If you ask me, cookies made with condensed milk are pure magic.
These coconut condensed milk cookies bring together creamy peanut butter and sweet coconut for a treat that’s hard to resist. The condensed milk makes them soft and chewy, while chocolate chips add pockets of melty goodness in every bite.
They come together with simple pantry ingredients and basic mixing—no electric mixer required. A touch of vanilla and brown sugar gives them depth, while sea salt balances out all that sweetness.
They’re the kind of cookies that disappear fast from the cookie jar, perfect for after-school snacks or weekend baking projects.
Why You’ll Love These Coconut Condensed Milk Cookies
- Unique twist on classic cookies – The coconut condensed milk adds a subtle tropical flavor and extra moisture that makes these cookies incredibly soft and chewy.
- Ready in under an hour – From mixing the dough to pulling warm cookies out of the oven, you’ll have fresh-baked treats in just 40-50 minutes.
- Simple pantry ingredients – Most of these ingredients are probably already in your kitchen, making this an easy recipe to whip up on a whim.
- Perfect texture every time – The combination of peanut butter and coconut condensed milk creates cookies that stay soft and tender, never dry or crumbly.
What Kind of Coconut Condensed Milk Should I Use?
For this recipe, you’ll want to grab a can of coconut condensed milk, which is different from regular sweetened condensed milk – it’s made from coconut milk instead of dairy. Most brands come in 11.25-ounce cans, and you can find them in the baking aisle or the international foods section near other coconut products. If your store doesn’t carry coconut condensed milk, you might find it labeled as “coconut condensed creamer” or at Asian grocery stores. Just make sure you’re not accidentally picking up coconut cream or cream of coconut, which are totally different products and won’t give you the same results in these cookies.
Options for Substitutions
These cookies are pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients:
- Coconut condensed milk: If you can’t find coconut condensed milk, regular sweetened condensed milk works perfectly fine. The cookies will taste slightly less coconutty but will still turn out great.
- Peanut butter: Not a peanut butter fan? Try almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter for a different flavor. Just make sure it’s the creamy kind, not natural or separated.
- All-purpose flour: You can substitute with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour if needed. The texture might be slightly different, but the cookies will still be tasty.
- Chocolate chips: Feel free to swap these with white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, or even chopped nuts. You could also use a mix of different add-ins.
- Brown sugar: White granulated sugar can replace brown sugar if that’s what you have. The cookies will be slightly less chewy and won’t have that molasses flavor, but they’ll still work.
- Baking soda and baking powder: Don’t substitute these – they’re essential for the cookies to rise properly and get the right texture.
Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking
The biggest mistake with these cookies is overbaking them – since they contain condensed milk, they can go from perfectly soft to hard and dry in just a minute or two, so pull them out when the edges are set but the centers still look slightly underdone.
Another common error is skipping the cooling time on the baking sheet, which is actually necessary because these cookies are quite soft when hot and will fall apart if you try to move them too soon.
To get the best texture, make sure your peanut butter is well-stirred before measuring (especially if it’s natural peanut butter with separated oils), and don’t skip oiling the parchment paper since the condensed milk makes these cookies extra sticky.
For even baking, use a cookie scoop to keep all your cookies the same size, and resist the urge to bake two pans at once – rotating pans in the oven can lead to uneven results with this recipe.
What to Serve With Coconut Condensed Milk Cookies?
These cookies are perfect alongside a cold glass of milk or your favorite hot beverage like coffee or tea. I love serving them as an afternoon snack with some fresh fruit like sliced strawberries or banana chunks, which balance out the sweetness nicely. They also make a great dessert option when paired with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or even coconut ice cream if you want to double down on that coconut flavor. For a fun party spread, set them out with other finger foods like brownies or fruit skewers so everyone can grab what they’re craving.
Storage Instructions
Store: These cookies stay soft and chewy when kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. If you want them to last a bit longer, you can also store them in the fridge for up to a week, though they might firm up a little.
Freeze: You can freeze baked cookies in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. I also love freezing the cookie dough in individual balls on a baking sheet, then transferring them to a bag once frozen so I can bake fresh cookies whenever a craving hits.
Enjoy: Frozen cookies taste great straight from the freezer if you like them cold and firm, or just let them sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes to soften up. If you froze the dough, bake from frozen and add an extra minute or two to the baking time.
| Preparation Time | 10-15 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 25-30 minutes |
| Total Time | 40-50 minutes |
| Level of Difficulty | Easy |
| Servings | 14 cookies |
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 2250-2400
- Protein: 35-40 g
- Fat: 90-100 g
- Carbohydrates: 335-350 g
Ingredients
- 11.25 fl oz coconut condensed milk
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Step 1: Prepare Your Station and Preheat
- Baking sheets and parchment paper
Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats—oil is unnecessary if using parchment.
Measure out all your ingredients into small bowls so they’re ready to go (this is your mise en place).
Having everything prepped prevents scrambling during mixing and helps you work efficiently.
Step 2: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients
- 11.25 fl oz coconut condensed milk
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
In a large mixing bowl, combine the coconut condensed milk, creamy peanut butter, and vanilla extract.
Whisk these together until well blended—the condensed milk will be thick, so take a moment to fully incorporate the peanut butter.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt.
Pour the dry mixture into the wet ingredients and stir until you have a smooth, cohesive dough.
I like to use a rubber spatula for this rather than a wooden spoon—it scrapes the bowl more thoroughly and ensures no pockets of dry flour hide at the bottom.
Step 3: Fold in Chocolate and Portion Dough
- 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Cookie dough from Step 2
Gently fold the semi-sweet chocolate chips into the dough from Step 2 using a rubber spatula, being careful not to overmix.
Using a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop (or a tablespoon measure), drop rounded portions of dough onto your prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart—these cookies will spread slightly as they bake.
I find cookie scoops make portion control effortless and give you uniform cookies that bake evenly.
Step 4: Bake One Sheet at a Time
- Portioned dough from Step 3
Place one baking sheet in the preheated 350°F oven and bake for 11-12 minutes, until the edges are light golden brown but the centers still look slightly underdone—this is important because the cookies continue to cook as they cool.
Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely for about 30 minutes.
While the first batch cools, bake the second sheet using the same timing and technique.
Step 5: Finish and Serve
- Cooled cookies from Step 4
- Extra sea salt for topping
Once all cookies are completely cooled on the wire rack, sprinkle a light pinch of sea salt on top of each cookie just before serving.
The salt enhances the sweetness and adds a subtle contrast to the coconut-peanut-chocolate flavor profile.
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Irresistible Coconut Condensed Milk Cookies
Ingredients
- 11.25 fl oz coconut condensed milk
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats—oil is unnecessary if using parchment. Measure out all your ingredients into small bowls so they're ready to go (this is your mise en place). Having everything prepped prevents scrambling during mixing and helps you work efficiently.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the coconut condensed milk, creamy peanut butter, and vanilla extract. Whisk these together until well blended—the condensed milk will be thick, so take a moment to fully incorporate the peanut butter. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt. Pour the dry mixture into the wet ingredients and stir until you have a smooth, cohesive dough. I like to use a rubber spatula for this rather than a wooden spoon—it scrapes the bowl more thoroughly and ensures no pockets of dry flour hide at the bottom.
- Gently fold the semi-sweet chocolate chips into the dough from Step 2 using a rubber spatula, being careful not to overmix. Using a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop (or a tablespoon measure), drop rounded portions of dough onto your prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart—these cookies will spread slightly as they bake. I find cookie scoops make portion control effortless and give you uniform cookies that bake evenly.
- Place one baking sheet in the preheated 350°F oven and bake for 11-12 minutes, until the edges are light golden brown but the centers still look slightly underdone—this is important because the cookies continue to cook as they cool. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely for about 30 minutes. While the first batch cools, bake the second sheet using the same timing and technique.
- Once all cookies are completely cooled on the wire rack, sprinkle a light pinch of sea salt on top of each cookie just before serving. The salt enhances the sweetness and adds a subtle contrast to the coconut-peanut-chocolate flavor profile. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
