Scrunchies
Light and crunchy, these Scrunchies cookies will quickly become your favourite chocolate oatmeal cookies! They’re loaded up with everything but the kitchen sink – but require just 1 bowl to make!
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Today’s recipe is a little blast from the past! These Scrunchies originally appeared in the Purity Cookbook from the Maple Leaf Mills publisher in Canada…in the 1940s! This is truly a recipe that’s stood the test of time and it’s easy to see why!
These cookies have a little bit of everything in them, including oats, coconut, chocolate chips, and peanuts, so they’re pleasing to almost everyone.
Not to mention, this is one of the easiest cookie recipes I’ve ever made. There is just 1 bowl needed! Yes, that’s right – no need to mix dry ingredients in one bowl and wet ingredients in the other. So there’s virtually no mess and no clean-up. It doesn’t really get better than that!
What are Scrunchies?
As I mentioned, these cookies are straight from Canada in the 1940s. They are basically everything but the kitchen sink cookies, filled with oats, chocolate chips, shredded coconut, and salted peanuts.
Unlike many other chocolate chip or oatmeal cookies, Scrunchies are not soft and chewy or gooey. Instead, they have a few light, crunchy texture. But they’re just as addictive!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Shortening – Melted, not at room temperature.
- Brown sugar – Gives the cookies a rich, warm sweetness.
- Maple syrup – Also works as a sweetener.
- Milk – Helps to moisten the mixture.
- Egg – Holds everything together.
- Oats – Rolled oats are the best option.
- Flour – Regular all-purpose flour. I have not tested this with gluten-free or other flour.
- Baking powder & baking soda – Both leavening agents help to create the texture and rise of these cookies.
- Mix-ins – Scrunchies are made with unsweetened shredded coconut, salted peanuts, and chocolate chips
- Salt – Enhances the flavour and helps to balance the sweetness.
Can I Use Quick Oats Instead of Rolled Oats?
Quick oats are rolled oats that have been chopped into small pieces so they cook quicker. Because of that, they have a much finer texture. So while you can use quick oats instead of rolled oats for these coconut oat cookies, just note that the texture won’t be quite the same.
Butter vs Shortening in Cookies
You may have noticed that I used all shortening in this recipe, instead of butter or a combination of butter and shortening. Shortening, unlike butter which has milk and water, is 100% fat and instead creates a more crumbly cookie versus a fluffy and soft one. The result – these oat and coconut cookies have a very delicate and crunchy texture.
How to Make Scrunchies (Oatmeal Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies)
To begin making these oatmeal coconut cookies, beat the melted shortening, brown sugar, maple syrup, milk, and egg until smooth. Cover the mixture and let chill in the fridge for 10 minutes. This helps to stop the chocolate chips from melting immediately due to the heat from the melted shortening.
Once chilled, stir in the oatmeal, coconut, chocolate chips, and peanuts. Mix until combined evenly.
Place a sieve over the bowl and add the dry ingredients. Use a spoon to mix and push the dry ingredients through to the wet mixture.
Blend the flour mixture into the wet mixture with the spoon but do not overmix.
If you are not using a non-stick baking sheet, line it with parchment paper. Drop rounded teaspoons of dough onto the baking sheet. I love my Pampered Chef clay baking sheet because it never sticks, doesn’t need to be greased and is super easy to clean!
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes at 375°F until the edges of the cookie turn golden brown.
How to Store
These chocolate oatmeal cookies with salted peanuts will last for up to 5 days at room temperature. Keep them stored in an airtight container, out of direct sunlight.
Can I Freeze These?
Yes! You can freeze both the baked cookies and the batter of these oat and coconut cookies.
To freeze the baked cookies, allow them to cool completely then transfer them to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. You can thaw them at room temperature on the counter or pop one in the microwave for 15 to 30 seconds.
To freeze the dough, I recommend portioning it out on a baking sheet, as if you were going to bake it, and flash-freezing. Once frozen, transfer the dough balls to a freezer-safe container. You can bake directly from frozen, just add 2 minutes or so to the bake time, or thaw in the fridge.
More Cookie Recipes:
- Strawberry Lemonade Cookies
- Triple Chocolate Chickpea Flour Cookies
- Key Lime Meltaway Cookies
- Marshmallow Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies
Scrunchies
Ingredients
- 1 cup melted shortening
- 1 ¼ cup brown sugar; lightly packed
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1 egg
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- ½ cup salted peanuts; rough chopped
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl combine the melted shortening, brown sugar, maple syrup, milk and egg. Use a hand mixer to beat well… or elbow grease and a whisk.
- Cover the bowl and place in the fridge to cool down for about 10-15 minutes.
- Remove the bowl from the fridge and add the oats, coconut, peanuts and chocolate chips. Mix until evenly distributed.
- Place a large sieve over top of the bowl and add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Use a spoon to stir the dry ingredients through the sieve and into the wet ingredients below.
- Then mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined. Don't overmix.
- Drop a rounded teaspoon at a time onto a parchment-lined or non-stick baking sheet. 12 per sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the edges of the cookie begin to turn golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Enjoy once they cool enough to eat without burning the roof of your mouth or you can cool completely and store them for later.
Nutrition
Notes
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
These really are terrific cookies, and I love that maple syrup replaces some of the processed sugar. So good, and the kids love them, too!
These cookies were such a hit with my family!! I’ll be making them again and again!
Yay! I love hearing this!
I loved the name so I had to give them a go 😂
We loved them. The kids said they tasted like the ones we get from a bakery every holiday down south!!!
So happy to hear I could bring a little nostalgia to your kids. Isn’t great how food brings back good memories!
Oh my holy heaven! These are so good! Thanks for sharing the recipe.