Tropical Lemon Coconut Cookies with White Chocolate Chips & Walnuts

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Bright, buttery and bursting with flavor, these Tropical Lemon Coconut Cookies are loaded with crunchy walnuts and sweet white chocolate chips. Inspired from a trip to Florida, these tropical lemon cookies are the perfect chewy treat that tastes like vacation in every bite!

Inspiration is all around us (wow that’s deep), but it truly is. These Tropical Lemon Coconut Cookies were inspired from a trip to Florida to visit my parents. Their clubhouse makes them and when I took my first bite, sunshine literally came out of my mouth. Ha! But in all seriousness, the cookie is like really, really good. It’s unique, has wonderful texture and the combination of flavors is spot on. I couldn’t wait for another trip to Florida to enjoy these cookies so I got in the kitchen and made my own version for you…and me! 

Why These Lemon Coconut Cookies Are So Dang Good

• The flavor – First off, lemon cookies are delicious on their own. Because of that, it’s a no brainer that adding ingredients that go well with lemon and provide texture can only enhance the cookie. The combination of chewy sweet cookie dough, fresh lemon, white chocolate, coconut and walnuts is a flavor combo that just works!
• Simple to make – The recipe is a straightforward cookie dough recipe. There is no chilling time either. Simply cream the butter and sugars, add egg and vanilla, mix in the dry ingredients, plop on a cookie sheet and bake!
• They’re unique – Lemon Coconut Cookies are unusual in the best way! It’s not a common cookie that you can find anywhere. They’re special…one of a kind!
• They’re chewy – I had to make sure these cookies were still chewy given all of the additional ingredients. Because there are so many textures going on, the cookie itself still had to be soft and chewy to achieve the right balance. And they are! 

Ingredients

• All purpose flour – AP flour provides structure for the cookie. 
• Baking soda – Baking soda is a leveling agent. It helps baked goods rise. 
• Salt – Salt flavors the cookie while also enhancing the other ingredients. We really want all of them to shine!
• Butter – Butter adds flavor while also providing the fat needed to create a chewy cookie. 
• Granulated sugar – Sugar is added to sweeten the cookie. 
• Brown sugar – Brown sugar is also added to sweeten, provide a caramel flavor and add a touch of moisture to ensure the cookie isn’t dry. 
• Egg – An egg binds all the ingredients together.
• Lemon zest and juice – Fresh lemon zest and juice are added for that deep, bright citrus flavor. 
• Vanilla extract – Some vanilla adds warmth and sweetness. Vanilla helps round out the entire flavor profile. 
• Shredded coconut – Shredded coconut adds tropical flavor and texture. I suggest using unsweetened as there is sweetness coming from the sugar and white chocolate chips. 
• Walnuts – Chopped walnuts add that nice crunch and offer a bitter earthy flavor. 
• White chocolate chips – White chocolate chips pair well with the lemon, offering a balance of sweet and tart. 

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a mixer, add sugar, brown sugar and lemon zest. Use your fingers to massage the lemon zest into the sugar. Add butter and mix on medium speed until fluffy. 
3. Add the egg, vanilla and lemon juice and continue to mix until smooth. 
4. With mixer on low-speed, add the dry ingredients; flour, baking soda and salt just until combined.
5. Lastly, stir in the chocolate chips, walnuts and coconut. Using a medium cookie dough scoop, drop cookies on the baking sheet and bake! 

Tips for Success

• Read through the recipe before starting, and prep the ingredients – measure, chop, etc. This helps prevent mistakes and makes clean up easier. 
• Do not overmix the cookie dough after the flour has been added. Over-mixing can lead to tough or flat cookies.
• Do not overbake the cookies. If anything, underbake them. Cookies continue to bake while they cool on baking sheets. The bottoms will crisp up more. 
• Use parchment paper and a cookie dough scoop to ensure the cookies bake evenly. 

Conclusion 

I am so in love with all lemon desserts, and these Tropical Lemon Coconut Cookies with White Chocolate Chips and Walnuts are no exception. They remind me of my parents place in Florida which makes me feel all warm and cozy inside. They’re the perfect balance of bright citrus, creamy sweetness, and satisfying crunch. One bite, and you will be hooked!

If you like this recipe, check out my, Lemon Blueberry Cookies, and Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies. They’re equally as delicious! 

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Yield: 30 cookies

Florida Lemon Cookies

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Tropical Lemon Coconut Cookies were inspired from a cookie I had in Florida. These are made with fresh lemon zest, coconut, walnuts and white chocolate chips. They're sunshine in your mouth!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes

Additional Time 5 minutes

Total Time 22 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) room temperature unsalted butter (if you use salted butter, omit the salt above)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• zest of two lemons
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (macadamia nuts would work too, just chop first)
• 1 cup white chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Measure out the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda and salt) into a bowl and mix; set aside
3. Using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (hand-held works too), cream together butter, granulated sugar and light brown sugar until smooth; scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.
4. Next add lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract and mix until incorporated, again scraping down sides of bowl.
5. Add the egg and mix well. The dough will look lumpy. Mix until it smooths out.
6. Next, with mixer on low-speed, slowly add the bowl of dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. It’s okay if there is some flour on the sides of the bowl.
7. Lastly, stir in the coconut, walnuts and white chocolate chips by hand.
8. Measure about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough, drop on cookie sheet and bake for 9-12 minutes - a cookie dough scooper is helpful for this. Mine baked for 11 minutes. Do not over bake or else they won’t be chewy. Bake just until they puff up and the very bottom is golden. Let cool on cookie sheet before transferring to a cooling rack.

Notes

Cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months. They will last for 3-4 days at room temperature in an airtight container.

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