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Even when I think I’ve found the perfect chocolate chip cookie, I’m always looking for a fresh riff on the recipe. I’ve tried them with oats, molasses, cream cheese, bananas, straight-off-the-back-of-the-chip bag (and I mean every chip bag), all kinds of mix-ins, the 24-hour refrigeration method, even the latest smack-the-pan-before-baking technique. So, when I ran out of butter, I immediately started thinking of alternatives — and realized I had a perfectly good jar of coconut oil on hand. Coconut oil chocolate chip cookies it is!
There are all kinds of purported benefits to cooking with the fat — it can help curb your appetite, build muscle, aid in weight loss, and prevent Alzheimer’s, according to Eat This, Not That — though nutritionally, it’s pretty much a draw with butter. As much as I’d like to believe these are superfood cookies, they’re not — but they are really, ridiculously good. (Yes, they do have a coconut-y taste to them; it’s kind of like eating a Samoa, minus the stringy texture of shredded coconut.)
Air Fryer Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies:
I’ve been on an Air Fryer kick lately, so I decided to test the recipe there first. I’m happy to report you definitely can bake cookies in it, and in half the time it takes to bake them in the oven. Two caveats, though: (1) you can only bake about 3-4 at a time, and (2) If you put parchment paper under them, the edges of the paper will curl up and distort the shape of the cookie, resulting in an ugly-yet-tasty treat. You’ve been warned.
Additionally, while Philips says you can use parchment paper in the AirFryer, it should be just big enough to hold your cookies without covering the whole tray — air needs to circulate around the cookie, so you can’t block it. You should also never cook with parchment paper in the Air Fryer without food on top of it, weighing it down. Otherwise, it can get sucked into the heater and burn up. More on that here, and if you try this, do so at your own risk.
Oven-Baked Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies:
These cookies bake evenly, turning lightly golden with very little spread. I made mine half peanut butter chips, half dark chocolate chips, but you do you.
Ingredients
- 1 c all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 c virgin coconut oil
- 1/2 c packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 c granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2/3 c dark chocolate chips
- 1/3 c peanut butter chips (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine coconut oil and sugars. Use an electric mixer to beat until a crumbly, wet dough forms. Add egg and vanilla, beating until combined. It’ll look like a loose, caramel-colored brownie batter at this point.
- Turn mixer to low and gradually beat in flour mixture, stirring just until combined. Fold in chocolate and peanut butter chips.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden.
