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NYC Style Coconut Cookie

NYC Style Coconut Cookie with ube filling on cooling rack
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This bakery-style NYC Style Coconut Cookie is a decadent, jumbo treat layered with tropical flavor and creamy ube goodness. Inspired by Levain Bakery’s iconic thick cookies, it features a chewy coconut dough, vibrant ube dough, and a luscious ube pastry cream center. Each cookie is topped with a crisp ube besito dipped in white chocolate for a stunning finish. With contrasting textures and bold flavors, this cookie is a showstopper — perfect for gifting, sharing, or treating yourself.

Author: Sofie
Yield: 10 large cookies
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Chill/Freeze Time: 2–12 hours
Total Time: ~2 hours (with short freeze) or overnight
Cuisine: American / Filipino-Inspired
Course: Dessert, Cookies
Category: Cookies, Filled Cookies, Ube Desserts

Ingredients

Scale
  • 🧂 Ingredients:
  • Coconut Dough
  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • ¾ cup white sugar
  • 1 tsp coconut extract
  • 1 large egg
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ¾ tsp cornstarch
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 cup shredded coconut
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips
  • Ube Dough
  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup white sugar
  • 2 tsp ube extract
  • 1 large egg
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ¾ tsp cornstarch
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips
  • Ube Pastry Cream
  • 3 egg yolks
  • ¼ cup ube condensed milk
  • 1½ tsp ube extract
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 3 tsp cornstarch
  • ½ tsp salt
  • Ube Besitos (Coconut Macaroons)
  • 270 g ube condensed milk
  • 14 oz sweetened shredded coconut
  • 2 egg whites
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • Topping
  • ½ cup white chocolate chips (melted, for dipping besitos)

Instructions

  1. 🍽️ Instructions:
  2. Ube Pastry Cream
  3. In a saucepan, heat the milk and ube condensed milk over medium heat until just boiling. Set aside.
  4. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks, ube extract, and cornstarch until smooth.
  5. Temper the eggs by slowly adding hot milk into the yolks, a little at a time, whisking constantly.
  6. Strain the mixture back into the saucepan and cook on medium heat, whisking, until thick and bubbling.
  7. Remove from heat, stir in salt, and transfer to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap directly touching the surface and chill completely.
  8. Ube Besitos
  9. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line baking sheets with parchment.
  10. Mix shredded coconut, ube condensed milk, and salt.
  11. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
  12. Gently fold egg whites into coconut mixture.
  13. Scoop heaping tablespoons onto baking sheets or press into molds.
  14. Bake for 15–20 minutes until edges are golden and tops are firm. Let cool.
  15. Coconut Dough
  16. In a stand mixer, cream butter and white sugar until fluffy (2–4 min).
  17. Add coconut extract and egg. Mix until combined.
  18. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.
  19. Gradually mix dry ingredients into wet.
  20. Fold in shredded coconut and white chocolate chips.
  21. Roll into 2.5 oz dough balls. Cover and set aside.
  22. Ube Dough
  23. Cream butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until light (2–4 min).
  24. Add ube extract and egg. Mix until combined.
  25. Combine dry ingredients separately; mix into wet.
  26. Fold in white chocolate chips.
  27. Roll into 2.5 oz dough balls.
  28. Cookie Assembly
  29. Flatten a coconut and an ube dough ball into thick discs.
  30. Spoon 1–2 tbsp chilled ube pastry cream onto one half.
  31. Place the second half on top and pinch to seal all edges well.
  32. Repeat with all dough balls. Freeze assembled cookies for 2–12 hours.
  33. Baking
  34. Preheat oven to 410°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
  35. Place frozen cookie balls 2 inches apart.
  36. Bake:
  37. 10 min for 1–2 hour frozen
  38. 12 min for overnight frozen
  39. Cookie tops should look dull, not shiny. Let cool for 1–2 hours before topping.
  40. Topping
  41. Melt white chocolate chips in a ramekin.
  42. Dip bottom of each ube besito in chocolate.
  43. Press onto cooled cookie center. Let set.

Notes

Chill the ube pastry cream completely before assembling to avoid leaks.

Use a kitchen scale to keep cookie sizes consistent for even baking.

Cookies store well for 5 days in the fridge or 1 month in the freezer.

Reheat baked cookies at 350°F for 5–6 minutes or microwave for 15 seconds.

Find it online: https://pinchofwarmthbakes.com/nyc-style-coconut-cookie/