Tropical Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Two cookies in one! Traditional chocolate chunk cookies paired with a tropical dried fruit chocolate cookie. 

I am so excited to share these Tropical Chocolate Chunk Cookies with you! How fun are these? 

This cookie recipe is made with two different cookie doughs. The first cookie dough is a classic New York style chocolate chunk cookie dough. The second cookie dough is a tropical chocolate cookie dough infused with dried fruit and coconut.

They merge together into one massive monster cookie the size of your hand! 

There are all types of cookie people in the world.  Some prefer cookies that are thin and crispy and many others prefer cookies that are thick and chewy.

These tropical chocolate chunk cookies fall into the thick and chewy realm. Thick, chewy, and chock full of incredible texture. We get tartness from dried apricots and pineapple, chewiness from dried coconut, and extra crunch from chopped walnuts. And lots and lots of chocolate.

If you’re a fan of these triple chocolate chip cookies, you will really enjoy these! 

How to Make Tropical Chocolate Chunk Cookies: 

These cookies are not the type of cookie that you can throw together on a whim! While the recipe itself is straight-forward, it does require preparing two different types of cookie dough.

You will also need to shape and rest the dough in the refrigerator. This step helps hydrate the flours and improves the texture of the baked cookies. 

To shape cookies with two types of dough, we’ll scoop 1-inch diameter balls of each cookie dough and gently press them together. This recipe yields huge cookies. Once we put them into the oven, we’ll take the cookies out roughly 15 minutes into baking and garnish both sides with additional toppings. This adds additional texture, as well as makes the final cookies very distinctive and appealing to the eye.

Tropical Chocolate Chunk Cookies

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Yield: 18 - 20 Huge Cookies

Prep: 45 minutes minutes

Cook: 30 minutes minutes

Additional Time: 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Total: 3 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Tropical chocolate chunk cookies. Two cookies in one! Traditional chocolate chunk combined with a tropical, coconut and dried fruit infused chocolate cookie. Note: While the bake time may sound excessive, this recipe yields huge cookies.

Equipment

• KitchenAid 5 Qt. Artisan Stand Mixer
• 2 Half Sheet Pan

Ingredients

Tropical Chocolate Cookie Dough:

• 5 ounces (140g) bittersweet chocolate chopped into small chunks
• ¾ cup (90g) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 ounces (8 tablespoons; 115g) unsalted butter softened
• ⅓ cup (75g) packed dark brown sugar
• ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup coarsely chopped dried apricots divided
• ¾ cup coconut flakes divided
• ½ cup coarsely chopped dried pineapple unsweetened or sweetened, divided

Chocolate Chunk Cookie Dough:

• 1 cup (120g) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons wheat germ optional
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 ounces (8 tablespoons; 115g) unsalted butter softened
• ⅓ cup (75g) packed dark brown sugar
• ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 9 ounces (250g) bittersweet chocolate chopped into chunks, divided
• 1¼ cup coarsely chopped toasted walnut halves

Instructions 

• Prepare Tropical Chocolate Cookie Dough: Place the chopped bittersweet chocolate in microwave-safe glass bowl and heat in 20 second increments (stirring between each interval) until all of the chocolate has melted. Set aside and allow the chocolate to cool for 5 to 10 minutes until just lukewarm.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. Using stand mixer (or hand-held mixer) fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed for 1 minute until creamy. Add the dark brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until well combined. Beat in the melted (lukewarm) chocolate. Over low speed, slowly add the flour mixture until everything is just combined. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure that all of the ingredients are well incorporated.
• Fold ¾ cup chopped apricots, ½ cup coconut flakes, and ¼ cup chopped dried pineapple (setting aside remainders for topping later). Set in the refrigerator to chill slightly while you prepare the chocolate chunk cookie dough. Note: If you are using a stand mixer and do not own two separate bowls, you will need to transfer the chocolate cookie dough to a separate bowl for chilling; then wash and dry the stand mixer bowl before proceeding with the other dough.
• Prepare Chocolate Chunk Cookie Dough: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, wheat germ (if using), baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
• Using a stand mixer (or hand-held mixer) fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed for 1 minute until creamy. Add the dark brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until well combined. Over low speed, slowly add the flour mixture until everything is just combined. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure that all of the ingredients are well incorporated.
• Fold 6 ounces (170g) of the chopped chocolate (reserving he remaining 3 ounces (85g) for topping later) and all of the chopped toasted walnuts.
• Shape Cookies and Chill: Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper. Set aside. Remove the chocolate cookie dough from the fridge. Using a spoon, measure 2 tablespoons of the chocolate chunk cookie dough and roll into a ball. It should yield a ball that is roughly 1-inch in diameter. Using a spoon, measure 2 tablespoons of the tropical chocolate cookie dough and roll into a ball. Smoosh each ball of dough together and roll into a ball. Wash hands between each cookie, as the chocolate will melt a bit in your hands.
• Repeat for each cookie - this will yield very large cookies. Set the shaped cookie dough balls on the lined sheet pan, they can touch eachother on the pan for chilling (we will place and space them apart during baking). Cover the sheet pan tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 12 hours or preferably overnight. for eave at least 2-3 inches space between the dough on the baking sheet. Tip: I recommend only baking 6 (maximum 8) at one time.
• Bake Cookies: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the lower third position and one rack in the upper third position. Line two half sheet pans with parchment paper or Silpats.
• Remove the cookie dough balls from the refrigerator. Space the cookie dough balls on the respective baking sheets, leaving at least 2 to 3 inches between each piece of dough. Note: I recommend baking no more than 6 cookies on each pan.
• Bake the cookies (on their respective racks) for 15 minutes, rotating and swapping the sheet pans between theirrespective racks halfway through baking. Remove the cookies from the oven and garnish the chocolate chunk portions with reserved chocolate chunks. Garnish the tropical chocolate cookie dough with reserved chopped apricot chunks and coconut flakes - pressing hte pieces lightly into the dough to set.
• Continue baking the cookies for an additional 4 to 6 minutes or until cookies are just beginning to brown around the edges. Remove and set on a wire rack. Let the cookies cool on the pan for 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Allow the sheet pans to cool completely between batches (or alternatively, run under very, very cold water to speed this up) if needed. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. They will soften and become slightly chewier during storage.

Recipe adapted lightly from November 1987 issue of Chocolatier magazine.

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 261kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 29mg, Sodium: 142mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 12g

Author: Laura / A Beautiful Plate

Course: Cookies and Bars

Cuisine: American