Almond Joy Cookies start with a brownie cookie base that gets loaded up with creamy coconut frosting, a roasted almond, and a drizzle of chocolate. What’s not to love?!
author’s note
Chocolate + Coconut + Almond = Cookie Perfection!
My husband is obsessed with Almond Joy candy bars. If there’s a bag of fun-sized candy around the house, I guarantee the Almond Joys disappear first. One day, I decided to surprise him by turning his favorite candy bar into a cookie. I wanted the same flavors of chocolate, coconut, and almonds but with the soft and chewy bite of a cookie.
After a few test batches (and a lot of taste testing), these Almond Joy Cookies were born. The brownie cookie base is fudgy and soft, the coconut frosting is light and fluffy, and the roasted almond on top makes them taste exactly like the candy bar, maybe even better.
Almond Joy Cookie Ingredients
| Ingredient | Swaps / Tips |
|---|---|
| Brownie Mix (18 oz, 510g) | I tested several mixes; Betty Crocker® Supreme Chocolate Chunk was the winner. Any high-quality mix works. |
| Chocolate Instant Pudding Mix (3.9 oz, 110g) | Must be instant, not cook-and-serve. Skip sugar-free or reduced-calorie—flavor isn’t the same. |
| Cream Cheese (full-fat brick) | Avoid Neufchâtel or tub-style cream cheese. |
| Unsalted Butter | Salted works in a pinch—just skip extra salt in the recipe. |
| Sweetened Coconut Flakes | Don’t swap for unsweetened, shredded, or desiccated coconut. |
| Almonds | Dry roasted and lightly salted are best. Chocolate-covered almonds are amazing too. |
Coconut Frosting
Here are a few notes for the frosting in these Almond Joy Cookies:
- Let butter sit out for 1 hour to soften. Cold butter won’t mix well with shortening. Here’s how to bring butter to room temp quickly.
- Add coconut extract gradually since brands vary in strength and the flavor gets stronger as it sits.
- Use sweetened coconut flakes. Skip unsweetened, desiccated, shredded coconut, or coconut flour.
- Add milk slowly until frosting is soft, smooth, and straightforward to pipe, not runny.
- Use all the frosting. Each cookie needs a full, generous fill to balance the fudgy base.
The Finishing Touches on Almond Joy Cookies
Now the cookies are covered in frosting, it’s all about the finishing touches.
- Almonds. It is satisfying to dry roasted and lightly salted almonds—more flavor, no extra work! I also made these once with chocolate-covered almonds, and they were incredible!
- Chocolate drizzle. I like milk chocolate, but semi-sweet or dark work too. Use a baking bar, melting wafers, or good-quality chocolate chips.
Storage
Freezing Almond Joy Cookies
- Baked cookies (without frosting): Cool completely, freeze on a tray, then move to freezer bags or containers with parchment paper between layers. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Unbaked dough: Shape into balls, freeze on a tray, then store in a freezer bag or container. Bake from frozen, adding 2–3 minutes to the bake time.
- Frosting & drizzle: Don’t freeze since these parts don’t thaw well.
More Cookie Recipes:
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S’mores Cookies
Cookies
from-scratch Oreos
Desserts
Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
Desserts
Caramel Cookie Bars
