These Almond Joy Cookies aka coconut almond cookies have crispy edges, with a soft and chewy inside. They are full of irresistible coconut flavor and not overly sweet. If you love almond joy or mound candy bars, then this recipe is a must-try - No condensed milk!
SUMMARY
- Texture: Crunchy edges with a chewy, moist center - absolutely irresistible!
- Easy Prep: No chilling required — just mix, bake, and enjoy.
- Flavor: Packed with coconut, almond flour, and rich dark chocolate. If you love Almond Joy or Mounds bars, this one’s a must-try!
- Holiday-Ready: Perfect addition to your festive cookie tray!
Tasty almond joy cookies are a treat! Every bite is a perfect blend of coconut and almond goodness and not not overly sweet, like the oat flour cookies. The cookie's center is irresistibly moist and chewy, making them incredibly addictive.
Almond Joy cookies are inspired by the classic Almond Joy candy bars, transformed into a delicious cookie. Made with sweetened shredded coconut and sliced almonds, each coconut cookie is finished with a whole almond for that iconic look.
During recipe testing, I tried making the Almond Joy cookies with both toasted and untoasted coconut. In the end, I preferred the un-toasted version. It skips an extra step and gives a softer, chewier cookie that we absolutely loved!
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Almond Joy Cookies
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- ⅓ cup all purpose flour
- 20 whole almonds (not toasted)
- ½ cup semi sweet chocolate chips
- 2 teaspoons coconut or vegetable oil
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat oven to 350°F (177° C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Cream. Add the butter, egg whites, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla into a large bowl and beat with an electric beater for about 2 to 3 minutes. It will turn thick and creamy.
- Finish dough. Add the sliced almonds, shredded coconut, and flour, and beat for about 30 seconds until everything is well combined. Then remove the beaters and mix the mixture with a spatula a couple of times.
- Scoop. Using a small ice cream scoop, drop about 2 tablespoons of cookie dough onto the parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 1 to 2 inches apart. Lightly press each mound with the back of a damp spoon to slightly flatten—don’t make them too thin, (keeping them a bit thick ensures a chewy, moist center). You can also use the spoon to gently shape the edges into a neat circle.
- Top with almond. Place an almond in the middle of each cookie, pressing lightly.
- Bake. Bake the cookies (one sheet pan at a time) for 13–16 minutes, until the edges are golden brown but the centers remain pale—this ensures a moist, chewy middle. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool completely
- Melt chocolate. Place the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30–50 seconds, stirring until the mixture is completely melted and smooth.
- Drizzle chocolate. Spoon the melted chocolate into a medium-sized zipper bag, seal it, and snip a small corner to create a piping hole. Drizzle the chocolate over the cooled cookies. Alternatively, you can drizzle with a spoon or fork. Let the chocolate set before serving or storing.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
Watch how to make it
Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.
- Sweetened shredded coconut - Use sweetened shredded coconut like in chocolate coconut macaroons and not unsweetened. Unsweetened cocout will not only reduece the sweetness, but also make the cookies dry.
- Almonds: I use both sliced and whole almonds. Sliced almonds are mixed into the dough for a delicate crunch, and a whole almond on top gives the cookies the iconic Almond Joy look.
- Chocolate: As in my Christmas chocolate fudge recipe, I go with semi-sweet chocolate chips—their rich flavor balances the sweetness of the cookies perfectly.
- Egg White: Helps bind the ingredients, keeps the cookies light in color, and adds a crisp texture.
- Confectioners’ Sugar: Softens the coconut almond cookies and improves texture. The tiny bit of cornstarch in it also helps with binding.
- Butter: Use room-temperature butter for easy mixing. Instead of creaming butter and sugar separately like traditional cookies, I cream butter, egg whites, and sugar together for a quick, easy recipe. Soft butter is key!
- All-Purpose Flour: Helps bind the dough and gives the cookies a soft, tender texture.
How to make Almond Joy cookies?
You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.
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Tips for Success
- Coconut: Use sweetened coconut—unsweetened will make the cookies less sweet and can change their texture.
- Chocolate: Semi-sweet or dark chocolate pairs perfectly with these sweet Almond Joy cookies.
- Eggs: Cold eggs are easier to separate.
- Portioning: Use a cookie scoop for even-sized cookies.
- Baking: Remove cookies promptly—edges should be golden while the centers remain pale. This ensures a moist, chewy middle.
- Storage: Store in a sealed container at room temperature for up to a week.
- Freezing: Freeze cooled cookies for up to 2 months. To serve, thaw overnight, drizzle with melted chocolate, and let set.
Variations
- Mounds Cookies: To make Mounds-style cookies, skip the sliced almonds, add an extra ½ cup of sweetened shredded coconut, and omit the whole almonds on top. Reduce powdered sugar to 1 cup to balance the extra sweetness.
- Chocolate-Dipped: Instead of drizzling, dip the bottoms of cooled cookies into melted chocolate and place on parchment to set.
- Cookie Sandwiches: Sandwich two cooled cookies with melted chocolate or Nutella for a fun twist.
Frequently asked questions
These cookies don’t spread like typical cookies. If yours spread during baking, it could be because you used less coconut than called for, or the butter and egg whites weren’t properly creamed.
These cookies contain a small amount of all-purpose flour, so they aren’t naturally gluten-free. However, you can try substituting with gluten-free all-purpose flour or almond flour to make them gluten-free-friendly
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