Sunday, November 4, 2012

Maple Coconut Cookies (grain-free : dairy-free : primal : paleo : gluten-free)


Sometimes the accidental recipes are the best ones.  I first made these cookies on a day when we had run out of butter and were running low on honey.  Now these are one of my favorite types of cookies! The flavors of maple syrup and coconut combine wonderfully in these tender cookies. 

Maple Coconut Cookies
Makes 40-50 cookies
  1. Set your oven racks so that none are in the bottom third of the oven.  Preheat the oven to 325 F.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the salt, baking soda, and coconut flour. Whisk well to combine and break up any lumps of coconut flour.
  3. In another bowl (or stand-mixer), beat the coconut oil, maple syrup, and honey together for a few minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy. If you are using a stand-mixer, make sure you scrape the sides and bottom a couple times with a spatula to get everything incorporated well.
  4. In a small bowl or pourable glass measuring cup, combine the eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Don't worry about stirring this up.
  5. Pour the eggs into the sweet coconut oil mixture one at a time while the mixer is running.  Let each egg get incorporated before adding another one. (Note: the batter may look curdled during this process, but don't worry about it!)
  6. While the mixer is running, add the dry ingredients a little at a time.  Since coconut flour does not contain gluten, there is no worry of over-mixing it.
  7. Stir in the optional pecans. 
  8. Scoop the cookies onto greased cookie sheets (or line the cookie sheets with silpats, which are wonderful since the cookies never stick and are less likely to burn).  I like to use a 1-Tb scoop for consistently pretty cookies, but you could just use a spoon. Do not press/flatten the cookies, as they will spread enough in the oven.
  9. Bake the cookies at 325 F for about 16-20 minutes (or a few minutes longer if you are cooking them on stoneware). They are done when they are golden brown on top and a little darker brown on the edges.
  10. Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 5-10 minutes.  Then use a spatula to move them to a cooling rack.
  11. Once cool, store these cookies in an airtight container.  They can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer if you won't be eating them all in the next few days.  They are nice and chewy straight from the fridge, and even soft enough to eat straight out of the freezer!  Storing them in the freezer will also remove the pressure of having to eat them all in a week or so, as they will last for months in the freezer.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Sarah,
I made these maple coconut cookies as a Thanksgiving dessert for my little Celiac cousins, and my grain/gluten intolerant self. They were absolutely delicious, and a a huge hit with EVERYONE at dinner! Thank you so much for your wonderful recipes!

Sarah Smith said...

Great, grainfreegoddess! Thanks for letting me know!

Bernadette said...

Gasp! A cup of maple syrup and 1/2 cup of honey! That's $15 right there. :/ Too expensive for me! Pecans are $10/lb.

Does anyone have suggestions for better-priced resources? I have found buying almond flour in 5lb bag is much less expensive, maybe there's other deals that I don't know about. Thanks.

Sarah Smith said...

You might want to look into buying in bulk. I buy a gallon of honey directly from the beekeeper for $30/gallon (which is 16 cups of honey). I also buy maple syrup in large bottles (32 oz for $17).

Megan said...

Made these yesterday and they were a hit with the whole family! I love that I can make cookies I feel are "good enough" for my 16 month old! :D Thanks!

Anonymous said...

BTW, on the honey, use Agave. It's inexpensive in comparison to honey :)

Sarah Smith said...

I don't recommend using agave. It is essentially a highly-processed sweetener.
http://www.westonaprice.org/modern-foods/agave-nectar-of-gods

Zainab said...

looks yummy! would it be okay if I substitute the maple syrup with more honey?

Sarah Smith said...

I haven't tried it, but honey should be fine in place of the maple syrup. Let me know how they turn out!

Anonymous said...

I made a half recipe last weekend and these are so delicious I made just made a whole recipe this morning. Now I have to learn not to eat so many of them at a time.

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