Coconut cookies have been made in various forms for years. Although most coconut cookie recipes call for shredded or grated coconut, these coconut cookies use coconut flour to give them a unique texture, while rendering them gluten free.
Benefits of Using Coconut Flour
Cooking with coconut flour can give many health benefits. In addition to being gluten free, coconut flour is hypoallergenic, meaning that is safely consumed by many people who have food allergies or intolerances. While being very high in protein, coconut flour has the highest amount of dietary fiber found in any flour, 58%, as opposed to whole wheat’s 27%. This extra dietary fiber helps to slow down the production of blood glucose, making coconut flour a great option for those paying close attention to their blood sugars. Coconut flour is also high in lauric acid, and contains no trans fats, making this a healthier option for many baking recipes.
Coconut flour can be found in many grocery stores in the health food aisle, or in the baking aisle, along with other flour substitutes.
Cooking with Coconut Flour
Any recipe for cookies or cakes can be adapted to make with coconut flour. Because coconut flour contains no gluten, something needs to be added to the flour when baking, if substituting 100% coconut flour for other flours. Egg whites make a great substitute for the protein in gluten, and can help hold the baked goods together.
When baking with coconut flour, add one additional egg, or egg white to the recipe for every ounce of coconut flour used. In many recipes this will mean doubling the number of eggs, or just the egg whites, that would typically be used.
Coconut milk can be added to multiple recipes as well, in the place of other milks or creams, to help increase the health benefits of the coconut flour. With the addition of eggs, however, no other changes need to be made to standard recipes to use with coconut flour as their base.
Coconut flour can be used in place of standard flour in any recipe that calls for flour as a thickening agent. No additions or substitutions need to be made if not baking, simply replace standard flour with the same amount of coconut flour.
Coconut flour adds a very light taste of coconut to most recipes. Used as a thickener, it will hardly alter the taste of the food at all. In baking, it will add a dense, cake like texture, and light taste of coconut to any recipe.
Coconut Cookies Recipe
Makes 20 Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 Cups of Coconut Flour
- ¼ Teaspoon of Salt
- 1 Cup Unsalted Butter
- 4 Egg Whites
- ½ Cup Powdered Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Directions
- Using an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth
- Add the sugar to the butter, and continue mixing until thoroughly combined
- Add the flour slowly, mixing the entire time
- Add the egg whites, salt and vanilla, and continue mixing until the dough begins to stiffen slightly
- Roll the dough into balls about the size of a golf ball, and place on a buttered cookie sheet, the cookies will not spread out during cooking, so place the cookies about 1” apart
- Bake the cookies at 350 degrees on a middle rack in the oven for approximately 10 – 15 minutes or until the tops of the cookies are light brown.
The cookies will remain moist and chewy in the center, when left in the shape of a ball, flattening the cookies out will make for a slightly crispier cookie
Enjoy with hot coffee
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