Coconut is one of the most versatile, amazing ingredients ever. (Seriously.)
I mean there’s
coconut water
coconut milk
coconut cream
coconut oil
coconut flour
coconut sugar
coconut vinegar
coconut aminos
coconut flakes
to name just a few, and that’s not even counting regular raw coconut…you know, when you crack open a whole coconut, drain the water, and just eat the flesh, old-school-style.
I realize that the flavor of coconut has a polarizing effect on many people. However, as any coconut-lover would, I thoroughly enjoy these Coconut Cookies because they celebrate the flavor of coconut front and center.
Thanks to coconut milk and shredded coconut, these sweet-scented cookies are soft and chewy. They’re lovely to make on a frigid winter day when you feel like baking, but you’re ready for a baked good that feels a bit lighter and a bit more welcoming toward spring. (I don’t know about you, but to me for some reason coconut always says Easter, and of course Easter always means spring.)
Here’s an indulgent thought…if you want to completely gild the lily, drizzle a little melted dark chocolate on top of these cookies! Coconut lovers unite. :)
- 5 tablespoons canned unsweetened, full-fat coconut milk (stir before measuring)
- ¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon powdered stevia, which is equivalent to about 2 packets (see Note)
- ⅛ teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup (115 g) almond flour (I used Bob's Red Mill Almond Meal/Flour)
- ½ cup (50 g) unsweetened shredded coconut
- Preheat the oven to 350F; line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat liner.
- Whisk together the coconut milk, vanilla, stevia, and salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Stir in the almond meal and dried coconut. Cover the dough and chill in the freezer for 5 minutes.
- Scoop the dough out and roll into 1 tablespoon-sized balls. Arrange the balls on the prepared baking sheet about 1 to 2 inches apart, and use the palm of your hand to slightly flatten each ball.
- Bake until the cookies are a very light golden color on the bottom but are still sandy colored on top, about 14 to 16 minutes, rotating the tray once.
- Cool completely on the tray before removing and serving. Store layered between parchment paper in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or up to 5 days in the fridge.
Kristen
HI. Just made these and they are lovely. I used Almond meal- I suspect by the look of your cookies you used a blanched almond flour? l think they are fabulous either way and easy as can be to make. I didn't dip in chocolate this time, but I will try with a sprinkle of smoked sea salt on the chocolate next time as I can see it would be a great compliment. Thanks for the recipe!
Nikki
These sounded so tasty I made them tonight and the "dough" is just like flour and doesn't even stick together at all. I tried it with the measurements given and they wouldn't even stick together. I tried it again with more coconut milk and finally gave up and threw it all out. Any suggestions?
faith
Nikki, Oh no, I'm so sorry to hear that! Without being there in the kitchen with you, it's difficult to pinpoint what went wrong, but my initial thought is that it may have something to do with the variation in different almond flours. I'm partial to Bob's Red Mill (here it is, if you want to take a look: http://www.bobsredmill.com/almond-meal-flour.html). The dough was definitely wet for me, which is why in the recipe I say to chill it for a few minutes in the freezer. Also, did you use the same kind of coconut milk that the recipe calls for? That may have been a contributing factor as well. Please let me know if you have other questions...I'd be happy to troubleshoot with you!
Michelle
Hi! I am allergic to tree nuts. Any suggestions for a different alternative flour? Thanks!
faith
Michelle, I haven't played around with this recipe using other flours, but if you can tolerate coconut flour, that may work (if you want to play with the recipe, start with much less coconut flour because it absorbs more liquid than almond flour). Another alternative might be tiger nuts, which aren't actually nuts but are tubers that grow in the ground. Let me know how it goes if you try this recipe using another type of flour!
Charlotte
When you say Stevia powder do you mean the Granulated packet or do you put the Granulated Stevia in coffee grinder and powder it. Thanks.
faith
Charlotte, For this recipe, I used packets of powdered stevia (like what people use in their coffee). Sorry for the confusion!
Lynn
How many cookies does this recipe make?
faith
Lynn, It makes 15 cookies.