Gluten-Free Coconut Cookies

Over the years, I’ve assisted clients with a number of gluten-free recipes. It’s fun, in the sense that you get an opportunity to create things that have never been made before, using a mix of interesting flour substitutes!

One of my favorite ingredients I’ve discovered along the way is Teff flour, an ancient, gluten-free grain that originated from Ethiopia. The flour is perhaps slightly more bitter than traditional all-purpose flour, but it can work great in baking applications like these coconut cookies.

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Gluten-Free Coconut Cookies

Over the years, I’ve assisted clients with a number of gluten-free recipes. It’s fun, in the sense that you get an opportunity to create things that have never been made before, using a mix of interesting flour substitutes!

One of my favorite ingredients I’ve discovered along the way is Teff flour, an ancient, gluten-free grain that originated from Ethiopia. The flour is perhaps slightly more bitter than traditional all-purpose flour, but it can work great in baking applications like these coconut cookies.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup coconut oil (melted)
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ½ cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
• ¼ cup white granulated sugar
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of ¼ lemon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp Kosher salt
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 whole egg
• 1 cup Teff flour
• ¼ cup shredded coconut flakes
• 2 Tbsp ground coconut

Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 375˚F.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted coconut oil, olive oil, coconut sugar, white granulated sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla extract, ground ginger, Kosher salt, baking soda, baking powder, and the whole egg.
• *Note the coconut sugar doesn’t absorb liquids quite as easily as traditional brown sugar. But it has incredible flavor, and is slightly better for you when compared to brown sugar.
• Mix until the ingredients are fully combined.
• Add the Teff flour, and mix until smooth.
• Add the shredded coconut flakes, and mix until the coconut flakes are evenly distributed.
• *Save the ground coconut for later, as this will be added on top of the cookies after they have been partially baked.
• Arrange small scoops of the cookie dough onto a parchment-lined sheet tray.
• Bake the cookies for 5 minutes at 375˚F, and then sprinkle the ground coconut on top of the partially-baked cookies.
• Return the cookies to the oven to bake for an additional 6-7 minutes, or until they are beautifully-browned and the ground coconut on top of the cookies has been gently toasted.
• Remove the cookies from the oven, and allow them to cool slightly before transferring them to a wire rack.
• Serve these cookies slightly warm, with some cold glasses of milk.

Notes

You can make the batter a day before baking, and store the batter in the fridge--the cookies will still bake up wonderfully the next day. You can also freeze individual cookie dough balls, and bake them straight from frozen.