Coconut Flour Cookies - gluten free, paleo, low carb

April 13, 2018 Last Modified: December 23, 2023 by Regina | Leelalicious 98 Comments

These amazing Coconut Flour Cookies are exactly what you expect from a great cookie: they have crisp edges, chewy centers, and are loaded with chocolate. However, they are gluten-free, clean eating, and paleo, with an option to make them vegan as well.

I've been on the search for perfect cookies made with coconut flour for a VERY long time. I posted a coconut flour sprinkle cookie recipe in my early blogging days, which is great but makes rather soft, almost cakey cookies.

Those are always a hit with my family, but personally, I prefer my cookies with crispy edges and chewy, slightly underbaked centers. And finally - after literally YEARS of experimenting - I've come up with the perfect recipe.

Baking with Coconut Flour

Using coconut flour is quite tricky because it behaves quite different from wheat flour and even any other gluten-free flour. It is hygroscopic - meaning that it absorbs a LOT of moisture.

But simply adding a lot of liquid like water or milk doesn't work, because the baked good will end up with no structure. In my coconut flour quick bread recipes like muffins and bread, I used eggs and oil to satisfy the coconut flour's need for moisture while also giving the baked treat structure.

How to Make Coconut Flour Cookies Moist and Crispy

However, eggs also make for a fluffy, light texture which I didn't want for these cookies. I was looking for a moist, chewy, and crispy texture instead. Finally, I realized that the oil component from nut or seed butter would add extra moisture to the cookies while their fiber would allow for a denser structure.

I started experimenting with homemade all-natural peanut butter which made for delicious low carb coconut flour peanut butter cookies. But then I experimented with other nut and seed butters to make this coconut flour chocolate chip cookie recipe suitable for those with different dietary restrictions.

How to Make Coconut Flour Cookies

To start making these grain-free chocolate chip cookies, you should line your baking pan and preheat the oven. I like to line the sheet with a silicone baking mat, but parchment works well too. Next, you mix the coconut oil with your choice of nut or seed butter, and coconut sugar, before adding the egg and vanilla extract. For the butter, feel free to use either almond butter, sunflower seed butter, or even tahini sesame seed paste. All work perfectly well in this recipe while adding different complexities to the final flavour. Afterward, you stir the dry ingredients in followed by the chocolate chips. I like to use dark chocolate chips or chunks here, but you can use sugar-free chocolate chips if they are preferable to you.

To shape the cookies, I like to use a 1 to 2 tablespoon scoop to ensure equal-sized cookies. Once you place them on the baking sheet, you can press them gently before studding them with more chocolate chips and sprinkling them with sea salt to add a salty finish. These should bake for a total of 10 to 12 minutes depending on the size you decided to make them. The baked cookies should be golden brown around the edges. You can also tell they are done by whether the tops of them are dry rather than glossy. Once they are out of the oven, cool them on a wire rack to allow air circulation so they cool down faster than if you were to leave them on the baking sheet.

Modification Options for Dietary Restrictions & Allergies

Paleo

You can use any nut or seed butter rather than peanut butter. Peanuts are legumes rather than nuts, which make them unsuitable for paleo. Almond butter or cashew butter would work well.

Nut-Free

Coconut flour is great if you are looking to avoid gluten but are allergic to tree nuts (almond flour recipes aren't an option for those requiring nut-free diets). Coconut flour is great for both gluten-free and nut-free diets as it is basically finely ground dried coconut whereas almond flour comprises ground almonds which are unsuitable to those with nut allergies. It has a wonderful coconut taste that lends itself well to desserts, too.

To make these gluten-free coconut flour cookies nut-free, you should also use seed butter rather than nut butter in these cookies. Sunbutter may turn the cookies a shade of green (it reacts with the baking soda) but the resulting cookies will still taste super delicious.

You can also use sesame butter or tahini, but be sure you give them a taste first to make sure you like the flavour. Sometimes tahini can be quite bitter which will make the cookies a little bitter too. However, if you are someone who likes a sweet and savoury combination, tahini may be an excellent option for you. Additionally, if you buy it and decide you don't like it, it is wonderful in a wider array of savoury recipes like hummus or salad dressings.

Dairy-Free

This recipe works well with either melted butter or coconut oil. I love to make coconut flour cookies with butter but to make the recipe dairy-free (and vegan & paleo) be sure to use coconut oil or a dairy-free butter substitute in place of the butter. The results will be equally delicious and you will be able to ensure you can serve the cookies to more people.

Vegan

Usually, my grain-free coconut flour recipes rely quite heavily on a good amount of eggs and substitutes just don't work as well. But since these coconut flour chocolate chip cookies only call for one egg, I tested them with a flax egg instead and the recipe worked out just as well texturally. Flaxseed does add a slightly different flavour to the cookies, but is quite a healthy ingredient to add to dessert recipes due to its fiber content.

Keto/Low Carb

Substitute the coconut sugar or brown sugar with something like monk fruit sweetener instead. Additionally, be sure to use sugar-free chocolate chips, for a lower carb option.

My friend Lorena also has some delicious Keto Diet Recipes.

How to Store These Cookies

I am a sucker for cookies fresh from the oven. I don't want to eat them when they are so hot that I burn my tongue, but somewhere within the first couple hours after baking.

These are truly the best low carb cookies when the chocolate chips/chunks are still melty and the chewy centers are slightly gooey! As a result, I prefer to shape the cookie dough into balls and freeze them so that I can bake fresh cookies more often. However, I know that not everyone has time to bake fresh cookies all the time. So I recommend storing these low carb cookies in an airtight container on the counter for 3-4 days. The coconut flour sugar cookies will lose some of their crispness and turn softer after a day in a container. However, if you store them without covering, they will quickly dry out and become hard and crumbly.

If you would like to keep them for longer, they should stay fresh in the freezer for a few months, though. They also thaw very quickly so you will be able to pull out just a few whenever you need them. Consider making a double batch of these cookies so you can have them on hand for lunches, snacks, and desserts all of the time!

More Delicious Gluten-Free Cookie Recipes:

Coconut Flour eBook

I wrote an eBook dedicated to my love of all things coconut flour, which includes several coconut flour recipes.

This one focuses on muffins, pancake & mug cake recipes.

Check out Coconut Flour Muffins, Pancakes + Mug Cakes HERE!

Recipe

Coconut Flour Cookies

4.82 from 37 votes

These amazing Coconut Flour Cookies are exactly what you expect from a great cookie: crisp edges, chewy centers and loaded with chocolate. But these are actually gluten free, clean eating, paleo, with even a vegan option.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings small cookies

Calories 141 kcal

Ingredients

¼ cup coconut oil or butter, melted
⅓ cup unsalted nut or seed butter peanut, almond, sunflower seed*, or sesame butter (tahini)
½ cup coconut sugar or unrefined brown sugar or monk fruit sugar substitute***
1 egg or flax egg**
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup coconut flour spooned into the measuring cup (don't dip & sweep)
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon sea salt more for sprinkling (optional)
½ cup dark chocolate chips or chunks, or sugar-free chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat.
In a large bowl mix melted coconut oil, nut butter, and coconut sugar with an electric mixer until well combined. Add the egg and vanilla and mix again.
Add coconut flour, baking soda, and sea salt. Mix in with a spatula or wooden spoon. Finally stir in the chocolate chips.
Form 16 small cookies (1 tablespoon dough) or 8-10 large cookies (~2 tablespoons dough) with a cookie scoop and place them on the cookie sheet.
Flatten each dough ball and add a couple extra chocolate chips and optionally a touch of coarse sea salt
Bake the cookies until the centers are just set - about 10 minutes for the small size or 12 minutes for the bigger sized cookies.
Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes, than move to a wire rack to let them cool completely.
Once fully cooled, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.

Notes

* Sunbutter may turn the cookies a shade of green (it reacts with the baking soda). They still taste super delicious but the green colour may be disconcerting to some

**Flax Egg Recipe

*** using sugar-free sweetener and chocolate chips changes these nutrition values:
carbs: 7 fiber: 3 sugar:1.7

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Coconut Flour Cookies

Serving Size

1 cookie (out of 16)

Amount per Serving

Calories

141

% Daily Value*

Fat

9.8

Cholesterol

11.8

Sodium

126

Carbohydrates

11.7

Fiber

2.4

Sugar

7.6

Protein

2.6

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Keyword Coconut Flour Cookies

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Random Questions

What is the secret to baking with coconut flour?

The secret lies in understanding coconut flour's unique behavior. It's highly absorbent, so it requires ample moisture and structural support from ingredients like eggs and nut/seed butter.

How does coconut flour affect cookies?

Coconut flour lends a delightful coconut flavor and a slightly denser texture to cookies. It absorbs moisture easily, contributing to a chewy and crispy center with a slightly cake-like quality.

Why do my coconut flour cookies fall apart?

Insufficient moisture or binding agents might cause coconut flour cookies to crumble. Ensuring an appropriate balance of ingredients like eggs, oil, or nut/seed butter helps maintain their structural integrity.

Is baking with coconut flour healthy?

Baking with coconut flour can be considered healthy as it is gluten-free, grain-free, and naturally high in fiber. It also adds a subtle sweetness and coconut flavor to baked goods, contributing to a nutritious and flavorful treat.

Comments

4.82 from 37 votes (10 ratings without comment)