3/4 c. coconut oil (room temperature melted in liquid state)
3/4 c. light brown sugar, packed
1/4 c. granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. all-purpose flour
one 3.5-ounce packet instant vanilla pudding mix (not sugar-free and not ‘cook & serve’)
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
one-12 ounce bag (2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Mix butter, sugars, eggs, vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed until well combined, at least 2 minutes.
-Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the flour, pudding mix, baking soda, optional salt, and beat on low speed until combined well.
- Scrape the sides again & add the chocolate chips, and beat on low speed quickly. "(the dough) is super weird looking and does not look like ‘dough’. It’s shaggy and looks like shredded Play-Doh bits piled loosely in the bottom of a bowl. It’s both oily and dry, and you’ll think something is horribly wrong, but it’s fine."
- Using a large cookie scoop, 1/4-cup, mason jar ring, cookie mold, or your hands -- form cookies into balls or thick discs. Compress them together, compacting and squeezing until the dough comes together; don’t be afraid to really squeeze it. If your dough is absolutely not coming together, and is fluffy, or seemingly too dry, drizzle in one tablespoon of coconut oil at a time until it comes together. Do this as a last resort because it can make the dough too oily in a hurry. The chips are prone to falling out, but just keep pushing them back in.
- Place mounds on a large plate or tray, flatten slightly (when properly chilled, cookies don’t flatten much while baking so flatten them now), cover with plasticwrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (not more than 3 days). Do not bake with unchilled dough because cookies will bake thinner, flatter, and be more prone to spreading. Make sure the cookies are in the exact shape you want them before chilling, because it’s exceedingly difficult to re-shape them after chilling.
- Preheat oven to 350*F, line a baking sheet with parchment or spray with cooking spray. Place dough mounds on baking sheet, spaced at least 1 inch apart (they don't spread much). Bake 8 cookies for about 12 minutes (if you put more cookies on a single sheet, bake for 17 min). Bake until edges have set and tops are just set, even if slightly undercooked, pale, and glossy in the center; don’t overbake. Bottom should be slightly darker and carmelized compared to rest of cookie to know when done baking. Cookies firm up as they cool. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes before trying to move.
- Cookies will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Makes roughly 12 large cookies, or more if you use a smaller size scoop.
Modified the cooking time and ingredient measurements significantly from the recipe found at:
https://www.averiecooks.com/the-best-soft-and-chewy-coconut-oil-chocolate-chip-cookies/
Original recipe dough was dry, crumbly and didn't hold together at all. Mine is more carmelized, with extra egg, salt, and oil to help it bind and rise better. Appreciate Averie's inspiration as a way to use coconut oil for baking. Turns out as a super tasty and a chewier cookie. Coconut oil adds a nice sweetness.