Healthy Coconut Cookies
These coconut cookies bring a taste of paradise straight into your kitchen! Perfectly soft and chewy, every bite features plenty of sweet tropical flavor. A delicious treat whenever you’re craving dessert — or a vacation! Leftover cookies will keep for at least three days (if not more!) if stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (20g) shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1 cup (120g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1 ½ tbsp (21g) coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 3 tbsp (45mL) unsweetened vanilla almond milk, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp coconut extract (see Notes!)
- ½ cup (96g) coconut sugar or light brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F, and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat, parchment paper, or foil. Evenly spread the shredded coconut in a thin layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake at 300°F for 5-7 minutes or until golden. Set aside to cool.
- Ina medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut oil or butter, milk, vanilla, and coconut extract. Stir in the sugar. Add in the flour mixture, stirring until incorporated. Fold in the toasted coconut. Chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line a baking sheet with a fresh silicone baking mat or fresh parchment paper.
- Using a spoon and spatula, drop the cookie dough into 12 rounded scoops onto the prepared sheet. Flatten to ⅜”-thick using a spatula. (See Notes!) Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the warm baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
IMPORTANT MEASURING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: It’s really important to measure the flour correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own!) Too much flour will make your cookies turn out cakey, dry, and/or crumbly, rather than soft and chewy. If you can’t incorporate all of the flour into your cookie dough, then stir in additional room-temperature milk (any kind will work!) ½ teaspoon at a time until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated and the dough turns somewhat sticky.
IMPORTANT BAKING NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: These cookies spread some — but not excessively. Flattening the cookie dough before baking helps give them a spreading “head start.”
Do not over-bake these cookies! They’re ready to come out of the oven when the centers still feel slightly soft and underdone. The heat from the warm baking sheet will continue to cook the centers all the way through while you let the cookies rest for 10 minutes after pulling the pan from the oven.
IMPORTANT SHREDDED COCONUT NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: I tested this recipe with the plain and toasted versions of shredded unsweetened coconut and flaked unsweetened coconut. I found that toasted shredded unsweetened coconut yielded the best texture (softer) and flavor (stronger, nuttier, and slightly sweeter). See the “Coconut” header in the “Ingredients to Make Healthy Coconut Cookies” section and the “Toast the coconut” header in the “How to Make the Best Coconut Cookies” section above for visuals and more information!
If you can’t find shredded unsweetened coconut, flaked unsweetened coconut (sometimes called coconut flakes) is the next best thing!
FLOUR ALTERNATIVES: Whole wheat pastry flour, regular whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the white whole wheat flour. Oat flour (gluten-free, if necessary) will also work, but be very careful when measuring it because it tends to be more absorbent than wheat-based flour.
COCONUT OIL NOTES + ALTERNATIVES: Coconut oil’s flavor is very faint, especially compared to the coconut extract and shredded coconut, so it mainly provides a soft and chewy texture. If you don’t have any, that’s fine! Substitute unsalted butter or stick-style vegan butter (I like this one and this one). These cookies will taste almost exactly the same when made with either of those!
MILK ALTERNATIVES: Any milk may be substituted for the unsweetened vanilla almond milk. Make sure it’s at room temperature; cold milk will immediately re-solidify the melted coconut oil (or butter).
COCONUT EXTRACT NOTES: Coconut extract provides a big boost of coconut flavor! I absolutely adore its sweet tropical flavor. You can typically find it right next to the vanilla extract.
For a less pronounced coconut flavor, decrease the coconut extract to ¾ teaspoon. If you’re strongly against using coconut extract, then replace it with milk. Just remember that your cookies won’t taste nearly as coconutty without it!
GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: For the gluten-free flour, use as follows: ¼ cup (30g) millet flour, ¼ cup (30g) tapioca flour, 3 tablespoons (21g) coconut flour, and ¾ teaspoon xanthan gum. Many store-bought gluten-free flour blends (I like this one from Bob's Red Mill) will work as well, if measured like this. Certified gluten-free oat flour will also work, but be very careful when measuring it because it tends to be more absorbent than many other flours.
EGG-FREE, DAIRY-FREE + VEGAN OPTION: Use the coconut oil option or stick-style vegan butter (I like this one and this one).
DOUBLING: This recipe is easily doubled!
HOW TO STORE: Store leftover cookies in an airtight container. If left at room temperature, they should last at least three days. If refrigerated, they’ll last at least five days (if not longer!). Once baked and fully cooled, these cookies also freeze really well!
FOR MORE TIPS + INFORMATION, SEE MY BLOG POST ABOVE!
{gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, vegan, clean eating, low fat}
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amys.healthy.baking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.