These coconut flour shortbread cookies are healthy 5-ingredient vegan coconut flour cookies with a delicious, chewy texture.
Bonus, these healthy coconut flour cookies are also grain-free and keto-friendly.
There is no season to enjoy a delicious crunchy shortbread cookie! We make my Vegan Shortbread Cookies, Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies, and 4-Ingredient Vegan Chocolate Shortbread all the time!
And what’s better than healthy coconut flour shortbread cookies 100% vegan to snack on with a cup of coffee?
If you love coconut cookies, you must also try my Coconut Banana Cookies or my No-Bake Coconut Cookies.
Ingredients and Substitutions
You only need a few basic ingredients for these shortbread cookies made with coconut flour.
However, while the recipe is pretty straightforward, make sure you measure each ingredient precisely for the best result.
The ingredients you need to make these coconut flour shortbread recipes are wholesome natural ingredients you probably have in your pantry.
- Coconut Flour – make sure you use a fresh bag of coconut flour or flour that hasn’t been in contact with humidity. In fact, coconut flour is highly liquid absorbent, and an old bag of flour, not stored in an airtight container, forms lumps. As a result, the amount of ‘active’ fiber in your coconut flour won’t be the same if it has not been stored properly. Learn how to properly measure flour!
- Maple Syrup – other liquid sweeteners will work, making dryer cookies. That’s why maple syrup is recommended for these shortbread cookies made with coconut flour.
- Almond Milk – prefer unsweetened almond milk to reduce unnecessary sugar.
- Melted Coconut Oil – you can use refined coconut oil if you don’t like an overpowering coconut flavor in your coconut flour cookies. In fact, refined coconut oil has no flavor compared to unrefined coconut oil.
- Vanilla Extract – for flavor.
How To Make Coconut Flour Shortbread Cookies
As mentioned before, it can be tricky to bake with coconut flour because it contains a lot of fiber. To help you achieve the best coconut flour shortbread cookies, I have updated this recipe.
Follow the step-by-step recipe pictures below to make the best gluten-free vegan cookies with coconut flour.
Step 1: Measuring Coconut Flour
Coconut flour is high in fiber, and fiber tends to dry the cookie dough very quickly. Scoop and sweep the measuring cup, don’t overpack or press it (photo 1).
Step 2: Combine Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, add the coconut flour, salt, vanilla extract, melted coconut oil, almond milk, and maple syrup. Combine the ingredients with a mixing spoon until it comes together and forms a soft moist cookie dough (photo 2). Rest the cookie dough for 5 minutes at room temperature so it gives the flour time to bind the ingredients together.
Step 3: Rolling Into Balls
Scoop out 1 tablespoon of cookie dough roll into a smooth ball and place on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Press down each ball with your hand palm to flatten it slightly (photo 3).
Step 4: Baking
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the sides are golden brown. The baking time depends a lot on the thickness of your coconut flour cookies. If some bake faster, remove them first from the oven.
Cool the coconut flour cookies on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring them onto a cooling rack. Let them cool until they reach room temperature, then dip them into melted chocolate.
Step 5: Decorating Coconut Flour Cookies
This is optional but decorating shortbread cookies is always fun. I recommend melting vegan dark chocolate chips and dipping half of the shortbread into the melted chocolate (photo 4).
Frequently Asked Questions
Coconut flour is a low-carb keto flour made from dried coconut meat. It is a very healthy gluten-free flour, low in carbs and high in fiber.
Due to the high fiber content of coconut flour, it can be difficult to:
– Bake with coconut flour – especially in vegan baking recipes where eggs are not involved as a binder.
– Swallow coconut flour cookies – the high fiber content dries up the mouth quickly, and some people found coconut flour difficult to swallow. That’s why you should always drink plenty of water when eating high-fiber food.
The key to baking with coconut flour is to use a fresh bag of flour with no lumps and measure the flour accurately, preferably in weight rather than cups.
No, you can’t replace coconut flour with the same ratio of almond flour.
Almond flour contains 4 times less fiber than coconut flour, and therefore the ratio of dry ingredients to wet ingredients will be very different.
If you love almond cookies, try my 3-ingredient almond flour shortbread cookie recipe.
You can use sugar-free liquid sweetener or agave syrup in this recipe.
However, keep in mind that sugar-free liquid sweeteners are high in fiber as well, and therefore the texture of the cookies will be much more dry and fragile.
You may need way more syrup or oil to achieve the same texture.
You can’t use crystal sweeteners in this recipe like coconut sugar or brown sugar. It must be a liquid sweetener.
No, you can’t replace coconut with nut butter like peanut butter or almond butter.
The only fat substitute available is vegan butter – not vegan margarine!
No this is not a cut-out cookie recipe. The cookie dough is soft, sticky, and moist and you won’t be able to roll it.
More Vegan Cookie Recipes
If you love easy vegan cookie recipes, you may want to try my other recipes:
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Coconut Flour Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons Coconut Flour - scoop and sweep
- ⅓ cup Maple Syrup - or agave or coconut nectar
- ¼ cup Melted Coconut Oil
- 1 tablespoon Unsweetened Almond Milk - at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract - optional
- ¼ teaspoon Salt - optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line one large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add all the dry ingredients: coconut flour and salt.
- Stir in maple syrup, melted coconut oil, vanilla extract, and almond milk at room temperature.
- Combine with a silicone spatula for about 40 seconds until it forms a soft, sticky, and moist cookie dough.
- Set aside for 5 minutes at room temperature. The dough should stay soft, sticky, and easy to roll into balls.
- Scoop one tablespoon of batter and roll it between lightly oiled hands before placing the ball on the baking sheet. Slightly flatten the ball into a cookie shape.
- Repeat the step above until you form 9 cookies.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the sides are just starting to become golden brown. Note that baking time varies a lot based on the thickness of the cookies. Don't over-bake them, or they will be very hard and dry in the middle.
- Cool down on the baking sheet for 10 minutes (don't touch them as they are still soft when hot). After transfer on a cookie rack to cool down to room temperature
- If you want to decorate the cookies with melted dark chocolate, wait for the cookies to be at room temperature. You can freeze the dipped cookies for 2-5 minutes to set the chocolate shell quickly.
Storage
- Store in a cookie jar at room temperature for up to 1 month or freeze in a ziplock bag. Defrost the day before.
Can I use coconut milk instead of almond milk
Absolutely!
Does the maple syrup need to be room temperature as well?
Yes, coconut oil firm up and form lumps if it contact with cold food under 21C
Absolutely delicious, turned out perfectly! thank you, perfect with a freshly brewed coffee! 😉
Thank you!!
In your photo of the ingredients, it says almond flour for the bowl of almond milk. Thanks for simple, delish recipe!! Great it fits many dietary lifestyles like vegan & paleo.
Woops thanks!!
delish. I used agave for the sweetner.
Can I use regular cows milk instead of almond milk?
I didn’t try dairy, we don’t use dairy at home so I can’t tell if this is an option that works.
Can I use coconut butter to replace coconut oil? If so how much?
I don’t think it will work, they both have different properties in baking.
Hello, I am wondering if I can use oat milk instead of almond milk? Thank you.
Yes, it should work!
These were so good! I subbed the coconut oil with extra virgin olive oil and the almond milk with oat milk. I also added the vanilla and salt. They turned out really well! The cookies don’t really spread, if at all, so definitely flatten them to the thickness and size you want them to turn out to.
Looks amazing!
Q: Can I reduce the coconut oil by half and add in maple syrup (1/8 c) to reduce the fat?
thx so much
I’m not sure it’d work, but if you try, let me know!