These wholesome coconut cookies carry a style of paradise to your kitchen! Completely comfortable and chewy, each chew options loads of candy tropical taste. Crammed with three varieties of coconut, the dough comes collectively in 20 minutes (or much less!), so these cookies are straightforward to make any day of the week. A scrumptious deal with everytime you’re craving dessert — or a trip!
Shortly after my mother and father arrived on their most up-to-date highway journey to go to my grandma and me, my mother and I sank down onto the couch after they unpacked their automotive. My little canine hopped up too, and my mother laughed as she put her tiny entrance paws on my mother’s shoulder to nuzzle her face and greet her. (It’s one thing she hardly ever does — and solely to folks she really loves!)
I first requested concerning the buddies they stopped to see in Los Angeles on their manner down, and she or he stuffed me in on their kindness and generosity. They served tea, insisted on inviting my mother and father’ golden retriever into their home, and even purchased fancy Persian pastries only for my mother and father.
“Are you prepared in your journey to New Orleans?” I inquired subsequent as my canine laid down subsequent to my mother.
“Sure, however…” she replied, a sheepish smile spreading from her lips to her eyes. “We booked one other trip on the drive down right here — and depart three weeks after we get again from Louisiana.”
“The place to??” I cheered, already thrilled for them from the joy glowing in my mother’s eyes.
“Kauai once more!” she confessed, and I grinned as she continued. “We discovered nice nonstop flights, so we’ll be gone for per week. We even booked the the other way up home in Poipu!”
I laughed on the moniker for our favourite rental, the nickname I gave it as a five-year-old instantly after strolling via the entrance door throughout our first ever journey to the island. With the way in which all the pieces fell into place this time, from my mother and father’ flights and lodging and even rescheduled appointments again dwelling, it seemed like this journey was really meant to be.
As a lot as I might’ve liked to go along with them (I’m having withdrawals after our final Kauai trip!), the short turnaround and timing didn’t fairly work with my schedule…
So I made a decision to get my tropical repair by baking batches of those wholesome coconut cookies as an alternative! Each chew tastes identical to paradise: heat sunshine, sandy seashores, lazy palm bushes, inviting ocean waves… They usually’re actually easy to make!
QUICK OVERVIEW – HEALTHY COCONUT COOKIES
Issue: Primarily straightforward, together with for a lot of newbie bakers.
Style: Deliciously candy and distinctly tropical with vibrant nutty notes from three key coconut components.
Texture: Supremely comfortable and moist with chewy bits of coconut liberally sprinkled all through.
COOKIES OR MACAROONS?
One fast factor to notice earlier than we start… These are common cookies with coconut blended in — not coconut macaroons! The latter consist solely of shredded coconut, generously sweetened and held along with egg whites, formed like hemispheres utilizing a cookie scoop, and baked till golden and calmly toasted. If that’s what you’re on the lookout for, I’ve a traditional coconut macaroon recipe right here!
In distinction, these treats begin with an ordinary cookie dough (such as you’d whip as much as bake chocolate chip cookies!). They nonetheless embody shredded coconut, identical to macaroons, however they’re a lot nearer in texture and look to common ol’ cookies — only a tropical variation as an alternative!
INGREDIENTS TO MAKE HEALTHY COCONUT COOKIES
With that out of the way in which… Let’s go over what you’ll must make these wholesome coconut cookies! Some components are widespread baking staples, whereas the others are a bit extra unique. Don’t fear although — they’re nonetheless straightforward to seek out at nearly each grocery retailer!
Flour. To make these coconut cookies more healthy, you’ll use white complete wheat flour. Sure, I do know… It sounds a bit odd, doesn’t it? Opposite to what some folks assume, it’s not a mix of white (aka all-purpose) flour and common complete wheat flour!
Right here within the US, common complete wheat flour is created from a heartier number of purple wheat. In case you choose up a package deal of “complete wheat” flour, you’ll discover a tan-colored flour inside with noticeable wheat-y taste notes. Then again, white complete wheat flour is made by finely grinding a particular sort of soppy white wheat (therefore the title!). It has a a lot lighter look, style, and texture — nearer to the delicate taste and texture of all-purpose flour — but it surely nonetheless has the identical well being advantages as common complete wheat flour, like extra fiber and micronutrients.
Mainly… White complete wheat flour is the very best of each worlds! And its lighter style and texture lets the supremely comfortable and chewy consistency of your coconut cookies really shine.
Tip: In case you’d prefer to make your wholesome coconut cookies gluten-free, then verify the Notes part of the recipe. I’ve included my prime suggestions there!
Baking soda. Only a teensy bit! Baking soda reacts with the opposite components to kind itty bitty air bubbles, which lifts the cookie dough (so it’s not fairly as dense!) and helps yield a superbly tender texture.
Salt. Solely a pinch! Salt balances out the sweetness in your cookie dough and yields a greater, well-rounded taste.
Coconut oil. That is the primary coconut ingredient! Mockingly sufficient… It’s additionally the least necessary — however solely as a result of it has the faintest coconut taste! The opposite two coconut components create the distinct tropical style in these cookies. (Extra on these momentarily!)
Fairly than taste, coconut oil primarily provides a chewy texture. Whereas conventional coconut cookie recipes name for ¼ to ½ cup of coconut oil or butter (generally extra!), you merely want 1 ½ tablespoons to make this one. That helps preserve your wholesome coconut cookies low calorie and low fats!
Tip: Not like different oils, coconut oil is definitely a strong at room temperature, and it melts into a skinny liquid when heated. Except a baking recipe explicitly states in any other case, measure it when strong!
Trace: In case you don’t have coconut oil, common unsalted butter works simply as effectively too. (I typically substitute it and haven’t observed any main taste distinction!)
Vanilla extract. A standard cookie dough ingredient! You’ll combine in a contact extra vanilla extract than in lots of conventional recipes. I’ve discovered that including just a little further actually enhances the wealthy, buttery taste that you just’d look forward to finding in cookies. (I exploit this trick in lots of my different recipes, together with my favourite chocolate chip cookies!)
Coconut extract. The second coconut ingredient — and my favourite! I’m obsessed with the candy style of paradise that it provides to those coconut cookies. I performed round with totally different quantities, and the cookies with the best quantity persistently obtained the highest scores from my style testers. (Plus a ten/10 from me!)
I even tried two batches solely with coconut extract, no different coconut components, and… They disappeared simply as shortly. I might have hidden the previous few cookies so I wouldn’t should share. (I wouldn’t blame you one bit should you did the identical factor!)
Tip: You’ll be able to typically discover coconut extract on the baking aisle, proper subsequent to the vanilla extract!
Milk. This truly replaces the eggs, so these wholesome coconut cookies are egg-free! Nearly any sort will work, so be happy to seize no matter you already preserve in your fridge. I typically use unsweetened almond milk essentially the most. In case you do the identical, or use one other non-dairy milk, then your coconut cookies shall be dairy-free!
Sweetener. There are two choices on this recipe: coconut sugar or gentle brown sugar. (Each work equally effectively!) Because you’re most likely aware of the latter, right here’s the news about coconut sugar…
Coconut sugar is an unrefined sweetener that comes from coconuts. Nonetheless, it doesn’t truly style like coconuts! It has a wealthy caramel-like taste (similar to brown sugar!) and a pourable consistency (extra like granulated sugar). It’s additionally darker in colour, so your coconut cookies might find yourself trying extra like the colour of gingerbread should you choose this sweetener. That received’t have an effect on their taste or texture although — solely their look!
Tip: You’ll be able to typically discover coconut sugar proper subsequent to the granulated and brown sugars on the grocery retailer!
Coconut. Time for the ultimate coconut part! I examined shredded unsweetened coconut and flaked unsweetened coconut (additionally referred to as coconut flakes). Yup, there’s a distinction — and you may see it in my photograph above!
Image a field grater, such as you’d use to grate cheese for a pizza or quesadilla. In case you used the common standard-sized holes, that may lead to coconut flakes (on the underside of the plate). In case you used the smaller holes to yield thinner and finer cheese, that may be shredded coconut (on the highest of the plate).
So the distinction is of their measurement — however shredded and flaked unsweetened coconut have the identical taste!
My style testers and I most popular the variations with shredded coconut (the finer selection!). It was extra evenly distributed all through the cookie dough, which yielded a barely higher taste and texture. Nonetheless, should you can solely discover coconut flakes, they nonetheless work very well; these batches had been very shut runner-ups!
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST COCONUT COOKIES
Time to speak about the best way to make the very best coconut cookies! As I promised earlier, this recipe is pretty easy and easy. I even have some tricks to share with you!
Measure accurately. Use this methodology or a kitchen scale (← that’s the one I personal!), particularly for the flour. An excessive amount of flour will dry out the dough; forestall the cookies from spreading; and yield a cakey, bready, or crumbly texture. But should you measure it correctly, your coconut cookies will end up completely comfortable and chewy!
Toast the coconut. I assumed this was a foolish (or nutty? these are coconut cookies, in any case!) thought and a waste of time, however I examined it anyway… And boy did I show myself fallacious — fully, completely, completely fallacious!
Earlier than beginning the check, I predicted that including coconut straight from the bag would yield a softer texture and stronger taste. I anticipated that the toasted coconut would really feel extra crunchy and brittle with a much less pronounced taste. (I was a chemist earlier than I grew to become a baking blogger, so conducting these baking “experiments” brings me proper again to my lab bench days!)
Nonetheless… The reverse turned out to be true! The “plain” coconut from the bag turned out to be stiffer and required extra effort to chew, and it tasted a bit grittier as effectively. It additionally yielded a a lot milder taste that was tougher to detect.
In distinction, the toasted coconut had a softer texture and a a lot stronger, barely sweeter, superbly well-rounded coconut taste. (It made my kitchen scent higher too!) With a unanimous vote, my style testers and I proclaimed this the winner.
Fortunately, toasting the coconut is basically fast and straightforward to do! Simply place it on a baking sheet and pop it within the oven for a couple of minutes till it turns golden. Then let it cool, and stir it into your batch of cookie dough. Easy as pie — or, effectively, cookies!
Chill the dough. Once you first stir all the pieces collectively, the combination ought to look actually comfortable and sticky, even a contact moist. That’s a good factor! It means your cookies will end up completely moist and chewy. Chilling helps stiffen the cookie dough and makes it simpler to work with. A short stint within the fridge is all it wants!
Drop + form. Even after chilling, the cookie dough will nonetheless be too sticky to form together with your fingers, so… Please don’t attempt. Use a spoon and spatula to switch it to your baking sheet as an alternative! (I exploit these mini spatulas. Aren’t they cute??)
As a result of somebody at all times asks… Nope, I don’t use a cookie scoop or any particular gear to make my cookies look so good and spherical. Simply that very same mini spatula — and a few endurance!
Barely flatten the mounds as effectively, and do your finest to easy out their edges now. These cookies will unfold some within the oven — however not excessively.
Bake. It’s time! These wholesome coconut cookies bake comparatively shortly, so don’t stray too removed from the kitchen. They’re prepared to return out of the oven when the facilities nonetheless feel and look just a little comfortable and underdone. (Don’t wait till they appear fully agency or else they’ll end up cakey and dry!) The residual warmth from the baking sheet will proceed to cook dinner these facilities right through whilst you allow them to cool earlier than transferring them to a wire rack.
Reshape (non-obligatory). This isn’t required! It’s merely my different trick for completely spherical cookies. The actual second that you just pull them from the oven, use a butter knife to softly nudge any lopsided bits again into place.
Act quick! The piping sizzling cookies are nonetheless malleable, and their edges may be smoothed out. Nonetheless, they’ll cool and stiffen inside minutes, and it’ll be unattainable to reshape them as soon as they do. (That received’t have an effect on their taste although — solely their look!) So should you’d like magazine-worthy cookies, work very shortly!
FAQS ABOUT HEALTHY COCONUT COOKIES
Are these wholesome coconut cookies low calorie, low fats, clear consuming, dairy-free, vegan, or gluten-free?
Sure — to all the pieces! As written, these coconut cookies are vegan, egg-free, dairy-free, clear consuming, low fats, and low calorie (in comparison with extra conventional recipes!). I additionally included the best way to make them gluten-free within the Notes part of the recipe!
Can I substitute a special flour?
Yup! Complete wheat pastry flour and all-purpose flour each work equally effectively. You may also attempt common complete wheat flour or oat flour, however these typically add a barely wheat-y and oat-y taste (respectively). Oat flour additionally tends to be extra absorbent than wheat-based flours, so be actually cautious when measuring it should you determine to substitute it!
Can I exploit common butter, or will that break the flavour?
You certain can! The flavour of coconut oil could be very refined, so that you shouldn’t discover any main variations within the style of your cookies should you use unsalted butter as an alternative.
What if I don’t have coconut extract?
I extremely advocate you purchase some? (Solely as a result of it’s my favourite a part of these cookies!) Coconut extract is cheap and sometimes situated proper subsequent to the vanilla extract on the grocery retailer. In case you can’t discover it, then change it with milk… However remember that your cookies received’t style almost as coconutty with out it!
What’s the very best coconut to make use of to make these cookies?
Shredded unsweetened coconut! Flaked unsweetened coconut is my second alternative. (See the “Coconut” header within the “Components to Make Wholesome Coconut Cookies” part above for more information!)
I forgot to toast it first. Will my cookies nonetheless end up okay?
Sure, they’ll nonetheless be scrumptious! They’ll simply have a barely totally different style and texture. (See the “Toast the coconut” header within the “The right way to Make the Greatest Coconut Cookies” part above for more information!)
My cookies had been cakey, bready, or dry. They didn’t unfold both. Why is that?
There are just a few typical culprits! First, an excessive amount of flour in your cookie dough. Be sure you’re measuring it correctly! Second, baking the cookies for too lengthy. That may make them cakey, bready, or dry as effectively. Third, not sufficient sweetener. The sweetener contributes to the liquid quantity on this dough, so utilizing much less will change the cookies’ consistency and forestall them from spreading as effectively. So be sure you’re utilizing the complete quantity!
See the “Measure accurately” and “Bake” headers within the “The right way to Make the Greatest Coconut Cookies” part above for extra details about every of those!
My cookies look a lot darker than yours — however they’re nonetheless chewy and actually coconutty! Why is that?
Some coconut sugar merchandise are a lot darker in colour, in order that they’ll yield cookies that look nearly like gingerbread. They will additionally seem a bit spotty or “freckled” if the coconut sugar crystals are on the coarser facet. So should you used coconut sugar, that may most likely be why!
What’s one of the simplest ways to retailer these wholesome coconut cookies? And the way lengthy will they final?
Retailer any leftover cookies in an hermetic container. They need to preserve for at the least three days, if saved at room temperature, or at the least 5 days (if no more!) if refrigerated. These coconut cookies freeze fairly effectively too!
Whereas I wait to listen to all about my mother and father’ Kauai trip… It’s time to eat one other one or two of those! And while you make your personal, would you thoughts leaving a remark and ranking the recipe? (You may also snap an image and share it with me on Fb!) I’d love to listen to what you consider these wholesome coconut cookies!
Wholesome Coconut Cookies
These coconut cookies carry a style of paradise straight into your kitchen! Completely comfortable and chewy, each chew options loads of candy tropical taste. A scrumptious deal with everytime you’re craving dessert — or a trip! Leftover cookies will preserve for at the least three days (if no more!) if saved in an hermetic container at room temperature.
Directions
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Preheat the oven to 300°F, and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat, parchment paper, or foil. Evenly unfold the shredded coconut in a skinny layer on the ready baking sheet. Bake at 300°F for 5-7 minutes or till golden. Put aside to chill.
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Ina medium bowl, whisk collectively the flour, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk collectively the coconut oil or butter, milk, vanilla, and coconut extract. Stir within the sugar. Add within the flour combination, stirring till integrated. Fold within the toasted coconut. Chill the cookie dough for half-hour.
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Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line a baking sheet with a recent silicone baking mat or recent parchment paper.
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Utilizing a spoon and spatula, drop the cookie dough into 12 rounded scoops onto the ready sheet. Flatten to ⅜”-thick utilizing a spatula. (See Notes!) Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the nice and cozy baking sheet for 10 minutes earlier than transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
IMPORTANT BAKING NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: These cookies unfold some — however not excessively. Flattening the cookie dough earlier than baking helps give them a spreading “head begin.”
Do not over-bake these cookies! They’re prepared to return out of the oven when the facilities nonetheless really feel barely comfortable and underdone. The warmth from the nice and cozy baking sheet will proceed to cook dinner the facilities right through whilst you let the cookies relaxation for 10 minutes after pulling the pan from the oven.
IMPORTANT SHREDDED COCONUT NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: I examined this recipe with the plain and toasted variations of shredded unsweetened coconut and flaked unsweetened coconut. I discovered that toasted shredded unsweetened coconut yielded the very best texture (softer) and taste (stronger, nuttier, and barely sweeter). See the “Coconut” header within the “Components to Make Wholesome Coconut Cookies” part and the “Toast the coconut” header within the “The right way to Make the Greatest Coconut Cookies” part above for visuals and extra info!
In case you can’t discover shredded unsweetened coconut, flaked unsweetened coconut (generally referred to as coconut flakes) is the following neatest thing!
FLOUR ALTERNATIVES: Complete wheat pastry flour, common complete wheat flour, or all-purpose flour could also be substituted for the white complete wheat flour. Oat flour (gluten-free, if obligatory) may even work, however be very cautious when measuring it as a result of it tends to be extra absorbent than wheat-based flour.
COCONUT OIL NOTES + ALTERNATIVES: Coconut oil’s taste could be very faint, particularly in comparison with the coconut extract and shredded coconut, so it primarily supplies a comfortable and chewy texture. In case you don’t have any, that’s high quality! Substitute unsalted butter or stick-style vegan butter (I like this one and this one). These cookies will style nearly precisely the identical when made with both of these!
MILK ALTERNATIVES: Any milk could also be substituted for the unsweetened vanilla almond milk. Make sure that it’s at room temperature; chilly milk will instantly re-solidify the melted coconut oil (or butter).
COCONUT EXTRACT NOTES: Coconut extract supplies a giant enhance of coconut taste! I completely adore its candy tropical taste. You’ll be able to sometimes discover it proper subsequent to the vanilla extract.
For a much less pronounced coconut taste, lower the coconut extract to ¾ teaspoon. In case you’re strongly towards utilizing coconut extract, then change it with milk. Simply do not forget that your cookies received’t style almost as coconutty with out 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 Purple Mill) will work as effectively, if measured like this. Licensed gluten-free oat flour may even work, however be very cautious when measuring it as a result of it tends to be extra absorbent than many different flours.
EGG-FREE, DAIRY-FREE + VEGAN OPTION: Use the coconut oil possibility or stick-style vegan butter (I like this one and this one).
DOUBLING: This recipe is definitely doubled!
HOW TO STORE: Retailer leftover cookies in an hermetic container. If left at room temperature, they need to final at the least three days. If refrigerated, they’ll final at the least 5 days (if not longer!). As soon as baked and absolutely cooled, these cookies additionally freeze very well!
FOR MORE TIPS + INFORMATION, SEE MY BLOG POST ABOVE!
{gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, vegan, clear consuming, low fats}
View Vitamin Info + Weight Watchers Factors
You may additionally like Amy’s different recipes…
♡ The Final Wholesome Coconut Macaroons
♡ Wholesome Coconut Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
♡ Wholesome Pineapple Coconut Oatmeal Cookies
♡ Wholesome Coconut Brownie Bark
♡ Wholesome Pineapple Coconut Muffins
♡ Wholesome Pineapple Coconut Scones
♡ …and the remainder of Amy’s wholesome cookie recipes!
