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With just four ingredients and no mixer required, Almond Joy cookies transform pantry staples into chewy, coconut-studded treats that taste just like the iconic candy bar.
These Almond Joy cookies deliver everything you love about the classic candy bar—toasted almonds, sweet coconut and rich chocolate. The sweetened condensed milk serves as both a binder and a sweetener, resulting in cookies that bake up with crisp, caramelized edges and chewy, coconut macaroon-like centers. As they turn golden in the oven, the kitchen fills with the scent of toasting coconut and nuts, a combination that’s hard to resist even before the chocolate starts to melt.
The best part? You need just four ingredients and one bowl, making these cookies as practical as they are craveable—no creaming butter, no chilling dough, no rolling and no cutting required. Drop spoonfuls onto a baking sheet, slide them into the oven and, 25 minutes later, you’ve got a batch of cookies that taste like you put in far more effort than you actually did. They’re sturdy enough to pack for picnics or potlucks, yet fancy enough to serve at a dinner party when you want dessert to feel special without the stress.
Ingredients for Almond Joy Cookies
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- Sweetened shredded coconut: Because of the added sugar, sweetened shredded coconut has more moisture than unsweetened, which helps give these cookies their signature chewy texture.
- Sweetened condensed milk: Thick, syrupy condensed milk acts as a binder, holding all the ingredients together and giving the cookies their characteristic golden brown color as they bake. None in your pantry? Make sweetened condensed milk in the microwave, or use a substitute for sweetened condensed milk.
- Chopped toasted almonds: Toasted almonds contribute a nutty crunch and depth of flavor that complements the sweetness of the coconut and chocolate. If you buy them unroasted, toast the nuts before using them.
- Semisweet chocolate chips: These chips melt slightly during baking, creating pockets of rich chocolate throughout the cookies.
Directions
Step 1: Mix the ingredients
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In a large bowl, combine the shredded coconut, sweetened condensed milk, almonds and chocolate chips.
Step 2: Bake the cookies
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Drop the cookies by the tablespoonful onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake them until they’re golden brown, 23 to 25 minutes.
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Almond Joy Cookies Variations
- Try different nuts: Swap the almonds for chopped toasted macadamia nuts, cashews or pecans to give the cookies a new flavor profile while maintaining that satisfying crunch.
- Add a drizzle: Once the cookies have cooled completely, melt additional chocolate chips and drizzle them over the tops for an extra decadent presentation.
- Mix up the chocolate: Use milk chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips instead of semisweet for a sweeter or more intense chocolate flavor.