Chewy Nut Jumble Cookies (Old‑Fashioned Coconut & Nut Cookie Recipe)

 

There’s something wonderfully old‑fashioned and comforting about a cookie that feels like it came straight from your grandmother’s kitchen — and these Nut Jumbles are exactly that kind of treat. Chewy, tender, and generously filled with sweet shredded coconut and toasted nuts, they’re the sort of weekend bake that fills the house with warmth and nostalgia.

Each cookie is topped with a glossy brown‑butter glaze that melts into the warm tops as soon as they come out of the oven, adding both incredible flavor and that signature chewy finish. It’s the kind of simple, homely indulgence that makes you pause for a moment of pure pleasure — the sort of bake your granny might have made “just because.”

If you love cookies with texture, richness, and a touch of nostalgia, these Nut Jumbles are sure to become a new favorite.

 

 

The weekend is ahead. It's time to pull out the stops a tiny bit and bake something the family will enjoy. A tiny treat, a bit of an indulgence.  Something like these fabulous Nut Jumbles.  A deliciously moreish cookie that is a jumble of coconut and toasted nuts, topped with a  shiny and sweet, incredibly tasty browned butter glaze. 

These truly are wonderful cookies. If you can eat just one of them you are a much better man than I Gunga Din!  They are nice and chewy . . .  and stogged full of lovely shredded sweetened coconut. In a pinch you can use desiccated, but the cookies will be a bit dry and will not have the best texture. Shredded sweetened really is best.

You can use either toasted walnuts or pecans. Today I used pecans.  Both are equally as delicious. 

I always toast my nuts before baking with them. Toasting really does enhance their nuttiness and freshens them up a lot.  You can also do this well ahead of time and keep them frozen until you want to use them.  Just bring them to room temperature first.

10 minutes or so in a moderate oven does the trick just nicely.  Just bang those nuts onto a baking sheet and into the oven.  180*C/350*F/gas mark 4.  They will smell lovely and nutty.  Let them cool before chopping.  If I don't have some stored in the freezer, I will usually do this a day or so before I know I am going to bake with them. But you can also do it on the day, just make sure they are thoroughly cool before using them. Mmm . . .  there is something about toasted nuts in a cookie that ticks all my flavor boxes.

Don't get me started on this browned butter glaze.  Oh boy . . .  that really tips a delicious cookie over the edge into FAB-U-LOUS!!  You need to put it on the cookies almost as soon as they come from the oven, while they are still hot. It will be kind of thick, but the heat from the cookies will make it quite spreadable.  Try not to lick your fingers too many times . . . The glaze helps to keep them nice and chewy, so its purpose is really a two-fold one . . . taste and texture.

This is the kind of cookie your granny would have baked.  Just coz she loves you and you are such a good little girl/boy. There is nothing like lovin'  from the oven to make you feel all warm and toasty inside!! A glass of ice-cold milk is the perfect compliment to be enjoyed with these!

 

INGREDIENTS NEEDED

TO MAKE NUT JUMBLES

There is nothing extra-ordinary here.

For the cookies:

• 1/2 cup (113g) butter, softened
• 1/2 cup (95g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed (100g) dark soft brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups (175g) plain flour
• 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup (76g) shredded sweetened coconut
• 1/2 cup (60g) chopped toasted walnuts or pecans
• 1/2 cup (60g) sour cream

For the frosting:

• 3 TBS butter
• 1 1/2 cups (195g) icing sugar, sifted
• 2 TBS milk
• few drops vanilla

 

NOTES ON INGREDIENTS

• I use salted butter. It is the only kind I keep in the house.
• I use Kirkland organic granulated sugar. In the U.K. use caster sugar.
• Make sure you pack the brown sugar firmly into the measuring cup. It should hold it's shape when tipped out.
• Use plain, all-purpose flour.
• You can easily toast your nuts by placing them onto a baking sheet and toasting them in a moderate oven for 8 to 10 minutes. They will smell really nutty when done!!
• You could use unsweetened desiccated coconut in the same amount. 

 

HOW TO MAKE NUT JUMBLES

Like most cookies, these are fairly easy to make and bake.  (And eat!!)

1. Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Line several large baking sheets with baking paper. Set aside. (Alternately you can butter the cookie sheets. Use cookie sheets with rims.)
2. Cream together the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
3. Sift the flour, soda and salt together and stir in just to mix. Stir in the coconut, toasted nuts and sour cream to make a stiff dough. (Don't over-mix the dough. It will be stiff but droppable.)
4. Drop by TBS onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches in between each. (Don't crowd the baking sheets. Allow room for spreading.)
5. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cookies are set and no impression is left when lightly touched. (They will be golden brown on the bottoms.)
6. While the cookies are baking make the glaze. Heat the butter in a small skillet over low heat until it turns a nut brown, about 3 to 4 minutes, swirling it occasionally. (Don't let the butter burn. Remove from heat as soon as you notice brown bits. It will continue to cook in the saucepan.)
7. Remove from the heat and whisk in the sugar, milk and vanilla to give you a smooth shiny glaze.
8. Spoon the glaze over the hot cookies. Allow to set.

 

HINTS & TIPS FOR COOKIE BAKING SUCCESS 

These hints and tips are sure to help you make the best cookies ever. 

• Use flat cookie sheets without sides for even baking.
• Place cookies at least 2-inches apart on baking sheets to allow for spreading.
• Use a sheet of baking parchment or a light spritz of cooking spray to grease your cookie sheets. It's not necessary to repeat this step for every batch but do wipe off any crumbs or sugar from the surface before adding the next batch. 
• Place your cookie sheets in the middle of the oven.
• Make sure the sides of your cookie sheets don't touch the edges of the oven so that heat can circulate evenly and properly.
• Pay particular attention to bake times.  An extra minute or two can make a big difference to the end result since cookies are for the most part quite small and bake quickly. Always aim to underbake rather than overbake. Cookies do continue to bake after you remove them from the oven.     

 

 

 

 

  

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

CAN I USE DESICCATED COCONUT INSTEAD OF SHREDDED COCONUT?

By all means use desiccated coconut in the same amount/weight as the shredded coconut. It might alter the texture a tiny bit, but they will still be delicious!

WHAT CAN I USE INSTEAD OF SOUR CREAM?

You can easily substitute plain yogurt for the sour cream in this recipe.

IS IT NECESSARY TO TOAST THE NUTS?

Not really, but I have always found that toasting the nuts before you bake with them really helps to develop their naturally nutty flavor. They just taste better.

DO I NEED TO COOL THE NUTS PRIOR TO ADDING THEM TO THE COOKIE BATTER?

Yes, absolutely cool the nuts prior to adding the to the cookie batter. Hot nuts will melt the butter and change the consistency of the batter which could affect the end result.

CAN I FREEZE THE DOUGH OR THE BAKED COOKIES?

Yes, feel free to freeze the dough or the baked cookies. To freeze the dough, divide it into cookie sized dollops on a lined baking sheet and freeze while on the sheet. Remove to a zip lock baggie after they have frozen. Label and date. You can bake from frozen. It may take a few more minutes than the recipe requires for them to bake properly. Use the dough within 3 months. Likewise, you can freeze the already baked cookies in an airtight freezer container. Label, date and freeze. Use within 3 months for optimum flavor.

CAN I ADD CHOCOLATE CHIPS OR DRIED FRUIT TO THE COOKIE DOUGH?

Yes, but don't go overboard. Less is more. I would only add about 1/2 cup of each so you just get a "taste" in the finished product.

 

A FEW OTHER COOKIE RECIPES TO ENJOY

We are cookie monsters in this house. Here are a few other cookie recipes that we enjoy!

QUARTER CUP COOKIES - A small‑batch twist on the classic Ten Cup Cookies — all the same irresistible flavors, but in a perfectly sensible batch of just 13 buttery, crisp‑edged, chewy‑centred cookies. Each bite is packed with the best bits: peanut butter, chocolate chips, oats, coconut, toasted pecans, and raisins, giving you that savory‑sweet, nutty, chocolate‑studded goodness in every mouthful. They’re wonderfully moreish, incredibly easy to make, and ideal for small households or anyone who loves homemade cookies without the temptation of seven dozen sitting on the counter. A true baker’s‑dozen treat.

PEANUT BUTTER EVERYTHING COOKIES - These cookies are the kind of bake that makes the whole kitchen smell like comfort. They start with a buttery peanut‑butter base and then get absolutely stogged full of all the good things — oats, chocolate, coconut, and a bright pop of orange zest that lifts every bite . Crisp at the edges, tender in the middle, and completely moreish, they taste like every favorite cookie rolled into one irresistible treat. If you love a cookie that’s generous, flavor‑packed, and impossible to stop nibbling, this is the batch to bake today.

 

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Yield: 4 dozen

Author: Marie Rayner

Nut Jumbles

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 12 MinTotal time: 27 Min

A moreishly chewy drop cookie topped with a sweet browned butter icing! These can be frozen before frosting if desired. 

Ingredients

For the cookies:

• 1/2 cup (113g) butter, softened
• 1/2 cup (95g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed (100g) dark soft brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups (175g) plain flour
• 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup (76g) shredded sweetened coconut
• 1/2 cup (60g) chopped toasted walnuts or pecans
• 1/2 cup (60g) sour cream

For the frosting:

• 3 TBS butter
• 1 1/2 cups (195g) icing sugar, sifted
• 2 TBS milk
• few drops vanilla

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Line several large baking sheets with baking paper. Set aside.
2. Cream together the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
3. Sift the flour, soda and salt together and stir in just to mix. Stir in the coconut, toasted nuts and sour cream to make a stiff dough.
4. Drop by TBS onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches in between each.
5. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cookies are set and no impression is left when lightly touched.
6. While the cookies are baking make the glaze. Heat the butter in a small skillet over low heat until it turns a nut brown, about 3 to 4 minutes, swirling it occasionally.
7. Remove from the heat and whisk in the sugar, milk and vanilla to give you a smooth shiny glaze.
8. Spoon the glaze over the hot cookies. Allow to set.

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