Coconut Flour Cookies with Candy (Gluten Free)

Coconut flour cookies with candy are soft and chewy. These cute candy cookies are made from a mixture of coconut flour, almond butter and M&M candies. They also only require 8 ingredients that you probably already have on hand!

Coconut flour cookies

Who doesn’t love a chewy holiday cookie studded with red and green candies? These coconut flour candy cookies are perfect to make for the holidays! Especially if you are looking for a gluten free dessert recipe. Since these cookies are made with coconut flour they are naturally gluten and grain free. So they are perfect for anyone with a gluten allergy or really anyone else who wants a delicious (and wholesome) cookie! Coconut flour is an interesting flour as it is quite starchy and absorbs a lot of liquid while baking. It contains more fiber and protein than regular flour as well. For tips and tricks and all the ingredient details keep reading below!

Ingredients you’ll need for coconut flour cookies

You only need eight simple ingredients to make these coconut cookies!

• Coconut flour is the main flour we are working with. We will be using 2/3 cup.

• Baking powder will help puff up these cookies. We will use one teaspoon!

• Eggs help bind all the ingredients together. For this recipe we we will need one egg plug one egg yolk.

• Smooth almond butter adds texture and flavor. Make sure to use smooth and creamy almond butter as chunky nut butter will alter the texture of these cookies.

• Maple syrup to sweeten things up! Pure maple syrup is a great all natural sweetener.

• Refined coconut oil or butter is the baking fat used as it is neutral in taste. Make sure the oil or butter is melted and cooled. Please note if you use coconut oil, the cookies will have a stronger coconut taste.

• A splash of vanilla extract to enhance the flavor! Just one teaspoon.

• Last but not least, M&M’s or chocolate chips (whichever you prefer)! If you are making these cookies for the holiday I recommend using holiday colored candies.

How to make coconut flour cookies

Follow the easy six steps below to whip up this holiday cookie recipe.

STEP 1

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

STEP 2

In a medium bowl add the dry ingredients: coconut flour and baking powder. Mix together until combined.

STEP 3

In a large bowl, whisk the wet ingredients: eggs, almond butter, maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla. Whisk until fully combined and smooth.

STEP 4

Now fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Add in the coconut flour and baking powder to the wet mixture and use a spoon or spatula to fold the mixture until combined.

STEP 5

Fold in the m&m’s. The best part – time to fold in the m&m’s!

STEP 6

Scoop and bake! Using a spoon or a cookie scoop, scoop 18 cookies onto your baking sheet (press extra m&m’s into the top of each cookie if you choose). Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let the cookies cool slightly and then enjoy!

Tips for making the best holiday cookies

If you like cookies with soft centers that a studded with delicious candies, then these are the cookies for you! I have outlined few tips and tricks for making the best coconut flour cookies.

• Combine the coconut flour and baking powder in a small bowl separate from the wet ingredients. This will prevent over mixing.

• Whisk together eggs, almond butter, maple syrup, coconut oil (or butter), and vanilla in a large bowl until fully combined and then stir in the dry flour mixture. This will ensure all the ingredients blend nicely.

• Fold the m&m’s into the batter with a spoon or a spatula just until combined. Don’t over mix!

• Press a few extra m&m’s into the top of each cookie before you bake them to make the tops of each cookie look pretty!

Baking with coconut flour

For this recipe, coconut flour is the main flour we are working with as it makes up the base of this cookie. Baking with coconut flour can be tricky (sometime I am hesitant to bake with it) as it soaks up a lot of moisture when it bakes. So you need to make sure you add enough moisture to create nicely textured baked goods. Adding more eggs and liquid to the coconut flour makes the perfect consistency and texture for baked goods.

A few other items to note when baking with coconut flour:

• Coconut flour has a slight coconut taste and smell but it blends nicely with the creamy almond butter in this recipe.
• It also has many benefits! Nutritionally speaking, it’s naturally gluten free, rich in fiber and fat, and low in carbohydrates.

How to store these holiday cookies

Once these cookies have fully cooled, store them in an airtight container on the counter for 2-3 days. They can also be stored in the fridge for up to a week! I find it best to store leftover cookies in the fridge as they last much longer. Additionally, you can store these in a freezer friendly bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. To defrost the cookies from the freezer, simply let them thaw at room temperature or defrost them in the microwave.

Other cookie recipes you’ll love

Here are some other cookie recipes you’re going to love:

• Paleo Chocolate Crinkle Cookies – another fun holiday cookie recipe tossed in powdered sugar.

• Chewy Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies – a go-to chewy chocolate chip cookie recipe that doesn’t disappoint.

• Healthy Butter Pecan Cookies – whip up butter pecan cookies instead of pecan pie!

• White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies – oat flour cookies studded with white chocolate and dried cranberries.

If you love this coconut flour cookie recipe, I would really appreciate a review. Your feedback and support means so much to me! It helps me continue to do what I love and create delicious recipes for you. For more recipe inspiration, you can also find and tag me on instagram: @braesbites