can the dough be frozen? If yes, how would you adjust baking time, please?
Yes, the dough can be frozen. I would let them thaw a bit out of the freezer just so you can push down the tops a little (as instructed in the directions). Bake as indicated and add 30 seconds to a minute if they aren’t done. Enjoy!
I’m giddy I just found this recipe! My husband and I just got back from Vessel Kitchen for dinner where they also sell the Suss Cocamel cookie— my favorite cookie on the planet. I was telling him “someone out there HAS to have come up with a copycat recipe for it!” And a few minutes later I found yours! I’m absolutely making these this weekend!
I’m curious about 2 things (not because I doubt your recipe, but because I’m honestly curious), but what does the cream of tarter do in this recipe? I’ve only ever seen it in snicker doodles. Also the water? I’m sure they’re delicious! Literally can’t WAIT to make them!
One of our favorite cookie places in UT! The cream of tarter acts as a leavening agent here. I just found by adding 2 TB of water the dough had a better consistency, you can omit if you’d like. Let me know if you give them a try!
That makes sense, thanks so much for explaining! :) And I did make them last weekend exactly as you have in your recipe and I wouldn’t change a thing, they were insanely good! In fact, I’m making them again today for our family picnic tomorrow. I told all of my sisters about them and 2 of them are making them this weekend as well for their families. SO SO good! Thanks so much for doing the work so we all can enjoy! PS. They’re delicious no matter how you eat them, but we chilled them (mainly because it’s so hot right now the chocolate wouldn’t harden in my kitchen) and we found out they are extra delicious chilled, so we devoured them straight from the fridge after that. I will definitely be making this on repeat the rest of my life, haha….
Ah that makes me so happy! I’m so glad you enjoyed them as much as we do :)
Love to hear that!! So glad you both enjoyed them :)
Made cookies today for Christmas boyfriend and I each ate one said it was the best cookie he ever ate!
Love to hear that!! So glad you both enjoyed them :)
These cookies were delicious!!
These cookies had all the same fabulous flavors as my favorite Girl Scout cookie, but even better!! I hate to admit how many of these I ate! SO good!
Thanks for posting this, Making these with my daughter on Christmas Eve! I”m sure it will be my new favorite cookie!
I hope you enjoy them!