Coconut Vanilla Cookies

Aug 27, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Cookies bars Origin: Tahitian Vanilla: Beans Easy

Coconut cookies flavored with a whole vanilla bean. An easy recipe: 15 minutes of prep and 12 minutes of cooking; makes 24 cookies. Best vanilla for this: Tahitian (floral, cherry, anise), or Madagascar (rich, creamy, classic). Any pure vanilla works.

Prep 15 min

Cook 12 min

Total 27 min

Yield 24 cookies

Diet —

Ingredients

Adjust yield

2 ¼ cups (270.0 g)all-purpose flour
1.0 cup (227.0 g)unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup (150.0 g)granulated sugar
¾ cup (160.0 g)brown sugar, packed
2.0large eggs
1.0 tsp (5.0 g)baking soda
½ tspfine sea salt
1.0vanilla bean, split and scraped
½ cup (40.0 g)toasted coconut flakes

Make it at home

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Cream the softened butter with both sugars until fluffy and lightened, 2 to 3 minutes, then beat in the vanilla.
Add the eggs and mix until the dough is smooth and uniform.
Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt until just combined and no dry streaks remain; don't overmix.
Gently fold the toasted coconut into the dough.
Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden but the centers still look soft.
Let the cookies rest on the sheet for 5 minutes to finish setting, then transfer to a rack.

Tips

Toast the coconut in a dry skillet, stirring constantly, until just golden; it burns quickly.
Don't toss the scraped pods: tuck them into a jar of sugar for homemade vanilla sugar.
No vanilla bean? Use 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon vanilla powder instead. Add it where the recipe adds the seeds; if the bean is steeped in hot milk or cream, stir the swap in after cooking, off the heat.
Choosing vanilla: Tahitian vanilla (floral, cherry, anise) suits this recipe best; Madagascar (rich, creamy, classic) is a great alternative, and any pure vanilla works.

Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make vanilla cookies?

Plan on 15 minutes of prep and 12 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes 24 cookies.

How should I store vanilla cookies?

Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze the baked cookies for up to 2 months.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Yes. This version uses 1 split vanilla bean. You can swap in 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon of vanilla bean paste, or 1 teaspoon of vanilla powder instead; they're interchangeable at these amounts. Beans give the most visible specks and the fullest aroma.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 24 servings this recipe makes.

172 Calories / serving

9.0g Fat

21.8g Carbs

1.5g Protein

12.9g Sugar

Whole recipe (24 servings): ~4128 cal · 216g fat · 523g carbs · 36g protein · 310g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.

Per serving · 172 calories

What it takes to burn one serving

Brisk walking 33 min·1.9 mi·~3850 steps
Walking uphill or incline treadmill 23 min·1.2 mi·~2300 steps
Moderate cycling 17 min·3.4 mi
Swimming laps 24 min
Jogging 17 min·1.4 mi·~2700 steps
Stair climbing 16 min·~1450 steps
Dancing 28 min
Bodyweight circuit training 17 min
Cleaning, errands, or playing with the dog 40 min

Rough estimates for one serving, based on standard MET values at about 155 lb. Your own burn depends on body size, effort, and fitness. Shown for context only — food is not something you have to earn.