Dark Chocolate Oat Pantry Cookies
As I’ve gotten older my tastebuds and texture preferences have changed so much. I’m one of those people who are super sensitive to texture so things like coconut or even oats were usually a no-no (I also used to hate coconut which is wild to me now, and I’m so pleased I do not cause that flavorrrrr). I also would never have touched dark chocolate, which let’s be honest I think is an acquired taste if you don’t grow up eating it in the rotation of other sweet things. Thankfully I’ve come to love both.
For these cookies, I wanted something packed with elements to add both chew and balance of flavors, so much so that as you roll them you wonder… how are these going to bake? The chew from the oats and coconut, the pools of dark chocolate, the colorful sprinkles… my oh my I love them. I couldn’t figure out what to call these at first, since Dark Chocolate Oat Coconut Sprinkle Sea Salt Cookies just felt too long, ya know? So I landed on “Pantry” as a way to tie in the many elements found on most of our home shelves, that are packed into these delicious beauties.
I also love the way they look, a little chaotic but packed with magic. A key part of these cookies comes not only in the filling but in the topping. As soon as they come out of the oven, sprinkling them with sea salt, turbinado sugar, and a few flakes of coconut really ups the flavor and balances out the elements.
WHAT ARE DARK CHOCOLATE OAT PANTRY COOKIES?
These cookies are for my fans of dark chocolate or anyone who maybe finds traditional cookies a little too sweet, but still like that chocolatey balance. That’s not to say these cookies don’t have sweetness, they still have sugar, but with the more bitter-leaning dark chocolate, they aren’t so creamy sweet as your traditional chocolate chip cookie.
They also come packed with oats, coconut flakes, and sprinkles (because they are massively joyful, and who doesn’t like a little rainbow coloring in their cookies?). Once you mix, roll, slightly flatten, and bake these babes, they need a quick topping of flaky sea salt, turbinado sugar, and coconut flakes to finish them off and bring their delicious flavor balance full circle.
How do I get those pools of chocolate in my cookies? Ah, this comes from using a bar of chocolate versus chips. I love to fill my chocolate chip cookies with a mix of chocolate-sized pieces for a variety of chocolate bites as you eat them. Simply grab your bars of chocolate and with a sharp knife cut them into chunks. Make sure to scrape all the pieces, including the fine bits of chocolate dust, into your mixture!
INGREDIENTS
- Butter – A key ingredient for these cookies adding both flavor and structure to your bake
- Granulated Sugar – Adds sweetness while contributing a crispier element to your cookie
- Brown Sugar – This also adds sweetness but because of the molasses in brown sugar, it contributes more moisture to the cookies that balances the crispy lean of the granulated sugar, while also contributing a yummy caramelized flavor
- Egg – A binding ingredient important for keeping your cookies together
- Vanilla Extract – Helps bring together the flavors while adding a hint of its own
- Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats – These grant both chew and binding to your cookies as the oats will keep their shape but work with the flour to absorb moisture as your cookies chill and bake. Oats are also a slightly healthier option to flour, being low in fat but higher in fiber, protein, and certain minerals
- Salt – Another flavor element that works to amplify the other flavors in these cookies
- All-Purpose Flour – Without flour, these cookies wouldn’t hold together. The gluten in the flour helps to create structure while your cookies bake
- Cornstarch – A sneaky little secret element that softens your cookies while also preventing them from spreading too much
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda – Key rising agents that allow your cookies to puff while also working to balance the flavor and texture in your bake
- Dark Chocolate – You can’t have dark chocolate cookies without it! I recommend going for 60-70% dark chocolate to have enough sweetness in the cookies but I’ve used up to 85% and still found them delicious! This is really up to your sweet preferences
- Shredded Coconut Flakes – Adds texture and flavor both inside your cookies and sprinkled on top
- Sprinkles – Sprinkles belong in cookies. I prefer the colorful variety but you do you
- Flaked Sea Salt – Punches up the flavor as a finishing touch sprinkled over those warm cookies, fresh out of the oven
- Turbinado Sugar – Since these cookies aren’t the sweetest, a little coarse sugar adds a nice crunch and a little sweet to round them out
Why do you flatten the cookie dough before baking? Sometimes oats need a little help when it comes to the baking process. Flattening the dough balls to roughly 1-inch discs ahead of baking allows for a more even spread and bake.
HOW TO MAKE DARK CHOCOLATE OAT PANTRY COOKIES
You can make these in a bowl of a mixer or simply in a large bowl. Start by creaming together your softened butter and sugars until lightened, about two minutes, to add some air and a little fluff to the base of your dough. Then add in your vanilla extract and egg, mixing until just combined.
In a separate bowl, add your oats and salt before sifting in the remainder of your dry ingredients – flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda – and then give a quick stir to combine. Pour them into the bowl with your wet ingredients and mix until a few streaks of flour remain. At this point add in your chopped dark chocolate, coconut, and sprinkles, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix which can affect the texture of your cookies once they bake. Cover your bowl and place it in the fridge for at least an hour, allowing the flavor to enhance and for you butter to solidify ahead of baking.
Once ready, use a tablespoon or small cookie scoop to measure out three tablespoons of dough and roll them into one ball. Gently press your ball into a flattened disc, about 1 inch in height. Be sure to compress the edges of the disc as needed, if it split as you pressed it, so they are relatively smooth. I’d recommend measuring out all of your dough for each cookie first, before rolling and shaping, to ensure each cookie has an even amount of chocolate.
Place your dough discs onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper, about two inches apart (they will spread as they bake), and bake at 350F for 11 minutes. The edges of the cookies will be set and very lightly golden while the middle will still be soft (but not raw). Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with flaky sea salt, turbinado sugar, and coconut flakes. Then allow them to cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes before carefully moving to a wire rack to cool completely.
3 reasons you’ll love these cookies
TIPS & VARIATIONS
- Use old-fashioned rolled oats for that nice oat texture and chew. If you want to break them up a little, you can pulse them 1-2 times in the food processor but don’t cut them down more than that
- For the dark chocolate, use 60-70% for enough of a sweet balance without being overly sweet. I’ve used up to 85% for these but depending on your tolerance, that might not hold enough sweetness for you!
- Rolling and then flattening your cookies allows them to bake more evenly. Because of their heartiness, if you simply roll them the centers may not flatten in time for the cookies to bake evenly and they could end up overbaked in spots (and underbaked in others)
- If you’d like to use different chocolate instead of dark, go for it! You could substitute white chocolate for half of your dark chocolate, go full white, or use milk chocolate instead
- The sprinkles add joy and happiness but if you don’t want that or don’t have them, you can omit (but your cookies will feed sadder, just warning you)
MAKING AHEAD & STORING
You can keep this dough in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, before shaping and baking. Once shaped, you can store the dough in an airtight container in the fridge for an additional 1-3 days. To freeze, simply roll and shape your cookies and place them airtight in the freezer for up to two months.
MORE CHOCOLATE RECIPES
One of my favorite chocolate recipes goes to this No Bake Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Pie. If you prefer something even more chocolate-packed, try these Individual Triple Chocolate Brownie Pies. Or maybe you’re looking for something sneakily packed with veggies? Try this Double Chocolate Zucchini (& Spinach) Bread!
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Spatulas
- Knife
- Cutting Board
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Baking Tray
- Parchment Paper
- Wire Rack
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 1 ¼ cup 60-70% dark chocolate cut into chunks (approx 6-7oz)
- ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut flakes plus extra for topping
- ¼ cup colorful sprinkles
- Flaked sea salt for topping
- Turbinado sugar optional for topping
Instructions
- In a large bowl, cream together your butter and sugars on medium speed, until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add in your egg and vanilla extract, mixing until combined
- In a separate bowl, add your oats, salt, and sift in your flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and baking soda. Add to your bowl with the wet ingredients and mix until there are a few streaks of flour still visible
- Fold in your chopped chocolate, coconut flakes, and sprinkles, mixing until just combined
- Cover and place in the fridge for a minimum of one hour or up to 24 hours
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
- Use three tablespoons of dough to form each cookie, roll into a ball, and flatten to approximately 1-inch thick rounds. I recommend rolling and shaping all of your cookies at once, to ensure that your chocolate is evenly dispersed and no ball ends up having too much chocolate
- Place 5-6 cookies on your baking sheet about 2 inches apart as they will spread as they cook
- Bake for 11 minutes until the edges are set and lightly golden but the center is still soft (not raw)
- Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with flaky sea salt, turbinado sugar, and coconut flakes. Allow to cool on the tray for 5 minutes before carefully moving to a wire rack to cool completely
