I can’t decide if these cookies are more like mini coffee cake bites or mini cinnamon rolls. But either way, I’m pretty excited about how tasty these turned out!
If you’ve ever worked with coconut flour then you understand why these cookies are so exciting.
Cheaper than many other alternative flours, the coconut variety may seem like a more approachable gluten-free option. However, it’s important to get acquainted with this ingredient a bit better before subbing it into all your favorite baked goods.
Coconut flour is a natural byproduct of coconut milk production that can also be made at home by drying out coconut pulp in the oven and then grinding it into a flour. But if you aren’t looking for any extra work, it’s usually easy to find in any large grocery store, either in the baking aisle or near the gluten-free foods.
Nutritionally speaking, this type of flour is rich in protein, fat, and fiber, and low in carbohydrates. Since it’s made from coconuts, it’s 100% gluten-free – just always be sure that the label doesn’t describe it as being processed on the same equipment as gluten-containing foods.
While the health blogging community loves the low-carb profile of this product, as a dietitian I get more excited about it being a good source of manganese.
Not as trendy as other minerals, manganese is an essential nutrient (meaning we have to get it from food, since our bodies can’t make it on their own) that plays an important role in maintaining bone health. It’s also needed for proper functioning of the brain and nervous system, and acts as an antioxidant to help protect against chronic disease and inflammation.
In summary, manganese is kind of a big deal.
But let’s get back to why baking with coconut flour is a little out of the ordinary.
Coconut flour loves liquid. And I mean loves it. Even a small amount can absorb a relatively large volume of liquid. As a result, if not accounted for appropriately, baking with coconut flour can result in dry, crumbly baked goods.
However, there’s a key to avoiding dried out cookies: extra eggs.
Eggs, particularly the yolks, provide extra moisture to baked goods, helping them stay soft rather than crumbly.
Another benefit of extra eggs is that they provide structure. Since coconut flour doesn’t contain gluten, eggs can help to trap air bubbles in order to give some lift to your cookies and cakes.
As you can see, coconut flour is quite different from other flours, which is why you really can’t substitute it for another type in equal proportions. If you’re new to baking with this ingredient, I recommend sticking with pre-tested recipes before experimenting on your own.
These cookies are a great place to start!
Texture-wise they have a moist, cake-like consistency that reminds me a lot of coffee cake or even donut holes. And rather than being crumbly, they just melt in your mouth.
While they aren’t baked in a traditional cookie shape, making them any flatter resulted in a drier, crumbly texture. So take my advice and just embrace the roundness.
And that cinnamon roll-esque flavor I mentioned at the beginning? It’s largely due to rolling the cookies in cinnamon sugar before baking. Delicious!
While cinnamon sugar makes everything better, I couldn’t help myself, and I did try a few cookies without the sweet topping.
Here’s the verdict: without the cinnamon sugar, the flavor was more similar to pancakes (odd, but true), I had zero problems with this. But I did like the cinnamon sugar-coated cookies better overall.
Regardless of how you coat them, these treats are a fantastic introduction to baking with coconut flour!
Print
Simple Cinnamon Coconut Flour Cookies
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 3 dozen cookies 1x
Description
These simple cinnamon coconut flour cookies will melt in your mouth, and they’re a great introduction to gluten-free baking.
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
- ¾ cup pure maple syrup
- 4 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup coconut flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Cinnamon Sugar:
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat mat.
- In a stand mixer, beat together butter, coconut oil, and maple syrup until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla extract, stopping once to scrape down the sides.
- Slowly add coconut flour and salt. Mix until just combined and set aside.
- In a shallow bowl, combine cinnamon and sugar.
- Scoop out 1 tablespoon of batter, roll in cinnamon sugar mixture, and place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, placing dough balls about 1 inch apart.
- Lightly press down the top of cookie dough balls just to slightly flatten the tops.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cookies should be still slightly underbaked when removed from oven.
- Transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight container. Enjoy within 5 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Gluten-Free
Keywords: cookies, cinnamon sugar, coconut flour, gluten-free dessert
Cooking By the Numbers…
Step 1 – Preheat Oven and Measure Out Ingredients
Preheat your oven to 375°F and line baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick silicone baking mat.
Measure out all of the ingredients.
Step 2 – Beat Liquid Ingredients
In a stand mixer, beat together the butter, coconut oil, and maple syrup until smooth.
Make sure the oil is fully melted. Otherwise, it will form clumps in the batter.
Slowly add the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla extract. Stop and scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula, and then continue mixing until fully combined.
Step 3 – Add Dry Ingredients
Slowly add the flour and salt, mixing until just combined. Set aside.
At first, the dough will seem too thin and it will not hold together. But after sitting for a minute or two, the coconut flour will absorb the liquid and form a soft dough.
Step 4 – Make Topping
In a shallow bowl, combine cinnamon and sugar. Place next to the prepared baking sheet.
Step 5 – Scoop Out Dough and Roll in Cinnamon Sugar
Using a tablespoon, scoop out a portion of dough and form a ball. Lightly roll it in the cinnamon sugar mixture, and then place it on the prepared baking sheet.
Repeat with the remaining dough, placing the balls about 1 inch apart.
These cookies will not spread out too much when baking, so don’t worry about giving them too much space.
Step 6 – Press and Bake
Using your index and middle finger, lightly press down to slightly flatten the top of each dough ball. Avoid pressing too hard, as you still want a thick center to avoid crumbly cookies.
Place the baking tray in oven and bake for 8-10 minutes. You want to slightly under-bake these cookies to keep them soft and moist in the center.
Step 7 – Cool and Store
Carefully transfer the cookies to a cooling rack. Once they are fully cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
How Do I Keep Coconut Flour Fresh?
Thanks to its high fat content, this ingredient can go rancid if left at room temperature. For best results, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 6 months, or in the freezer for up to a year.
Looking for other recipes using alternative flours? Check out these tried-and-true recipes on Foodal:
- Coconut Flour Pancakes
- The Best Paleo Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- Light and Buttery Nut Flour Crepes with Roasted Fruit
- Spelt Flour Almond Wafers
Have you baked with coconut flour before? We’d love to hear your tips and tricks for working with this unique ingredient in the comments below! And don’t forget to rate this recipe after you try it.
Photos by Kelli McGrane, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published by Shanna Mallon on August 19, 2010. Last updated: May 19, 2023 at 13:52 pm.
Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.
The written contents of this article have been reviewed and verified by a registered dietitian for informational purposes only. This article should not be construed as personalized or professional medical advice. Foodal and Ask the Experts, LLC assume no liability for the use or misuse of the material presented above. Always consult with a medical professional before changing your diet, or using supplements or manufactured or natural medications.
About Kelli McGrane, MS, RD
Kelli McGrane is a Denver-based registered dietitian with a lifelong love of food. She holds undergraduate and master’s degrees in nutrition science from Boston University. As a registered dietitian, she believes in the importance of food to nourish not only your body, but your soul as well. Nutrition is very personal, and you won’t find any food rules here, other than to simply enjoy what you eat.
These cookies are right up my ally. I love coconut flour and oil. I also really appreciate this post because of how you’ve likened it to self-employment. See, I’m hating my desk job right now — I see working from home, self-employment as salvation that I can reach if I can JUST figure out how to do it. But knowing it isn’t just a magical solution helps.
And if these are both dense/fluffy, I’m intrigued. Will have to try!
Not enough flour! The first cookies Batch melted. Second was fine. I added a little more flour to it. The taste delicious but the texture was like a pancake. I left them in a little longer to make it crispy. Flipped them over to cook on both sides. Some of the bottoms burnt a little. It was an experiment. The recipe needs to be perfected a little more.
interesting ingredient — looks and sounds excellent. will have to keep an eye out for coconut flour. i had a short stint working from home during grad school, and yes, it was a bear. not the best but then again i wasn’t excited about the position. trying to get back into it now that we’re constantly moving around. here’s hoping! and best to you.
cheers,
*heather*
LOVE that these cookies are gluten free! They sound so yummy, and coconut is one of my husband’s favorite flavors 🙂
ooh, I would love to try these with the huge bag of coconut flour in my fridge. One problem: no sucanat. Do you think raw sugar would work, or should I try honey? maple syrup?
So happy to see another gluten free recipe! 🙂
Jenny, I’d love to see a version that used honey or maple syrup–it might take a little experimentation to get the proportions right (add more flour to compensate for the liquids maybe?). Otherwise though, raw sugar would be an easy sub, no problem. PS – I haven’t heard of keeping coconut flour in the fridge! Is that just to make it last longer?
Looking for a good butter substitute.
One of my favorites for baking is the vegan buttery stick form of Earth Balance, and I’ve become a new advocate of Miyoko’s European-style cultured vegan butter as well – great flavor and texture!
yes, apparently it helps it not go rancid as quickly? The freezer is better – I’m just acting on word of mouth, though. 🙂
It always puts a smile on my face to see a new post here. Thanks for sharing your kitchen experiments. All your efforts are clearly leading you to interesting places, cinnamon-sugar-coated and otherwise. 🙂
Have heard such good things lately about coconut flour, but I haven’t really done much experimenting. I know plenty of people who would appreciate gluten-free baking, though — so I should really get moving on that.
Didn’t even know coconut had such variety of usages! I should first tstart with tasting coconut milk
These sound almost like a tropical snickerdoodle!
I’ve used coconut oil for awhile now, but still need to get some coconut flour. I keep almost all my flours in the fridge, unless I know I’m going to use them up quickly. That way they stay fresh.
oh, i’m so intrigued to try out coconut flour! and so proud of your journey with self-employment. i have no doubt, you will succeed in everything you do.
I have to be honest, I have never seen coconut flour. It sounds very interesting. The cookies look delicious and I know you will do great at self-employment.
Jenny, Well that does make sense, especially if you buy a big bag of it. Good to know! Thanks!
Maddie, It always puts a smile on my face to read one of your comments. Thank you!
Lo, I know! Gluten-free is really everywhere these days!
Hana, The other day, I almost bought a whole coconut, with the idea of cracking it and opening it on my own. Someday!
Jacqui, Really? So another vote for fridge flours. This is very interesting!
G, Thank you, sweet girl!
Jessica, You can find it at Whole Foods for sure and maybe some health stores. Thanks for your encouragement – I hope you are right!
mmmmmm… I’m going to make these!
AND I have some Kombucha a-brewin! … fun fun!
Love that these are gluten free! I’m passing them onto my friend who is always on the lookout for amazing gluten free desserts. These look and sound perfect!
Amanda! You are making kombucha!? I am so excited and hope you’ll be blogging about it soon. Can’t wait to hear how it goes!
Antonietta, Excellent!
I may be the last celiac around who hasn’t tried coconut flour. Everyone raves about it, but the cost holds me back a little…that, and my ridiculous box of gluten-free flours that is bursting at the seams with half-filled bags…I’m a lazy baker, that’s for sure. But I may just toss a bag of flour in my cart next week and give these a whirl!
Jenn, I understand about costs, and even though I go through flours pretty quickly (I do love baking), I know it all can add up. Definitely next time you’re looking for a new bag though, give this one a try! : ) It’s a keeper.
I’m embarrassed to say I’ve never baked with coconut flour! Crazy right? This recipe looks fantastic. I’m off now to buy some coconut flour. Thanks for the inspiration!
Carrie, You’re kidding! That’s only surprising because you know all about all these new-to-me ingredients! Really, I think it was only a matter of time. Hope you like it! : )
These look great! I love CO and Coconut Flour anything. They are so good, can’t wait to give these a try.
Thanks, Natasha! I’d love to hear what you think!
Yum, Coconut oil and Coconut flour, these must be delish! I will be trying these soon too, thanks!
Ooops- my fingers were faster than my brain, hahah…I will be trying these very soon….AND update! Just a side note, have you tried Heavenly Organics Sugar? I don’t sell it at all but recently found and it would be great in these, it bakes up so well. Makes cookies and muffins bump to another level!
Oh and no, I haven’t tried that, but I’ll keep my eye out for it. From the website, I see they preserve most of the nutrients of the whole cane juice, so I’m interested to learn more. Thanks!
Looks delicious! Thanks for the favorite listing.
You’re welcome! You have a lovely site. : )
These taste really good. Texture is not like a cookie though, it’s more like cornbread, not a bad thing but not what I was expecting.
Can you use coconut sugar instead of sucanat?
Good question, Mary. I haven’t tested coconut (palm) sugar in this recipe, but personally I always swap coconut sugar and Sucanat one-to-one and half good results. It will be slightly different but I’m sure it would work.
Finally got around to making these– I see what you mean by dense and fluffy at the same time. I like them, and like that they aren’t super super sweet… next time I’m going to try rolling them in sugar + cocoa powder, I would love a little chocolate flavor in there!
In the sub-continent this dish is called as “Tikian” and the whole recipe looks like a ditto of it.
★★★★★
I decided to try this recipe out because I had a little bit of coconut flour left over that I had to use before it went bad. So I made this last night and it tasted so good! Love the texture of the coconut flour plus the subtle sweet taste of the flour itself. I could taste both the butter and maple syrup combined with the cinnamon flavor and it made me feel like I was eating cinnamon pancakes. Thanks for creating the recipe!
★★★★★
Très bon! Merci.
★★★★★
Can I use canola oil instead of coconut oil for the cinnamon cookies?
I haven’t tried it, but it should work!
What is the calorie, carb, and fat content? Thank you
You can find all of these details if you scroll down to the nutrition facts at the bottom of the recipe card. 🙂
This recipe is everything and more than the creator says. Thank you for the precise measurements and tips for alternative flour cooking.
★★★★★
I have again gotten another rave for your cookies. After thinking about this taste, I have been reminded what they taste like. It has occurred to me it tastes like a light form of a macaroon. Thank you again for this wonderful recipe. With addition of cinnamon.yum.
I’m looking forward to trying these out! Does anyone know if they freeze well?
My family recently began dieting and one of the first things to go was dairy and gluten. I stumbled upon this recipe and was skeptical. However, these are delicious little cookies. I will make these again and again. Not only were they tasty, but they were so easy and fast. Thank you for sharing!
★★★★★
I found these VERY difficult to make. They were too soft to roll~
Taste was OK, but doubt I’d make again~
Interesting and yummy!
I followed the recipe but had to add about a 1/4 cup of coconut flour because the dough was so wet.
Turned out great! Tasted like macaroon flavored French toast.
I’d cut down on the maple syrup next time, and there will be a next time.
★★★★★
I agree. I followed precisely the recipe and I had to add a similar amount of flour.
I just made this recipe for an after-school snack for my kids. I didn’t have maple so I substituted corn syrup. They didn’t sit up enough to roll into balls, so I added a little cinnamon and baked them with a sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar instead. They came out pancake-flat, but Grandma and the kids loved them! Seriously melt-in-your mouth!! Not sure if the corn syrup changed up the consistency of the batter, but no complaints on the final product.
★★★★★
Responding to Missy, I didn’t substitute anything and mine came out the same way. I think the recipe needs way more of the flour as several others have mentioned. I always pour my flour rather than scoop when amount isnt provided in grams as scooping flour can pack it and you come out with much more flour by weight if you scoop rather than pour. I’m thinking the recipe creator likely scooped the flour ending up with a lot more flour.
Yeah… so… these were terrible. There’s no other way to put it. They were tolerable with some milk but we won’t be making it again. From the beginning, the butter/coconut oil/maple syrup mix was chunky and curdled. That could be user error, but we did do exactly as the recipe said. It was not even a dough by the end and we literally had to add some other gluten free flour to make it at a texture we could use. The baking did not help. It was SO grainy and a weird, crumbly, desert dry texture but also spongy? I have no idea what went wrong. Seems like a waste of maple syrup and eggs. But our dog likes them.
★
So sorry to hear you had difficulty with this recipe!
When butter is combined with liquid ingredients it often results in a mixture that looks a bit curdled (such as what you might get when mixing up a batter for banana bread, for example) but this usually isn’t something to worry about. I suspect the temperature of your ingredients may have been an issue here – was the butter softened, warmer than room temperature? Was the coconut butter melted and then allowed to come back to room temperature? Were your eggs and maple syrup room temperature, or cold? Adding ingredients that are too hot or too cold can affect how they blend into the mixture.
Can you sub a flax egg for regular eggs in this recipe?
Yes, absolutely! We haven’t tried this, but it should work. Please let us know how it turns out!
Too much like left over pancakes.
★★★
This is probably the best coconut flour recipe I’ve ever tried! Because coconut flour absorbs so much liquid, I decided to add it before the eggs. Also, my maple syrup was cold so it hardened my oils. I put it over a little heat and melted the butter, oil, and syrup and then added the flour. Let it sit for a minute to absorb the liquid, then added my cold eggs and sit for a minute again. The cold eggs hardened up the batter quickly. I also decreased the maple syrup by 1/4 cup. I added two shakes of stevia powder and it was very sweet. The texture did not turn out like corn bread as one person mentioned. I was hoping to prevent that by soaking the flour. It must have worked. I can’t stop eating them. I’ll have to make more soon!
★★★★★
I attempted this recipe, but the dough never firmed up enough to make cookies. First, I had to substitute corn syrup for the maple sugar and olive oil for the coconut oil. Perhaps that caused the thin dough. Regardless, the runny dough wasn’t very sweet. I added some golden syrup I had on hand from another recipe. Then, I added another 1/4 cup coconut flour to get the dough to firm up; it worked a little, but not enough to form a ball and roll in the cinnamon/sugar mixture. So, I added 2 tbsp baking powder, dumped the cinnamon/sugar mixture into the batter, mixed it up, sprayed a bundt pan with nonstick spray and tossed it all in the over for about 25-30 min. Then, I made a simple confectioner’s sugar glaze to drizzle over the top and now we have an average-tasting cinnamon bundt coffee cake for breakfast in the morning.
★★
Nice Karen,
You completely changed a recipe. A BAKING recipe. Keyword “Baking.” And then you rated it a two when it didn’t work out.
★★★★★
Love the taste. I had trouble with the dough being too soft. Kept adding coconut flour until able to roll into a ball and roll into the cinnamon.sugar mixture. Very good texture to this cookie. My husband loved them and that is a high praise if he likes them. They’re very good and easy to eat lots. Delicious with milk, coffee, tea, or just alone. When I make again, I’m going to reduce the maple syrup as one comment said. I did let my eggs get to room temp. But the Coconut Oil and Butter were warm from softening in microwave. Could be why my dough was soft and needed extra Coconut flour to become a rollable dough.
★★★★
I have just made these and as with others noticed the curdling, but wasn’t concerned as this has happened before. Unfortunately I also ran out of maple syrup, so used half and half with golden syrup. Also I needed to add extra coconut flour as the consistency wasn’t right. In the end they turned out beautifully exactly as in your picture. Will definitely make again
★★★★★
Hi there any way to substitute the butter ?
Yes! Try vegan margarine as a 1-to-1 substitute.
These are amazing! Delicious and super easy. I have a ton of coconut flour in my pantry and have had a hard time finding a really good recipe, thank you!
★★★★★
Everyone who has suggested this to me has had great results & has loved the cookies. They are all gluten free for dieting purposes. We, however, are gluten, egg free due to allergies to both grains, eggs and several other foods. It is very difficult to find recipes that have been tested with flax, or other egg substitutes. I used to love to cook but this “new” type if cooking drives me crazy so I avoid the kitchen as much as possible. There are so many failures & more expensive ingredients tossed than preferred. Do you have any egg, gluten, xanthan gum free recipes? Please share if you do. Thanks
My mother is also on a gluten-free diet and I was vegan for a time, so I definitely sympathize with your struggle to find recipes that will work for you, Jeanne!
All of our vegan cookie recipes that call for all-purpose flour can be made with a cup-for-cup substitute of gluten-free flour. And we have a couple of gluten-free, egg-free recipes as well that are designed this way, no substitutions required. Are you on a completely grain-free diet, or are you able to eat gluten-free oats? You might like to start with these chewy flourless monster cookies.
Tried to make these cookies the other night, tasted great! But I ended up with a batter rather than a dough? Followed the recipe to a T, so not sure where I messed up? Any recommendations? I’d love to try this again.
Did you soften the butter to room temperature (rather than melting/heating it) and allow the melted coconut oil to return to room temperature before mixing the batter? Adding warm ingredients could result in a looser mixture. It’s also important to allow the coconut flour to hydrate a bit before giving it a final stir and forming the cookies. Adding a little extra coconut flour if it’s still too loose should help as well.
At first I was skeptical but tried it anyway. OMG I killed them, I couldn’t stop thinking when I could have some more! My son and husband loved them as well! I totally recommend to anyone to bake these! I also loved the fact that I didn’t have to bake them for so long, just a few minutes and done!
★★★★★
I had a major issue scooping into cinnamon sugar and then transferring to the baking sheet. More of a drop cookie and moving to the sheet was a challenge. Even after chilling the dough/batter. Any hints appreciated. They’re good by a pain.
Thanks!
★★★★★
Great
★★★★★
In trying to clean out my pantry I was looking for coconut flour recipes. I was excited by this one. I have to say – they do not “scoop”. I did not add more flour but let it sit as directed. I am in Nevada and it’s hot so with all the butter and coconut heat has an effect. I set the bowl in the fridge….moderately better. But took a long time forming, dropping the blob in the cinnamon sugar and then transferring to the baking sheet. They cook well in 8 mins in my oven.
They taste more cakey than soft cookie – not bad and the cinnamon sugar is a must. Tasty but not an easy recipe to “do” given the batter doesn’t hold together for “scooping” more of drop and moving to baking sheet is 50-50 success.
★★★
I loved these!
Side note to some of the other commenters. Follow the dang recipe folks! Baking is a science as much as an art. Substitutions or using ingredients at different temperatures WILL change the results for any baked goods.
★★★★★
I had never used coconut flour before so gave it a go. Needed more flour to get a good consistency. They came out fantastic and the taste is so mouth watering, couldn’t stop eating them. Def one of my favourite little cookies to bake. I would highly recommend this recipe. They are LUSH ????????????????????
★★★★★
I was wondering if you can substitute the maple syrup with coconut sugar and what amount. Thanks!
Though we haven’t tested this, it should work. When substituting a dry granulated sweetener for a wet one, you will need to make some adjustments.
First, I’d suggest creaming the butter together with 3/4 cup coconut sugar until it’s light and smooth before adding the oil in step 1. The final product will come out a bit more dry than it would if you used maple syrup, which may not be a problem if the coconut flour is hydrated to your liking, but you might want to consider adding a little extra liquid to the batter as well.
Please let us know how they turn out!
thanks!
It is only 3/4c flour?
My mix appears very wet
Is the amount right?
Hi! This recipe looks amazing! Is it possible to swap the coconut oil for regular oil?
You could use canola or vegetable oil, or another type with a neutral flavor, to make this recipe. Coconut oil is preferred because it has a sweet taste if you use the unrefined variety, and it will solidify quickly when you refrigerate the dough before baking.
I’m making these now but the batter is way too wet. I let it sit for a few minutes but there’s no way I could make a ball. I added another 1/4 c. coconut flour and I’m letting it sit again. I may have to just sprinkle it with the cinnamon sugar.