Secret Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies
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These chocolate chip cookies are crisp, chewy, and loaded with a couple of surprise ingredients make them extra delicious.
In the world of baking, there are few things as hotly debated as the perfect chocolate chip cookie. This recipe, from my friend Carrie, is certainly in the running. The first time she sent it to me, I remember thinking, Wow, she really threw everything in there. But Carrie is a fantastic baker, so I gave them a try—and now they’re one of my favorite chocolate chip cookies.
The secret? Actually, there are two. The first is oatmeal, ground into a fine powder so it adds just the right amount of chewiness without tasting like oatmeal cookies. The second is coconut. I know it sounds a little strange. But trust me: you can barely taste it, and it somehow makes the cookies richer, chewier, and even more irresistible.
“Such a great recipe—I try all different kinds of chocolate chip cookie recipes and this one is definitely at the top!”
What You’ll Need To Make Secret Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats: Adds a subtle nutty flavor and chewy texture when ground.
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides the structure for the cookies. Measure by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off to ensure accuracy.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: Helps the cookies rise and ensures even browning.
- Butter: Provides richness and moisture.
- Granulated Sugar & Light Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness and a hint of molasses flavor.
- Large Egg: Binds the ingredients together and adds moisture.
- Vanilla: Enhances the flavor of the cookies with its aromatic richness.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: Provides rich chocolatey bites throughout the cookies.
- Sweetened Flaked Coconut: Adds a touch of sweetness and chewy texture.
- Pecans: Introduce a crunchy texture and nutty flavor.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Blitz the flour and oatmeal. To begin, place the oatmeal in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Process until finely ground.
Step 2: Combine the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine the ground oats with the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.
Step 3: Cream the butter and sugars. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Step 4: Add the egg and vanilla. Beat well to combine.
Step 5: Add the dry ingredients. Add the flour mixture to the bowl and beat at low speed until just combined.
Step 6: Mix in the add-ins. Add chocolate chips, coconut and nuts and mix well.
Step 7: Form dough balls. Working with 1½ tablespoons of cookie dough at a time, form balls and place on parchment-lined cookie sheets, leaving at least 2 inches between them.
Step 8: Bake. Slide the baking sheet into the oven and bake until edges of cookies begin to crisp but centers are still soft, 12 to 14 minutes.
Step 9: Cool and enjoy. Cool cookies on baking sheets for 1 minute, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
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Secret Ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup old-fashioned rolled oats, ground in a food processor or blender until very fine
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened but still cool
- ½ cup (packed) light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla
- â…” cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup loosely packed sweetened flaked coconut
- ¾ cup pecans, chopped
Instructions
- Adjust racks to upper- and lower-middle positions and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the ground oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the egg and vanilla; continue beating until combined. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed until just combined. Add the chocolate chips, coconut and nuts and mix until evenly combined.
- Working with 1½ tablespoons of cookie dough at a time, form balls and place on parchment-lined cookie sheets, leaving at least 2 in (5 cm) between them. (Keep remaining batter cool in refrigerator while first batch cooks.) Bake, reversing the position of cookie sheets halfway through baking, until the edges of the cookies begin to crisp but the centers are still soft, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheets for 1 minute, then transfer to racks to cool completely. Repeat with remaining batter.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Hi Jenn,
Need some clarification on receipe. So, should I put 1st cookie sheet on top rack and 2nd cookie sheet on lower middle rack and then bake them for 15 min and then switch cookie sheets? Just want to make sure as I don’t want to burn them..
Hi SK, The first cookie sheet should not go on the very top position in the oven, but rather, right above the center position. The other one should go right below the center notch (and then, yes, you switch them halfway through). Hope you enjoy!
Delicious!! Love the consistency and that they are not so sweet. Thanks for another great recipe which I will surely make again.
Can’t believe how many mistakes I made making the batter (I softened the butter in the microwave too long and I forgot to mix the brown sugar with the butter & granulated sugar but added it after the cc) but these came out pretty good. Flatter than expected probably because of baker error but still yummy. My son ate 4 as soon as it came out of the oven. Probably snuck a few more when I wasn’t looking.
These truly are the perfect chocolate chip cookie. Just the right amount of chewy vs crunchy and absolutely delicious! I toasted my pecans beforehand, but that step was not necessary at all. I did not use parchment paper (I never do for buttery cookies) and they came off the cookie sheets with ease – very little cleanup. Great recipe!
Once again, Jenn Segal is a genius. When I had 25 exact cookies just like her recipe, that has never happened in my entire baking life. Jenn is an inspiration & this chocolate chip cookies are fabulous.
Yum! I made the recipe gluten free by subbing a mix of ground flax seed, coconut flour, almond flour and Bob’s Red Mill gluten free flour for the one cup of regular. They were SO GOOD! They were a little dry the next day. So I just make a few from the fridge when I want a cookie.
Hi Jenn – would it be ok if I used unsweetened coconut? Thanks and love all your recipes!!
Glad you like the recipes :). I think the cookies may be a bit dry with unsweetened coconut — sorry!
I just made them with unsweetened as I didn’t have sweetened and they tuned out great !
Hello. I only own one sheet pan. Will it be okay if i refrigerate the dough while the first batch bakes? I only ask because while reading the other reviews there was one complaint about the cookies being puffy and not browning. You said it could be because of chilling the dough
It’s fine to do that, Torie. If you’re worried about the cookies being too puffy, you can just leave the dough out on the countertop instead of refrigerating. Enjoy!
Jenn, these cookies are amazing when we eat them just after they’ve cooled….but by the next day, they taste very dry (and we’re storing in airtight containers). Any ideas? Am I baking too long? I’m sure it’s user error on my end but wondering what tips you have? THANK YOU!
Hi Jill, Glad you enjoyed the cookies! Are you measuring the flour using the spoon and level method? Even a few ounces of extra flour can cause the cookies to be dry. You might also try reducing the baking time by a few minutes next time — that will make a big difference.
Thanks for the reply. Yes, I’m using the spoon/level to measure. The only other thing I can think of is that I’ve been purchasing pre-ground oat flour instead of grinding my own. Might that make a difference and would I need to adjust the amount? THANK YOU!!
I don’t think that’d make a big difference, Jill. I’d just reduce the cook time a bit – that will help a lot.
If you put a couple of pieces of bread in the airtight container, they will stay soft.
This was the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe. Chewy and delicious. The coconut hating family even loved them. They had no idea what the secret ingredient was.