Lemon Coconut Cookies are soft lemon cookies that are made with coconut oil and shredded coconut for a refreshing one-bowl cookie recipe.
Originally published 1/10/14. Last updated 3/20/19.
I have something good for you today – this Lemon Coconut Cookie recipe.
I’ve been craving lemon. It happens every Winter when it’s dark and snowy.
So, I warmed up the house by making these cookies. They’re a pretty balanced blend of coconut and lemon.
These soft cookies are bright and citrus-y and a little tropical.
These lemon coconut cookies are also super easy to make! They are made in one bowl, and they don’t require any chilling before baking.
So, they’re a quick and easy cookie recipe.
How to make lemon coconut cookies
Begin by beating the egg, egg yolk, and sugar together until combined, about 1-2 minutes on medium.
Mix in the melted coconut oil and vanilla extract until combined.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Mix in the lemon juice and lemon zest until combined.
Add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Stir in just until combined.
Don’t overmix or use too much flour, or the cookies won’t be soft and tender.
Stir in the coconut just until incorporated.
Scoop up the dough, and roll each scoop in powdered sugar.
Place the scoops of dough about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet, and bake.
The cookies should be set at the edges but still look soft and a little underdone in the middles.
Can I freeze the cookies?
It’s best to freeze the dough if making the cookies ahead of time.
Don’t coat the dough in powdered sugar until just before baking.
Otherwise, the powdered sugar will melt into the cookies as they thaw.
How to store these cookies
These cookies can be stored, covered, at room temperature or in the fridge.
If stored at room temp, you may need to allow a little airflow to prevent the powdered sugar from melting into the cookies.
More lemon dessert recipes!
More lemon dessert recipes!If you’ve tried this lemon coconut cookie recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below. I love to hear from people who’ve made my recipes!
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Lemon Coconut Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/3 cup coconut oil (melted¹)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
- 2 cups all-purpose flour²
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a large bowl, beat together granulated sugar, egg, and egg yolk until well-combined.
- Add melted coconut oil and vanilla; stir well to combine.
- Stir in lemon juice and lemon zest.
- Stir in flour, corn starch, baking soda, and salt; mix until just incorporated.
- Add coconut, and stir until just combined.
- Using a medium cookie scoop (1 ½ tablespoons), scoop dough.
- Roll dough balls in powdered sugar, and then place dough balls on prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until middle is set and edges are set. Centers should look soft and underdone.
Notes
- If the coconut oil is already melted, use 1/2 cup.
- Be sure to either weigh or properly measure the flour by sifting, lightly spooning into the measuring cup, and then leveling.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Candy says
Really good. Love that it is easy, and I had all the ingredients in the pantry. Thank you for posting, I am sure that I will make again and again. Nice alternative to lemon bars the added coconut 🥥 is a bonus.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked the cookies! =) Thanks for commenting!
Camelle says
Great recipe! Made these over the weekend and brought some to wok. Everybody loved it. Thanks for sharing! :)
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that the cookies were a hit. Thanks for commenting! =)
Jo Woll says
I just finished making these cookies & they are so good! I’m not sure if I baked them enough though as they start to fall apart in my hands after baking 12 mins.
I tried taking them out sooner but they looked too undone.
I will continue to make these as they are the best homemade lemon cookies I’ve ever tried making. Thank you Kate for sharing!
Question for Kate….
Can a stand up mixer be used on this recipe?
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked them! =) When you say that they fell apart, were they crumbly? They should be soft, so they may look a little underdone in the middle. Yes, you can use a stand mixer for this recipe.
Jo Woll says
No, not crumbly Kate. More like, soft enough to be limpish. Still…..they are fabulous!
Jo Woll says
I have seen several types of coconut oil in the grocery stores. Having never bought it, I’m confused as to which brand, type to purchase? What do you recommend for this recipe?
Thank you
JMWoll
Kate says
Hi! I’ve used several brands of coconut oil, and I don’t have a favorite. The one that I’m currently using is LouAna Organic Coconut Oil. I bought it because it’s non-hydrogenated, and I picked it up at Walmart. Hope that helps!
Ashley says
I want to make these cookies in advance. Would they freeze well? I wasn’t sure if thawing them out to eat would make the powdered sugar melt?
Ashley says
Do theses freeze well? I wasn’t sure if when taken out of the freezer to thaw to eat if the powdered sugar would melt? I’m thinking of making these at Christmas and wanted to make them in advance.
Kate says
I haven’t tried freezing them, but I think it might work better to freeze the scoops of dough and then just roll in powdered sugar and bake once you’re ready. The powdered sugar probably will melt into the cookies if it’s done in advance. Good luck!
Joann says
I came across this recipe today and made a batch. This was my first time baking with coconut oil. I made them with a smaller scoop and got 30 so I’ll call them “bites” rather than cookies. They taste delicious and the texture is great. Thanks for the recipe.
Kate says
Yay! I love the idea of cookie bites! =) Thank you for taking the time to come back and leave a comment.
Bethany says
We made these for the first time today and they’re tasty!
Kate says
Thanks! Glad you liked them!
Ashley says
How many cookies does this recipe make?
Thanks!
Kate says
You should get about 22 cookies.
Katie says
I tried it with Wheat Flour and it is sooo good! I was a little nervous how it was going to turn out when I was rolling them into balls, but they taste amazing and kind of healthier! Thanks :)
Kate says
I’m glad they came out well! Thanks for that tip! I usually get questions about substitutions, so that sort of info is always helpful. =)
Geeny says
Hello, I just made these & while the flavors are delicious I thought they had a strong flour flavor. The recipe above says “1T”
(as in tablespoon)corn starch but on pinterest’s ingredient list for the recipe it says “1tsp” corn starch. Please clarify, thank you!
Kate says
It is 1 tablespoon of corn starch. I haven’t noticed a strong flour flavor with the cookies, but you could always play around with adding more of the lemon zest or even adding in a little coconut flavor. I’m not sure why Pinterest is listing different quantities on my recipes. If you ever have a question about it, please let me know.
[email protected] says
These cookies sound great! I´m in a huge lemon flavored mood for my baking lately, and these combined with coconut are just perfect! Thanks for sharing!
Kate says
Isn’t lemon great this time of year? I’ve been on a big lemon kick, too. Thanks so much for checking the cookies out! =)
Risa says
These are two of my FAV flavors when it comes to dessert. Can’t wait to try these!!
Julia says
These look marvelous! I’m going to try them with and without some fruit preserves in them. Lemon is a great way to bring some cheer into the house and beat the winter doldrums. Keep the recipes a-comin’!
Sara Uyehara says
In your delicious recipe, you use coconut oil. Presently, I don’t have any in my pantry. I’ll be using butter. What do you think will happen when I do this?
Kate says
I think it will be fine. =) If you use butter, you’ll need to increase it to 1/2 cup. The cookies will also have less coconut flavor if you use butter, but you could add a little coconut extract (maybe 1/2 tsp.) if you wanted to get more of the coconut flavor in the cookies. Good luck!!
Jen @ It's a Food Fetish says
Thanks Kate for yet another great recipe! I enjoy anything lemon flavored so this cookie is a must try :-)
Kate says
Thanks, Jen!! =)