Almond Joy Cookies Recipe

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?!

Love Almond Joys? Us too! So we channeled the flavors from that candy bar into one of our favorite breakfasts — give these Almond Joy Overnight Oats a try next!

The Best Almond Joy Cookies

My husband’s favorite candy bar is an Almond Joy, so naturally, I had to channel the elements of that candy bar into a cookie recipe! (Almond Joy is a trademarked brand of candy bar sold by Hershey.)

And these cookies turned out even better than I imagined. They start with a thick, chewy, and deeply chocolatey cookie that is ridiculously soft and chewy. We load the cookie up with a light and fluffy coconut frosting that is fully loaded with soft and sweetened coconut. Then we press in a roasted almond and drizzle the whole of the cookie with melted chocolate — do cookies even get better than this?!

Yes, these cookies are a project to make, but overall each element is fairly simple to execute and the result is beautiful bakery-style cookies that taste incredible. Dare I say, even better than the candy bar that inspired them!

What Are The Ingredients In Almond Joy Candy Bars?

The candy bars consist of a coconut-based center, and then they’re topped with one or two almonds and coated in a layer of milk chocolate.

So for these Almond Joy Cookies, we’re starting with a milk chocolate cookie base, filling it with a coconut center (coconut frosting), adding an almond, and topping it with another layer of milk chocolate. It’s the perfect conversion from a candy bar to a cookie! 🙂 

Let’s Chat Brownie Mix

Brownie mix: I have tested these cookies with several different brownie mixes and taste testers agreed the Betty Crocker® Delights Brownie Mix (Supreme Chocolate Chunk) was the absolute best (Not sponsored, just sharing taste test results). Whatever brownie mix you opt to use, check to verify that the ounces (18 ounces) and/or grams (510) are congruent with the recipe in order for these cookies to turn out right.

What Pudding Mix To Use

While it would be nice if any boxed pudding worked in these Almond Joy Cookies, this part of the recipe is very specific.

We’re looking to use chocolate instant pudding mix and not the cook-and-serve type. We also want to make sure the pudding mix is not sugar-free or reduced-calorie — those varieties won’t work the same.

The other thing to keep an eye out for is the pudding box size. There are typically two sizes — a larger and a smaller one. We want to get the small 3.9-ounce (110g) box.

When using the pudding mix in these cookies, use the dry mix — don’t prepare it according to package directions.

Remaining Almond Joy Cookie Ingredients

Beyond the brownie mix and pudding mix that were discussed above, here are the remaining base cookie ingredients, plus a few notes:

• Butter: I recommend unsalted butter since brownie mix and pudding mix both have salt in them– and you don’t want salty cookies. Room temperature or slightly softened butter is best for these cookies.
• Cream cheese: For optimal flavor and thickness, I recommend full-fat brick-style cream cheese. Avoid Neufchâtel or reduced-fat cream cheese.
• Large egg
• Vanilla extract: Vanilla adds both flavor and vibrancy to the cookies, but isn’t entirely necessary. If you don’t have it, feel free to leave it out.
• Flour: Since we aren’t adding chocolate chips to the dough, we need the flour to slightly thicken the dough so it isn’t too wet.

Coconut Frosting

The frosting that fills the thumbprint in these Almond Joy Cookies is sweet and fully loaded with coconut! Below are a few notes:

• Set out the butter about an hour before baking to get it to room temperature. If the butter is cold, it won’t combine smoothly with the shortening. Here are some tips for how to bring the butter to room temperature quickly.
• Add coconut extract gradually. Not all coconut extracts are made the same, so start with a little and add slowly, remembering it does intensify after sitting.
• Use sweetened coconut flakes. There are a lot of varieties of coconut products in the stores these days. The most important thing to look for is that you are getting sweetened instead of unsweetened flakes– the frosting won’t be sweet enough otherwise. Also, be sure to get flakes– not desiccated coconut (dried and shredded), coconut flour, or coconut in a different form.
• Add milk slowly. The milk ensures the frosting is not too stiff, but too much milk and the frosting won’t have the right consistency. Add very slowly until the frosting is a perfect consistency — soft, but sturdy.
• Use all the frosting. While the thumbprint diameter isn’t huge, be sure to add enough frosting to thoroughly fill each cookie which will ensure enough frosting in each bite. We use all of the frosting between the cookies so there shouldn’t be any leftovers!

The Finishing Touches on Almond Joy Cookies

Now that we’ve covered the cookies and the frosting, it’s all about the finishing touches.

• Almonds. We love to get dry roasted and lightly salted almonds to put in these cookies — more flavor, no additional work! It may sound like overkill, but we made these once with chocolate-covered almonds and they were incredible!
• Chocolate drizzle. After the almond is secured on the frosting, we drizzle the cookies with melted chocolate. We like to use milk chocolate (like the candy bar), but if you’re worried about sweetness use semi-sweet or dark chocolate. Use either a baking bar, chocolate melting wafers, or good quality chocolate chips for best results.

More Cookie Recipes:

• Funfetti Cookies with rainbow sprinkles
• Heath Bar Cookies with a caramel center and whipped cream frosting
• Graham Cracker Cookies with crushed graham crackers in the dough
• Peanut Butter Cookies dipped in melted chocolate
• Magic Cookie Bars with M&M’s candies