I love jelly beans, but the Easter Bunny has been known to bring too many on occasion. And then they sit in the cupboard until the melt together then harden into a multi-hued gelatinous blob. Does that happen in your house, too?
If so, try these delicious Coconut Oatmeal Jelly Bean Cookies. I warn you, they are addicting.

The recipe is from Sara Moulton. The key difference is she rolls them into 36 balls and adds 3 jelly beans on top of each one. Sorry, Sara, I don’t have time to count out 108 jelly beans. I went with the dump, mix and spread bar cookie method.
I am not sure which flavor makes these taste the best: the coconut, the vanilla (1 tablespoon!) or the jelly beans. I might need to taste another 5-6 to be sure.

Coconut Oatmeal Jelly Bean Cookies use up those extra jelly beans with this delicious crunchy cookie bar loaded with oats and unsweetened coconut.
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cup old fashioned oats or quick cooking rolled oats
- 1 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut
- 3/4 cups jelly beans
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 x 9 pan, or line with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
- Beat in egg and vanilla.
- In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to butter mixture and beat until combined.
- Stir in oats, coconut and jelly beans.
- Press into pan using wet hands (or a spoon if you are a neatnik).
- Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let sit for a few minutes after removing from the oven, then cut and remove from pan to a cooling rack.
Until next time, happy eating.
~Audrey
This is the perfect spring bar cookie. I never know what to do with all those jelly beans, I’ll definitely give this a try which I know my grandsons will just luv. Pinning/sharing.
Especially when the kids pick out all the “good ones” ha ha!
So cute and colorful!
Thanks, Cindy!
What a fun cookie! I have to know, what is the texture like? Do the jelly beans just melt and leave behind what?? lol
They only partially melt, leaving chewy flavorful bits in each bite.
What a great idea! I never thought of using jelly beans in a cookie before. I am no longer fearing the leftover jelly beans 🙂
Thanks, Kris. I was pleased with how they came out.
I would have never thought to add jelly beans to cookie dough. What great idea. I am off to buy jelly beans to try these. Thanks for being a part of the Fill The Cookie Jar group.
I hope you and Big like them.
I don’t really love eating a handful of jelly beans, but I think I might like them in these. As you said, a good way to use them up! I Yummed this.
It depends on the jelly beans, certain brands I can eat a whole bag. But not the cheap ones!
Yum, so good! One suggestion, I didn’t realize that these were bars. I would call them cookie bars. Other than that, 5 stars!
*****
Cookies is better SEO than cookie bars, ha ha! I am glad you liked them.